Homemade Hot Composter - Making hot compost in only 12 weeks? First Ever Compost Reveal!
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- čas přidán 7. 07. 2024
- I’ve lusted after a homemade hot composter for ages, seduced by the promise of usable compost in as little as 3 months. So earlier in the spring, I built my own, rather than buying a commercially available one to find out whether it would work as well. Now it’s finally time to open the hot composter for the first time and find out... Has it worked? Has it been a success or a failure? Do I have compost? Fingers crossed!
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0:00 Intro
1:15 When I started and how I make hot compost
2:25 Opening the hot compost for the first time!
3:19 Hot compost in only 12 weeks - first reveal!
3:57 Getting your hot compost ready to use in the garden and in pots
5:53 Compost in only 12 weeks? Has it been a success?
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#gardening #irishgardener #irishgarden - Jak na to + styl
If you enjoyed this video, please share it on your social media and let other people know about it. It helps grow the channel and build the community! Thanks so much! Niall
Hi Niall. Good video. Do you get much 'juice' out of the bottom holes, as I do with my comfrey pipe? If so, sounds like worth collecting.
Cheers,
Mike
I recommend saving your scraps and weeds until you have a decent amount (5 gallon bucket worth), then running over them with your lawn mower, or using a garbage disposal to grind it up before you add it to your hot composter. It will likely change your 3 months into just 1. And everything inside will be broken down, all at once, rather than having to sift out the larger stuff. The microbes absolutely love tiny particles, and they take a long time to work on larger, chunky stuff. Freezing plant material will also accelerate decomposition, so use a freezer to save up your material, if possible.
A decent in-sinkerator (garbage disposal) runs for about $50 (US), and is a great tool for composters. You have to feed it water with your material, then drain the excess water from the final result. But that water can be re-used on your garden, and will provide a lot of nutrients to your garden microbes.
Niall I have really enjoyed your “how to make a hot box composter” and the results after 3 months. After watching the how to make video I was itching to have a go myself. I am one of those people who whilst walking my dog keep a look out for things that have been discarded. I call them my “wins” and one day I was blinded as the sun shone on something across the field. When I got to it it was a complete sheet of 50mm foil lined insulation. Someone had dumped it, so after a couple of days it was still there and I carried it to my allotment and waited for another two weeks for someone to knock on my door to reclaim it! When this didn’t happen I followed your instructions and am now the very proud owner of a hot box composter. I covered mine in black polythene as it was a bit tatty around some of the edges, and it has already produced so much compost. It heats up to 70 degrees easily killing any weeds and seeds I put into it. The run off I use as plant fertiliser. I can’t recommend it highly enough, it eats everything I put into it and just when you think it’s full - tadaah - like magic there is room for more. When I emptied mine I didn’t need the compost, so have stored it in some old compost bags. I am 70 years old now🙁 and wish I had discovered this years ago but I guess it’s better late than never. Thanks your your inspiration and videos and happy composting.
Hi, how did you manage to carry it ? I made mine from the same insulation, I could only get 5 pieces from mine, so I purchased the 6th piece from a diy store, as a bonus was the right size, just stated to use mine, hoping for some good results like yours. Trying to get the amounts right. Take care
@@barrykew9756 Hi Barry
It wasn’t that heavy, but it was like a sail on a breezy day🤣. Congratulation on making your hot box composter, you won’t regret it they are brilliant. I used some of the run off which I collect in a tray to fertilise my lawn and it is looking greener already. Happy composting!
I’m amazed!
Amazing Niall 😀
Excellent stuff Niall. Thank you.
You're welcome!
Hi Niall
I am now about to make a second hot box composter for my allotment. I bought the materials this time! One recommendation I do have is to decant the compost into the Darlek plastic compost bins where the compost can carry on composting until I am ready to use it. I tend to use most of my compost in the autumn when I put a good covering over my beds and allow it to be naturally taken down into the soil - usually I cover this with cardboard. Thank you so much for your videos 👍
I'm impressed with that, thanks Niall. I'll watch the first one on how to make it. I can see this will be my next project.
Thanks very much! Glad you liked it!
That looks really good and works so fast, thank you for showing. 👍
No problem 👍
Hi Niall what a fantastic idea thank you so much. I'm defiantly going to give this a go.
I’m very interested in this hot composter, the larger bits you sieved out you said they went in the garden bin , couldn’t they be used on the garden like wood chips to keep in moisture or put back in the hot composter . ?
I watch they making of the hot composter and I thought it was really informative, well done 👍
I agree, I wouldn't be throwing out the larger bits. They are probably still full of goodness and interesting microbial material. If you are laying compost on the top of a bed it's OK for it to be a bit rough - only for fine seed sowing should you need to do so much sieving, I think.
I’m definitely impressed and going to have a go at building one!
Let me know how you get on!
Thanks for the info :) Are you mixing the compost through the top of the composter? If so, is that difficult considering how tall it is?
But if I am correct, you have kept your composter in the greenhouse which does make a huge difference as the main enemy is a wind which takes the temperature away especially at night. Have you tried doing the same experiment outside? Also, as the others mentioned, shredding it down before putting in will help getting much finer results. Well done for the effort and very approachable video, thanks!
Nice video! Going to check out your other one on making the compost bin. Liz Zorab recommended your channel btw 👍
Hi Jodi! Cheers for checking out the channel and glad you liked the video - I'm planning on making a video where I actually show step-by-step how to make the compost bin... would that be of interest?
Good job buddy 👌
Awww thanks! 🥰
This looks great. I am going to follow your DIY video and build one of these. What sort of temperature did the compost maintain?
Thanks Indeed I am defos going to try and build one. Will let you know the outcome.
Super!
Inspiring!
Cracking stuff!! I'm so jealous!!!
Thanks JB! It’s a great result, though A LOT of work sieving it! 😂
@@niallgardens Charles Dowding always says people are far too precious about the textures of their compost and he sows his seeds in pretty chunky stuff, similar to your first pass sieving without any issues! Might be something to try out next year and save yourself some work!
Ah no way, I hadn’t realised! In that case, here’s to less sieving in the future! 😃👏
@@niallgardens I've not tried it myself so can't vouch for it personally!!!
Thank you x.
You’re welcome 😊
If you could go back and remake it would u ad a type of mesh layer on top of the access door to remove big chunks or just leave it in as is
I've brought a rotary seive and I'm so excited to use it tomorrow! Seriously considering a hotbin...
I've asked for one of those for Christmas!
What, not making it yourself, @@niallgardens Shocked!
Would you put a tap or drain on? I've got a mini,but really want a larger one,as it's constantly full. Mine has alot of bin juice!
It's really interesting to see what the compost looks like coming from your homemade bin and comparing it to the commercially available ones. Looks like you got some great results so it's going to be really interesting to follow this adventure.
Did you ever try getting in touch with the people who make the @HotBincomposting people and ask about availability in Ireland or did you just decide you wanted to test the idea of making your own?
Thanks Eli! Yeah it’s been a very interesting project and I’m chuffed that a homemade hot composter has worked and produced proper usable compost. Just gotta keep loading it and making more now! ..... I’d coveted a Hotbin for ages, but because I wasn’t sure whether it’d work I was a bit nervous of investing in one. So I thought I’d see if I could make my own. I haven’t tried getting in touch with them, but now that I see the concept works, I might!
Hi Niall new to the channel watching the hot compost bin videos ,quick question , the commercial bins that I have seen working produce liquid feed from a tap, but yours dose not seem to produce any , do you run it dryer to prevent this? Kind regards rog
That's great Niall, well done you. Bob Flowerdew (organic gardener, guest on BBC4 GQT) says if compost is too dry, add human urine (apparently he adds his own).
Thanks! I know him well - he’d been one of my inspirations to go to horticulture college 😃 I’m not sure CZcams or my subs would give me thumbs ups if I took up his advice on camera! 😂
@@niallgardens 😂😂 I wouldn't complain 😜
If you live in a hot climate as I do (Florida, USA), do you think the compost will break down faster? Can I put the composter in the sun or do you recommend having it in the shade?
Super video, Niall! Thank you so much… just acquired a hot composter after watching your videos! 🤞🏽🤞🏽🤞🏽
Wonderful! Let me know how you get on with it! And good luck!
Almost 3 years later, are you still using it? How is the foam holding up both to UV damage and to internal physical damage from mixing/adding branches?
wonderfull.... ill may have a go on this.
Greetings from Holland
You definitely should! 😁
for the parts that hadn't yet broken down - is it no use to simply return those to the composter?
excellent result, but maybe, personally, I would avoid adding sticks - we don't add them to our general compost pile either, as they make it too difficult to turn (yes, we are still old fashioned :D ). But I really fancy building one of these hot composters thank you.
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!
I've been watching several of your compost bin series. I have several large Water Oak trees on my property they make small fairly tough leaves, (maybe 3 by 6 Cm.). Once they dry in the autumn, would they be "paper" or roughage. I'll have loads of grass and weeds, as well as small amounts of food scraps. I'm single so there isn't a lot of kitchen waste. Where do you get paper, though? I can get a shredder but I don't have near that much junk mail.
Use the wire tray out of an old freezer. They make great compost sieves.
Thanks for the tip, that's a very nifty idea!
Hi Niall I am envious of your compost could you advise me about what to use instead of wood chips for introducing air I bought a hot composter and it’s six months in and I can’t get it running Could I use wood bark that’s widely available and much more economical ?
Hi Rosaleen! You absolutely can use standard woodbark and in fact, it's exactly what I use! Check out this video... czcams.com/video/I6okYEbqY8k/video.html because I talk about the exact mix of stuff that I use. Hopefully it'll help you get the composter firing on all cylinders!
I use woodbark, but get what the garden centres call 'decorative mini-bark'. It's just a slightly finer blend of bark and I've found it to work very well.
Failing that, the woodchip / bark is only used as a bulking agent to create air pockets and keep the texture loose. So you could use any kind of bulkier woodier material, like twiggy bits of branch snipped up nice and fine with secateurs, etc...
Hope this helps!
If you used lighter bulking agent such as animal bedding or straw you might find you don't need to sieve as much?
Hi Niall, first comment deleted not sure why? Just wanted to thank you for your help in making my first HotBin composter, your instructions are first class, managed to source everything at a good price, just waiting to get going, grass too wet now..lol typical, you have have a new subscriber, keep the hot bin video’s coming please... take care.
Hi Barry! Sorry that your first comment didn’t appear - I had a look for it here and couldn’t find it either. I’m so pleased that I’ve made one and that you were able to make it affordably! Keep me posted with how you get on!
Fair play
Cheers!
Filled my HotBin up again yesterday, with food waste, grass, paper and cardboard, wood chip, had a peak today, as top temp guage
reading higher than normal, delighted to see that I’m finally cooking on gas. 😂 Lol has anyone ever said that you look like David Tennant (Dr Who) 😂
I gotta admit that a lot of people have said that I look like him! hahahaha!
Hey, just wondering if it's ok to not use grass? So basically just kitchen waste and shredded paper/cardboard?
Helli Niall, greetings from Ukraine! Love your channel, this particular video is just great. Im a compost fan so your experiences and advices are useful for me, thanks a lot. Wanna share some tip that i've learned from Monty Don's programm - for the rough compost riddling he used a plastic box from the grocery store (usually they put fruits and vegs in it ). This procedure is very comfortable and simple for the primal job with this compost things))) Hope it'd be helpful for you! Cheers)))))))
Hi! I think you're the first subscriber to contact me who's from Ukraine! Glad you enjoyed the video. That's a great idea for sieving the compost - thanks!!
Hi - I remembered you'd commented on this video a few months ago and when I saw the news from Ukraine I wanted to get in touch. Unfortunately I don't have your email address or contact details, so hopefully if I comment here you'll get a notification. I just wanted to check that you're safe and staying well. I'm sorry that there's so little I can do to help from here in Ireland, but keeping you in our thoughts and sending you our support. Niall.
I've started making mine. Is that a thermometer of some sort sticking out of the lid? (It doesn't like the dial one you show in the making video.)
Hi Niall, just came across your channel. Great content and very useful video! One question about hot composting. Is there any leachate as by product from the bottom of the hot compost bin?
Thanks! Yeah, there can be some depending on what you put into the hot composter. I know some other people who’ve made them have put a tray underneath to catch the liquid
Hi Niall, I’ve made 2 hot composters fashioned roughly to your design, one, a green waste bin lined with 50mm polystyrene , one wood also lined with 50mm polystyrene, sadly neither is producing anything like useable compost, both reach 50 degrees C + when originally stocked but don’t retain heat for long and soon drop to ambient temperature, I’m obviously getting something wrong, would love your advice.
John
Hello Niall, I love your video and the creativity in making your own hot bin. I do have a question regarding the polystyrene, do you know if it leaches into the compost? Leaching apparently increases with higher temperature. I was wondering whether buying the expensive hot bin off the shelf, may have a coating/additional layer inside so the compost doesn't come in direct contact with the polystyrene. I am very curious, your thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated. Keep up the great videos!
I had thought the same thing and had considered building a wooden box for the inside and putting the polystyrene on the outside as an insulator. I know the wood on the inside would break down and rot over time, but there is a Japanese method of charring the wood and then brushing off the char, which makes the wood last longer than we will be alive. It's something to consider, especially for me as I live in a hot and humid climate (Florida, USA).
No answer means he doesn’t know I guess.
Could the material you're removing not go back into the composer for another chance to break down, rather than going into the brown bin? Or would it lack nutrients?
It can indeed! 👍 In fact, after making the video my mum said exactly the same thing! 😂 So I’ll be putting some of the rough material back in. Even if it doesn’t break down too well, it’ll at least act as a bulking agent (which you’d be adding anyway) and may actually help add bacteria and microorganisms that’ll help the compost break down.
Exactly what I came on here to ask. It raises all sorts of ideas though:
1. A two stage hot composting process.
2. Adding remains to a cold compost.
3. Including a worm composter into the process somewhere.
🤷🏻♂️ Not sure at the moment, this video has got me very excited 😆.
Thanks 🙏
@@boomshankaman 3. "Including a worm composter into the process somewhere. "
you could take the final product and run it through a worm farm( it shouldnt heat up which puts them off) and they will process any bacteria and add to it with their castings.
hi Niall, Great videos please can you tell me what I'm doing wrong my hot bin is running at about 160-170f , I am lead to believe that is too hot, is that right.
I think that sounds great actually! If you've been putting in particularly soft leafy green materials like grass clippings, they really get it fired up! Mine has hit those temperatures a couple of times. It's hotter than average but nothing to worry about - on the plus side, you'll know that it's killing off any perennial weed seeds, etc...
another question would kingspan insulation be as good ??
Yeah I think it'd work just fine
When your digging the compost out doesn't it all drop down from above. Also how do you get the compost from the back of the bin without it all dropping down.
It can be every so slightly tricky. However, what I've found is that if you dig out the central compost first, leaving the sides intact, it generally holds up the top compost. Then once you've got all of the central stuff out, you can quickly drag out the compost at the sides. Once you're at the back collecting stuff, it does help to hold everything up with an old pot or something like that. Otherwise it feels like you need a lot of hands!
I'm just about to subscribe to your channel - it could be interesting. I noticed when looking at your respondents that somebody said they'd be feeding it with horse Manure, do you know would that be a little too similar in properties (but already preprocessed by the Horses!) If it would work I think a lot of Horsey people will have Banks of these at their stables
It's a good question and I've got to be honest I'm not sure! I tend to think it would be best suited to compost rather than manure, since it can happily sit outside in a heap and will still heat up.
What if you leave it longer than 3 months, would the big stuff breakdown into finer material?
Yeah you can absolutely leave it longer, and although you can make compost really quick, I do think the longer you leave it, the better it keeps getting!
I really like that you sound like a BBC host or something! really interesting!
😂😂 Cheers Dan!
So did you just redo post the lumps, if so… is that in place of wood chips , green material, food or the shredded paper?
I'm not too sure on your question I'm afraid...
@@niallgardens sorry meant do you just recompost the lumps. And if so do these go in as Green, Brown or the wood chips
I’d leave the twiggy bits in if using as a mulch.
Good point
The link to the Amazon for Form Board does not work anymore
Thanks - I'll check that out!
You could add further stage of processing. Make a horizontal worm migration bin, dump your home made compost into it. Hey presto, worm castings.
This gives you options for two products. Rough compost, great for dressing the beds and finer, richer vermicompost for seedling development or whatever you want to do with it.
interesting idea, thanks! I’ll have to do some research!
@@niallgardens have a look at NWRedworms channel. He has some videos on wooden horizontal migration worm bins. You could make an inspired version using your insulated foam boards, keep the worms warm in the winter and cool in the summer, perhaps.
Hello, just contributing from my experience, Ive had a worm bin for about 10 years and sadly find the harvesting process v time consuming to the extent that its now my last place to compost. I've opted for an 'in bed' bin -v easy system- and homemade rotating barrel compost bins so gradually moving away from slow long 🐀 magnet heaps. I do love vermiculture and would really appreciate any advice on simple easy cast harvesting. Happy Composting 😊
Well done Niall you’re saved yourself €200 & had some fun making it
It looks great. You just need to name it “tebin “
Thanks! I'm delighted it worked!
Just wondering how you got all the compost out without the top layer falling down?
That's a great question to ask - when I emptied the composter, I empited from the middle backwards to the back of the unit, leaving a good 4 inches on either side wall. That way, it held up everything above. What I've found is that because the compost is essentially in 'layers' the material you want to leave in the composter remains relatively intact and doesn't fall down too quickly/easily. Then I put a couple of large plant pots in the space I'd made to hold up the rest and then removed the compost I wanted from the sides. Then I pulled out the pots and allowed everything to fall to the bottom. Hope this helps!
Niall Gardens I wasn’t very successful that way so the last time I turned it on it’s side. I might try again next time as you did it. Thanks.
It’s definitely one of those jobs where you could do with about 6-8 arms and hands!! Hopefully it works for you next time!
What temperatures are you getting Niall
Oh it can be anything from mid 40 degrees C to mid 70 degrees C!
@@niallgardens wow must make one.
Why put the semi-composted material in your brown bin? Surely you can just add it back to the composter?
Yeah you absolutely can just put the material back into the composter if you like 👍
Quiet excited but you've already seen it...
Rather than add the woody bits to the waste bin, couldn't you simply put them back into the composter to go through the process again?
Absolutely, they can just be added back in and mixed in amongst more fresh material 👍
I tried to make one and it was filled with ants 😫
Aw no! Maybe worth clearing it out and trying a second time? Once the temperatures lift high enough it should scare them off!
Hi nia 'll was it hard to make hot bin Charlie Dublin love your hannell
No it's actually relatively easy and in fact, I'm going to be launching an episode in a couple of weeks showing exactly how to make one for yourself!
Apart from the obvious, meat, bones, diary; is there anything you cannot put in?
lol that’s way too much work
Nah! It's great fun!