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Talkback: Worm composting all year round

I've got 6 large compost bays that are filled to the top with hemp horse bedding, manure, cuttings weeds etc... Is it best to cover them over the winter with old carpet or tarp? I'd really like to speed up the breakdown of the material so I can use it next spring.
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  • I'd cover the bays with tarpaulin, avoiding the carpet unless it's made of biodegradable material. I've learned from experience that it's important not to use the compost until its well rotted. It's worth waiting for. Don't rush it.
  • Thanks will do... off to tuck the worms into bed now!
  • Yes, always cover compost heaps. This does keep in heat on freshly-made heaps, holds in moisture to stop material drying out, but also keeps out heavy rain that can make everything very soggy.

    I agree with Henrik – don't use old man-made carpets in the garden, particularly those with foamy underlay. This can decompose to pollute your compost and soil.
  • We just got ourselves a second hand wormery and are keen to start composting soon. One other thing I'm looking forward to doing in the spring is making worm tea from fresh casting off the wormery. Plants love worm tea and restores some essential bacteria into the garden that may lessen in time.
  • I have 4 wormerys at home and work and have just set up 2 snailerys which show promise of doing the same job as the wormerys,in the Autumn/Winter the snails hibernate so little composting is done but using snails this way changes them from foes to friends
  • I just love newley made compost from garden waste and always amazed where all these lovely little worms come from. so far I haven't got an actual wormery but the idea is growing on me. Happy gardening every body
  • I have kept a wormery for over 12 years now and love it. They love leftover bread and anything (almost) that my chickens turn their noses up to. If the chickens leave any food at the end of the day, the worms get the food. I fill the top layer with scrunched up newspaper and cover my wormery in bubble wrap over winter.
  • I've never heard of a snailery before!...any more info? I have old stone garden walls and am inundated witht the blasted things. My runner beans in a planter have had hardly any leaves this year due to snails shinning up the sides and onto the bean poles!"
  • is there a way of making a diy wormery. the ones to buy are so expensive.
  • I have been using one of the large sacks builder's suppliers deliver gravel etc in for leaf mould. Fill it up and tie the loops on the top together and wait for next year.
    Have blog at http://darbishire.blogspot.com/
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