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Original poster

Please help me get my Hotbin composter working

20 replies

WellTidy · 26/04/2021 13:57

Ive had it for over a year. I did everything to start to get it established - layers of shredded cardboard, various veg peelings, bulking agent, some grass cuttings, repeated again and again. I've mixed it all well. I keep the lid closed.

It is now about a third full. I add to it every week. I've let the liquid out of the bottom. I've added a bottle with hot water in it (not the hot water itself, just a full, sealed bottle).

The thermometer on the top says that it is about 20 degrees celsuis inside. It isn't getting hot enough to produce compost, and it just looks like a grey mulch.

OP posts:
Rollercoaster1920 · 26/04/2021 14:05

It's all rotting organic material. Dig it into the soil and it'll help improve the soil. Don't expect to get compost like you buy from the garden centre!
I don't bother mixing, I throw stuff in my composter then every 6 months turn it out and dig into the surrounding soil. Then move the compost bin.

Is your bin in sun? The air temp is pretty cool this time of year, whilst sun on black plastic heats right up!

Original poster
WellTidy · 26/04/2021 14:08

Rollercoaster what should the compost look like? Mine isn't remotely like soil or anything. It just looks like wet cardboard, if I'm honest!

It is by the back door. I put it there so that I would actually take the peelings out and compost them. But it is east facing and fairly sheltered. It gets sun, but only in the morning, its moved across by midday.

The temperature inside the hotbin has never got much warmer than 20 degrees, regardless of the outside air temperature.

OP posts:
Tambora · 26/04/2021 14:08

It needs the sun on it I reckon.

Original poster
WellTidy · 26/04/2021 14:15

website says you can position it anywhere but maybe some sun wouldn't hurt!

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ILoveFlumps · 26/04/2021 17:32

I had my Hot Bin in the shade all day, and didn't have any issues getting up to temperature. I found the best thing to kick start it was grass clippings - lots of them!

Original poster
WellTidy · 26/04/2021 17:34

ILove how full was yours please when you started it off? Mine is only a third full now, and I’ve been adding to it for 15 months or so, and haven’t taken anything out. I’m wondering whether it just isn’t full enough. I can’t think what else I could be doing wrong.

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ILoveFlumps · 26/04/2021 19:53

@WellTidy

ILove how full was yours please when you started it off? Mine is only a third full now, and I’ve been adding to it for 15 months or so, and haven’t taken anything out. I’m wondering whether it just isn’t full enough. I can’t think what else I could be doing wrong.
Sorry, just seen your reply. Mine was about a quarter full when it reached a high temp. You definitely need more 'greens' in it to get it going. I literally chucked everything in it - all good waste, dog waste, garden waste and browns. I'd up your greens and see what happens?
Original poster
WellTidy · 26/04/2021 20:11

Yes, I am coming to that conclusion too ILove. I had been afraid that I was putting too much green in it and I didn’t want it to get slimey. We are in grass cutting season so that will help!

OP posts:
LoveFall · 26/04/2021 20:17

If you can get some red wiggler worms, they do a great job.

I got some from a friend's very active compost. I just checked and you can get them in the UK from a number of sources. They are amazing.

ILoveFlumps · 26/04/2021 20:33

@LoveFall

If you can get some red wiggler worms, they do a great job.

I got some from a friend's very active compost. I just checked and you can get them in the UK from a number of sources. They are amazing.

Worms will die in the Hot Bin as temps get way too hot. I bought worms for my normal compost bin and they're great in that though!
ILoveFlumps · 26/04/2021 20:35

@WellTidy

Yes, I am coming to that conclusion too ILove. I had been afraid that I was putting too much green in it and I didn’t want it to get slimey. We are in grass cutting season so that will help!
Grass will definitely help. Also put all food waste in there too. I even put chicken carcasses in there, literally anything goes in the Hot Bin!
Original poster
WellTidy · 26/04/2021 20:44

I’ve put another bottle with hot water in Irvin there in the meantime. I will put grass cuttings later this week. Do you mix yours up lots ILove?

OP posts:
Original poster
WellTidy · 26/04/2021 20:45

hot water in it in there

OP posts:
ILoveFlumps · 26/04/2021 20:49

@WellTidy

I’ve put another bottle with hot water in Irvin there in the meantime. I will put grass cuttings later this week. Do you mix yours up lots ILove?
Yes I use the little rake thingy and give it a little stir, but when it gets more full it's impossible to mix fully. It's not made a difference though.
Original poster
WellTidy · 26/04/2021 21:19

Thank you. I will update!

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Original poster
WellTidy · 31/05/2021 08:05

An update.

It’s still not hot. I bought a load of worms including the red ones and added those, but no change in temperature. I put a massive amount of grass cuttings in there, which raised the temperature considerably, but it fell after a couple of days.

I’ve added shredded cardboard, no difference.

I’ve drained off the leachate at the very bottom, no difference.

I’ve mixed it all up inside, no difference.

I’m trying to keep it closed so as not to release the little heat that is in there. But I add food waste daily.

It’s now pretty much permanently at about 25 degrees.

Any ideas please?

OP posts:
Ilikecurrybest · 31/05/2021 08:30

Hi I've had one since Jan - we've managed to keep the temp pretty stable and high. I've found the best way to do this is whenever I add greens add twice as much 'brown' (which for me is always cardboard. I always put the cardboard in last so it hopefully insulates the top and prevents heat escaping. I also have to use the draining tap at least twice a week or it goes soggy.

MereDintofPandiculation · 31/05/2021 10:49

It’s still not hot. I bought a load of worms including the red ones and added those, but no change in temperature. That's fortunate, because if the temperature had risen, the worms would have died. The "wriggler worms" that people are recommending are a UK native species. In a normal compost heap they'll avoid hot spots and work in the layers that are not so hot. You need to decide whetehr you want to keep it as a hotbin, or treat it as a container for a normal heap and accept a longer time to get the results.

parietal · 31/05/2021 15:23

the thermometer in the lid of the hot bin does not give a v accurate reading, especially if the bin is only 1/3 full.

They might have given you another thermometer that you can actually stick into the compost?

And try to fill it up more. Mine are about 90% full all the time, and that helps them get hot.

Original poster
WellTidy · 31/05/2021 16:32

It would be an expensive normal container for compost, so I’m determined to keep trying to make it hot!

It is now about half full. Now that we are in grass cutting season, I’m sure I will fill it quicker. I’ve put a sealed container of hot water in today, and the temperature on the lid is 40 degrees. Now I need to maintain it! The internal temperature is 44 degrees, so not much difference.

I will up our veg intake this week for the extra peelings!

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