Joined: 06 Mar 2005 Posts: 20809 Location: sunny wales
Posted: Thu Mar 31, 05 4:38 pm Post subject: Green Cones?
Just read a blurb about these green cone compost thingys, says they will handle cooked food and even bones and pet waste? Anyone got one, do they really work? Would help with the rubbish each week if I could put cooked odds and ends on the compost.
You mean one of those that look like a conical dustbin? No way I wouldn't put bones or animal waste in there, we've got one and it's difficult to get it composting nicely. In general though we'll add any paper, and cooked waste veggies, pasta etc.
Thing is, did yours come labelled as a green cone? They are a fairly different shape to a compost bin (compost bins more dalek shaped, green cone, well, cone shaped). They certainly do claim to be able to compost stuff that normal composters don't. Don't fancy it myself but would love to know if it works - never even seen a review of one.
Joined: 28 Oct 2004 Posts: 28238 Location: escaped from Swindon
Posted: Thu Mar 31, 05 4:55 pm Post subject:
tahir wrote:
You mean one of those that look like a conical dustbin? No way I wouldn't put bones or animal waste in there, we've got one and it's difficult to get it composting nicely. In general though we'll add any paper, and cooked waste veggies, pasta etc.
Glad to see we are not the only ones who struggle with our composter.
Blimey that's right fandangled that one, it looks worth a try. Have your local council got a deal with them? If they have it'll be dirt cheap to buy through them.
sally_in_wales Downsizer Moderator
Joined: 06 Mar 2005 Posts: 20809 Location: sunny wales
Posted: Thu Mar 31, 05 5:49 pm Post subject:
Looks like only one council is doing them at the moment, but in theory, even in a small garden one of those (maybe by the fruit trees??) plus a 'normal' composter to give stuff to dig back in would be really quite manageable and go a long way to reducing the bin bag talley each week
They're �45 at my friend's council and "�0 until midnight tonight" at another, unfortunately I don't think would be able to get hold of them before then!
How ethical is it to use someone else's council tax to finance one's own cheap composter. Not very, I suspect
I had 2 of these but didnt know til reading that link I could have put all that stuff in there!! I now use them upside down for growing tatties in I found them awkward to empty out and turn over when using them to make compost
sally_in_wales Downsizer Moderator
Joined: 06 Mar 2005 Posts: 20809 Location: sunny wales
Posted: Thu Mar 31, 05 8:21 pm Post subject:
I thought these ones you specifically didnt turn over- because of the basket bit underneath they just leach nutrients into the soil. (I have a Dalek shaped composter too- I wonder if thats what you're growing your tatties in??) These are a bit different apparently and rely on the appliance of science to deal with the more noxious waste.
I think I read somewhere that you can empty them about every two years (which you'd want, at least, if you have to dig the whole critter up). It sounds like a great idea though, and if they really don't smell, surely every home/street/etc should have one?
Little bit concerned about the leaching stuff though.
Yes they do tend to go down quickly,I had mine in between two miniarette trees and they did ok As I said though I never realised they were 'posh composters' lol I used them as a normal compost bin so thats why I turned them don't I feel silly now!! Mine also had a black liner inside the green outer shell kind os like a double skin,both these are stood upside down on the patio ( as they have no bottoms..)with my first earlies in The basket was lined with a black bin bag or two and held my strawberries nicely last year The other one is currently holding onto my twiggy bits of waste ready for the gardening collections to start in a week or so..
Well, now you know what a green goldmine you're sitting on, do you think they're in a state to reclaim post-spuds? Then you can be our pioneer researcher in this matter
I feel there may be an article in it, too...
In fact it would be rather interesting to see pics of people's composters, and compost. Is that terribly, terribly, heartbreakingly sad?
As I said though I never realised they were 'posh composters' lol I used them as a normal compost bin so thats why I turned them 
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