Big container for leaf mould

Food, Nutrition and Agriculture
Arzosah
Posts: 6323
Joined: Fri Jun 22, 2012 4:20 pm

Big container for leaf mould

Post by Arzosah »

*Still* a long way to go with my little garden, but I'm getting there, and starting to think about the future, which is where leaf mould comes in. I'd really like to get a good amount composting down, but I don't want to use lots and lots of plastic bags. There's a potential solution sitting on my patio by the back garden, however. I have two full-size plastic bins, that will never be used for waste (council wheelie bins!) and are just useless at the moment.

What I'm thinking of is to drill holes in it - especially at the bottom, but on the sides too, so my little garden worms can come do their thing. Obviously, I'd have to be really careful to sweep up all the plastic bits that would be produced. When I google "leaf mould bins", a wire mesh cage comes up most often, but the bins are what I've got, and they could be really useful.

Does anyone foresee any problems doing this? As long as worms and good soil bacteria can get to the leaves, there shouldn't be a problem, should there?
jansman
Posts: 13623
Joined: Thu Dec 30, 2010 7:16 pm

Re: Big container for leaf mould

Post by jansman »

Leaf mould. Get some wire mesh,Wilkinson? 1 metre wide? Stand on end,make a tube and tie the ends with wire or string or zip ties.Sorted. You may need tin snips ,Wilkinson? To cut to size ( like scissors) and gloves are a good idea. The same set yp is good for general compost too.
In three words I can sum up everything I have learned about life: It goes on.

Robert Frost.

Covid 19: After that level of weirdness ,any situation is certainly possible.

Me.
Arzosah
Posts: 6323
Joined: Fri Jun 22, 2012 4:20 pm

Re: Big container for leaf mould

Post by Arzosah »

I'm trying really hard to use what I've got, rather than buy new, even though the "new" would be a very low cost item from Wilko (and I love Wilko) ... I also have a wooden cube, no sides, an abandoned attempt to build a haybox. The sides were supposed to be floor vinyl, then insulation. I could cut the vinyl into strips to mimic the effect of the wire mesh ... it's not as portable, or as big, as the bin. I really want to use the bin :oops: I know its not the normal arrangement though. Aside from it being weird :lol: is there a particular downside you can think of, jansman? Or anyone else, come to that?
jansman
Posts: 13623
Joined: Thu Dec 30, 2010 7:16 pm

Re: Big container for leaf mould

Post by jansman »

No downside.That arrangement would work well.And I agree ,you should use what you have.
In three words I can sum up everything I have learned about life: It goes on.

Robert Frost.

Covid 19: After that level of weirdness ,any situation is certainly possible.

Me.
Arzosah
Posts: 6323
Joined: Fri Jun 22, 2012 4:20 pm

Re: Big container for leaf mould

Post by Arzosah »

Thanks! I wanted to check because there's an awful lot of experience on here that's completely over my head :)
grenfell
Posts: 3951
Joined: Thu Jul 04, 2013 7:55 pm

Re: Big container for leaf mould

Post by grenfell »

I tend to use the large builders sacks , used for around a tonne of sand normally. Without getting into the whole waste issue they are generally a one use package and builders end up skipping them. Easy to find on practically any building site or freecycle.
I was always under the impression that leaf mould is a fungal process and doesn't require the presence of worms although drilling drainage holes is no bad thing. Our council will happily give us a extra recycling bin free of charge although general and garden waste they won't , don't know if it's the same in your area but might be worth checking out. Only possible downside isn't a practical one but more of a council one so to speak. The bins are council property and i have heard stories , albeit colloquial , about councils getting arsy about people "damaging" their property. Probably nothing to worry about though.
Arzosah
Posts: 6323
Joined: Fri Jun 22, 2012 4:20 pm

Re: Big container for leaf mould

Post by Arzosah »

Builders sacks are a good idea! And yes, preventing single use by re-using it for something it wasn't intended to do is a win-win. Those sacks could be leafmould bags for many years :) Do you remember those big check bags that you used to be able to buy in inner city hardware/ chandlers type shops? I have one of those I'm about to declutter to a charity shop - but actually, I could use it for this instead (and the bins would be left intact for something else, and I don't have to faff about with my drill). The piping on the bag is falling to pieces, bits all over the floor, a c.s. might not accept it (they often go through contributions and say yes/ no according to what they need at the moment).

I think you're right about it being a fungal process - worms are there, but they're not basic to the whole thing, just an added bonus for this particular issue.

An extra recycling bin would be a wonderful thing, but not possible here :twisted: leaves are green waste, and those bins cost £65 a year here :twisted: I can't begin to tell you how mad that makes me. A neighbour does have one, and he let me borrow the winter collections :D and he now keeps it on my property, as there's hardstanding here and none where he is. Win-win.

ETA - just realised what you meant about an extra bin! No, since I have a bin of my own I *could* use, I feel I should do that. But I'll use the check bag first :mrgreen:
grenfell
Posts: 3951
Joined: Thu Jul 04, 2013 7:55 pm

Re: Big container for leaf mould

Post by grenfell »

One thing if you do use those bags is to tie the handles to stakes of some kind. I use pigtails but a piece of timber is fine. Advantage there is that they hold the sides up which makes filling and emptying much easier . It's a right pain when the thi gs keep foldin in on theirslves.
Oh and £65 for the garden waste bin! I thought ours was bad enough at £39 . I do tend to compost as much as possible but for firs , laurels and the like i use the bin. If i didn't compost i'd seriously struggle with only one bin.
Arzosah
Posts: 6323
Joined: Fri Jun 22, 2012 4:20 pm

Re: Big container for leaf mould

Post by Arzosah »

Thanks grenfell :)
jansman
Posts: 13623
Joined: Thu Dec 30, 2010 7:16 pm

Re: Big container for leaf mould

Post by jansman »

Just re- read your OP Arzosah.You have unused wheelie bins? If so,then perfect! I appreciate that your diy skills and tools * may* be limited,but it sounds as if you have a drill. If so,then ( with the biggest bit you have) drill a series of holes in the bottom,around the edge to cut the bottom out.Holes drilled around the perimeter,close together to ' cut ' it out. I am sure you get the idea.If you want to push a few holes through the sides with the drill,then great! You then have an easily moved ( and lidded) compost heap.Don't worry if the council want it back,just say it was nicked! It happened to me.
In three words I can sum up everything I have learned about life: It goes on.

Robert Frost.

Covid 19: After that level of weirdness ,any situation is certainly possible.

Me.