Twiggy compost heap
Twiggy compost heap
I put a lot of prunings from fruit shrubs in addition to vegetable trimmings in the compost heap. Someone told me the other day that it would take a couple of years to compost down - is that right? If so, what can I do to speed it up? There's also a bit of soil in there.
- diggernotdreamer
- Site Admin
- Posts: 1861
- Joined: Sat Jun 30, 2012 10:23 pm
- Location: North West Ireland
Re: Twiggy compost heap
the best way to speed it up is to shred it, or take your pruners and snip all the bits up really small and then put them into the bottom of the heap where they will get the wettest, which will help them to break down.
- Green Aura
- Site Admin
- Posts: 9313
- Joined: Thu Feb 07, 2008 8:16 pm
- latitude: 58.569279
- longitude: -4.762620
- Location: North West Highlands
Re: Twiggy compost heap
And pee on them.
Maggie
Never doubt that you can change history. You already have. Marge Piercy
Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage. Anais Nin
Never doubt that you can change history. You already have. Marge Piercy
Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage. Anais Nin
-
- A selfsufficientish Regular
- Posts: 8241
- Joined: Sun May 22, 2005 9:16 pm
- Location: Kincardineshire, Scotland
Re: Twiggy compost heap
Yep - that's what I do, too!Green Aura wrote:And pee on them.
I've got a whole heap of twigs that need using up; I intend to build another raised bed and will put a layer of chopped twigs in the bottom, before filling up with compost and whatever else comes to hand.
Ina
I'm a size 10, really; I wear a 20 for comfort. (Gina Yashere)
I'm a size 10, really; I wear a 20 for comfort. (Gina Yashere)
Re: Twiggy compost heap
Hmm... I'll just have to be patient, then.
Re: Twiggy compost heap
if I don't shred the twiggy bits, they emerge uncomposted ... and I put them round again for another cycle.
Maybe I should soak them first... nice idea
Maybe I should soak them first... nice idea
-
- Living the good life
- Posts: 493
- Joined: Mon Jul 16, 2012 5:13 pm
- Location: south staffordshire
Re: Twiggy compost heap
I've had the same problem but have "solved" it by using the twigs as fuel ( great for something like a bread oven and also works well in the barbecue ) and then simply adding the resultant ashes to the soil or compost heap.
-
- Tom Good
- Posts: 93
- Joined: Wed Dec 05, 2012 7:30 pm
- Location: Rotterdam, the Netherlands
Re: Twiggy compost heap
Fruittreeprunings are apparently also good for smokingfood. It's supposed to give your food wonderfull flavour. Mind you I've never done it...
Greets,
Roos
Greets,
Roos
My blog: https://thelifeofalittlerose.wordpress.com
My dutch blog: https://hetlevenvaneenroosje.wordpress.com has the same content bu is updated sooner.
My dutch blog: https://hetlevenvaneenroosje.wordpress.com has the same content bu is updated sooner.
-
- Living the good life
- Posts: 493
- Joined: Mon Jul 16, 2012 5:13 pm
- Location: south staffordshire
Re: Twiggy compost heap
No I've never tried it as I haven't got round to building a smoker yet but have in the past chipped up fruit woods as well as oak for a friend of a friend who used it for smoking.
- diggernotdreamer
- Site Admin
- Posts: 1861
- Joined: Sat Jun 30, 2012 10:23 pm
- Location: North West Ireland
Re: Twiggy compost heap
I give fruit tree prunings, they are very partial to apple wood, to my rabbits to chew up, they love them, so you could always find a local bunny
-
- Living the good life
- Posts: 493
- Joined: Mon Jul 16, 2012 5:13 pm
- Location: south staffordshire
Re: Twiggy compost heap
I can remember coming home one day to find my father had cut up some bits of treated roof lath and had given them to the rabbits in an attempt to stop them chewing the doors of the sheds. Seemed to work as they certainly chomped on the treated timber and I expected to find a scene of mass bunny mortality but it didn't affect them at all , indeed some of them were practically ancient when they finally died.
- Thomzo
- A selfsufficientish Regular
- Posts: 4311
- Joined: Thu Feb 01, 2007 1:42 pm
- Facebook Name: Zoe Thomas
- Location: Swindon, South West England
Re: Twiggy compost heap
Fantastic stuff that preservative!Skippy wrote: indeed some of them were practically ancient when they finally died.