The Hotbin Composter: your top 5 questions answered 2020
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- Опубліковано 28 бер 2020
- I'm answering your top 5 questions you sent me about the Hotbin Composter. Everything you need to know to get it hot and keep it hot and everything in between based on my personal experience over the last couple of years.
There are actually a lot of videos showing my entire adventure with the hotbin (up to the present day) so I would recommend following the full journey if you can.
• Home Composting
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I asked you to message me with your questions.... here are my thoughts.....
this video took 4 goes to get it out there... gremlins!!!!!!
It’s 2024 and I still appreciate your video. Thank you!
I heard “I live next to a psychopath”, not “next to a cycle path” 😂😂
I’m glad you are in a fit neighbourhood, not a scary one 😉
Ha ha ha you are not the first person to say that.
A wee hint if it's useful... that video is quite an old one. Look that the last two... much more up to date.
ua-cam.com/video/XpU7luVCFsY/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/RcQ55RYICek/v-deo.html
Haha same here that’s what I heard too 😂
I had to rewind and listen again after you paused to mention the “cycle path”. I thought you said “psychopath” and I couldn’t figure out why you were so calm about it. 🤣🤣
I already had a basic place bin. Got a mini Hotbin and transferred some material to it then put in a layer of fresh stuff , nasturtiums, kale plant, kitchen waste. Also added shredded paper and cardboard and used the kick start bottle. Within 3 days it was at 60 degrees and has stayed there!
Don't apologise for 'waffling' you are easy to following and real, like the people watching!! thanks for the tips
Thank you so much Reena, I appreciate that!
I always worry that I ramble on too much and bore you guys.
thank you loads, made my day :)
Love your Waffling! I could listen and learn from you for eternity. Thank you for sharing your experiences and your knowledge :)
Awwww glad to help
Thank you! That was just brilliant! You answered all my questions! Now I going to order it!
Glad it was helpful.... But this is quite an old one now. Might be worth making sure you've watched the most recent video 😀
I'm just standing up on this while gardening/composting stuff. Like your video, like the waffling, like the accent.
You guys should have tens of thousands of subscribers!!!! Just discovered your channel. It rocks 👍🏻
Wow, thank you!
We are slowly growing as folk find out about us :)
It's enthusiastic folk like yourself who spread the word, so thank you :D
This is fab! I'm off to stir it up now...
the secret is balance. no matter how much or little 'stuff' you put in, if the balance is not correct you'll just end up with an expensive normal type compost bin. But, get right, and you can hit 80c plus in a day or so.
Just check all the other videos on-line (then take Eli's advice) and you'll have a proper HOT bin in no time.
I wouldn’t take my advice :D
Hi Eli, just found your channel after I watched your hotbin trial with Niall and I’ve subscribed to you both. I’m a fellow gardening UA-camr and I’ve been toying with the idea of getting a hotbin and I think you’ve just about convinced me. Great information which I’ve enjoyed a lot and I think I’m going to get one now. Look forward to watching more of your videos. You seem such a lovely person and lots of fun too.
Oh thank you, that's lovely to hear.
Absolutely glad to have you on board with our wee community :)
Thanks so much for these videos! It’s really helpful as I’ve only just got my hot in so thank you x
Hey Jess, just a wee note that might be worth adding. These videos are a real life journey over the last few years so best to watch in chronological order and remember, I was learning so I'm not either a good example to follow it an expert 😂
Wonderful again xx
Ah you found them :)
Thanks so much my Wife and I just watched this and your information is so helpful we are just getting up to temperature and "feels good"
Oh that's good news Russtafa
I would absolutely recommend watching the latest video too. I show my recent batch of compost and talk about how I now have success with the bin. There were a few misunderstandings previously, so tried to clear them up.
Thank you Ellie and Kate
My wife has just popped out to Kew Gardens to meet some friends so we will have a look when she gets back.
Your videos are a great help to us and we appear to be making some progress at last with the Hotbin thank you, Russ
Thank you for this. Ive been losing confidence with mine, but your video is reassuring me, and reminded me of the correct ratios. Best wishes xx
This is quite an old video now Simony from years back in my journey
Since then my biggest realisation is that the ratios on their website don’t really work. It’s a lot more complicated but to simplify I’ve found that most of the greens I use are very very water dense, so I’ve had to really up the brown. I’m now probably adding twice as much brown again every time
@@eliandkate Thank you. Yes I guess it will be a learning curve! Your videos are very helpful, and I enjoy the tone! Thank you for sharing 🌷
Hi Eli. I've just got round, at last, to watching your videos having bought a Hotbin 5 weeks ago. So helpful, thank you. My excitement is draining off the leachate (how sad am I?!). Anyway, in 5 weeks I have collected 5 litres already. It is like draining off liquid gold! When I saw your comment about somebody saying their compost was wet I wondered if they regularly drained off the leachate. Surely that would help. Anyway, I have now liked, subscribed and 'hit the bell' so I look forward to your updates. Like another responder said, I love your informality! Best wishes, Fiona
I'm so glad the videos are useful Fiona. I have only just had my first batch that wasn't sodden wet so i am now thrilled.
Something that may be worth noting about comments from others and my experiences... I have the original hotbin which didn't have a way of draining off the leachate. The original bin didn't have a tap and instead, it would just run out of the bin onto the ground via the air vent. I did try putting a bowl under it to collect it but unfortunately, it just evaporated.
I would absolutely love one of the new bins to be able to collect this but unfortunately far too expensive for the sake of this. I wish there was a way to add this new feature to an existing bin.
@@eliandkate Thank you so much for bothering to reply as you must have so many comments to deal with. Please don't feel you have to reply to this but I just wanted to say that I'm glad the Hotbin manufacturers improved it by adding the drain off. It seems so obvious that I'm surprised they didn't think of it initially.
just between you and me.... I am soooo jealous. I want that!
Great video! Particularly reassuring to know that you sometimes see compost temperatures going up and down... I was wondering because I see that with mine! 👍😀
thanks Niall, glad the video was useful to allay any worries.
I've just got the plain old black plastic cone compost bin, and find adding plain brown cardboard boxes torn into segments really helps . Most small independent shops will gladly let you take a some away.
We gave up buying newspapers years ago.
I also use a hand held manual Augar for turning my compost......usually used for drilling holes in the ground for fence post. About £20 on Ebay.
:) there's a gardening shorts video dropping today that may interest you :)
I thought you said you live next to a psychopath haha! Love your videos.
ha ha ha. you aren't the first person to think I said that LOL
Really helpful, thank you! I've just completely redone my Hotbin and still not getting the temperatures so I'm going to have another go with your tips. Think I'm being mean with the paper and wood chip and not aerating. It is impossible to mix with that metal rod thing they give you!
I have actually bought a big twirly mixing thing (that's a technical description right there!) and it is helping loads. I'll do a wee gardening o short and show you it!
Hi Eli, I eventually got my Hotbin here in Ireland and am amazed at how it’s working. It hovers in or around 120c so am expecting compost pretty soon! Enjoy your videos and look forward to more of them. Thanks for all the help. Stay Safe! Clara
Woah 120c money never gets that hot!!! :)
That's awesome you got it. I was wondering if you'd try the make your own route....
Hi Eli! Just found your channel yesterday and love it! I'm getting my first greenhouse soon and wondering if I can also squeeze a small raised bed or cold frame into my garden too...are they pretty much the same thing? Or is one better for different veg etc? I've never used a cold frame before so a video on that would be great! Thank you for your videos! x
Hi Rae nice to have you.
Hmmmm no raised beds and cold frames aren't the same thing.
Coldframes have a glazed lid (glass or polycarbonate usually) and so act a bit like a greenhouse.
They tend to be used when a greenhouse isnt needed but exposed in the garden isnt ideal.
So for instance moving potted plants from the greenhouse to get them ready to be planted out.
A raised bed is just a normal garden bed (flower or veg) but is built up with walls (wood or brick) to make them higher so are popular with people with mobility issues.
You can grow anything in a raised bed that you can grow in a normal bed.
Hope that helps clear things up.
@@eliandkate Thanks Eli! Was hoping to grow courgettes and I noticed you have yours in cold frames...would you recommend it?
ahhh I understand the confusion. I actually don't have any cold frames. Those are my raised beds. The hinged tops are just nets to stop birds and caterpillars etc form eating my greens.
If you are in my area (Scotland) I find it works best for me to keep my courgette seedling and babies sheltered int he greenhouse or indoors until usually mid May. Then once the risk of first has passed and it's a bit warmer I put them out in the raised beds. If you don't use raised beds you could just put them in any bed where you chose to grow things. However, the courgette plants do get quite big (width-wise) so need a fair bit of space.
Really clear and helpful video. Eli you are a talented speaker and teacher! Going to buy a Hotbin. The company should be paying you!
Wow, thanks!
I wish these companies did pay me LOL
Seriously though, there are links at the bottom of my videos (called affiliate links) where if you use that link to buy from amazing, I get a tiny commission back.
Please don't feel obliged to use these links, especially if you can get it cheaper elsewhere, but I would appreciate it if they were useful to you.
Hotbin Composter: amzn.to/2QUftmr
Yes, will do ! Love your videos.
I work for a company called FedEx Ground continue to work through the entire lockdown never stopped as a matter fact it increased it doubled Christmas numbers as far as delivering packages goes. Things have returned Somewhat normal.
Not pressing record. Yep all done it. Really useful info. Mine delivered this morning. Where did you get your “cork screw” from and or what is it’s official name. Well done and keep it up.
I can't remember exactly where I got it from, somewhere on ebay I think but it was called "Compost Aerator metallic for Composters ". It's obviously for proper big piles, but it helps given my problems with being a short arse.
Luckily I've got a independent greengrocers quite close to me, so I'm hoping he'll allow me to grab some of his unsold vegetables etc etc from the bins from the back of his shop. Might be worth asking your local supermarket if they'll allow you to do the same thing. That way you're have lots of soft material to feed your compost bin with.
Ah ha.... If you watçh the more recent videos you'll see a solution presented itself
Love ur vid bless u
Glad you enjoyed it
Hi again Eli,
Nowhere seems to have the HotBin in stock! You’ve done a great job and they are literally sold out! An extra problem for me is that I live in the Irish Republic and many of the companies do not deliver there. It looks like it will be quite sometime before I can test out my own bin.
Clara
Oh no!
does the hotbin company themselves not have any in stock? www.hotbincomposting.com/
or... go take a look at Niall's video on making your own. He's a lovely chap from Dublin and a subscriber here, tell him I sent you :)
Thanks Eli for your reply. There are companies in the UK that have the Hotbin but they don't deliver to Ireland. One does, at a lot more expense and a long time for delivery. Will contact link you sent. Thanks Again. Really like your videos.
that sucks!
Niall wanna do a video with me and we'll talk about how you can make your own hotbin? I know you are the expert on this..... and in Ireland :)
The Kitchen Garden with Eli & Kate Definitely! I’ll have a think about putting something together! 👍 I still haven’t got my first batch of compost yet, but it’s looking hopeful! 🤞
Hi Clara! I made my own for exactly the same reasons: cost, availability, P&P charges, etc... Think it’s going well so far, though it’s early days so I’m keeping my fingers crossed! I’ve done a video on it if you want to check it out 👍
Your big long waffly videos are GREAT! We live in the alps and I am about to get a hotbin. However, in the winter and early spring we have no green grass cuttings (garden is blanketed under snow for 4-5 months a year). Do you think I am ok to run it on just food waste, wood chip and paper? Ta
Ha ha ha I'm glad you enjoy them.
You absolutely can run your bin on less, it just probably wont get her. It will still compost though, just more like a normal compost pile rather than a hot one.
That's pretty much what I do.
:)
The Kitchen Garden with Eli & Kate great stuff! Thank you for taking the time to reply to me- very much appreciated. I’m hoping altitude won’t affect the composting temperature; I guess I’ll have to wait and see once it’s up and running. :)
fingers crossed
Got my bin 2 months ago so still struggling with my mix and air and had thought that it was getting better as the temperature is now in the green, however I went to feed the bin this week and noticed I now have ants pouring out of the side of the hatch, they have obviously decided that it is a good place to build a nest. Any ideas apart from throw it all away and start again?
You don’t need to throw it out…. Leave them be. They are creating channels in there that’ll let air in so it’s not a bad thing. When you do empty it, it’ll disturb them and they’ll leave
Informative video. What does the bulking agent cost you per week/month?
Now if I think back... I THINK the big bag was about 17 quid but you could look on their website and see just to make sure. It lasted me about 9 months.... but I just buy bark clippings from my local store these days... same thing but cheaper
@@eliandkate Thanks I read somewhere it cost about £4.00 per week which seems a high price to pay for compost. Your price seems more achievable.
I suppose it depends on what you mean by cost.
I'm putting waste garden and kitchen materials into it and waste paper, same as with most compost.
You don't have to buy the bulking agent, it's just how they recommend doing things. Other folk do it their own way so it's just like anything else... you find your thing that suits you.
The bulking agent (stupid name for harder material that creates gaps) is bark or chips in this case, there's no reason why it can't chopped up branches and twigs and things if that's what you have.
My number one rule with everything is do what's right for you, and for most folk that's a pile of waste at the back of the garden, tried and tested. For me, I'm a fan of this neater, smaller approach, works for me :)
Hi Eli, just bought one of these. So cardboard can be used as a bulking agent yeah?loving your vlogs BTW!!x
Thank you! Hmm I use it as my brown and I've heard folk talk about it as a bulking agent. Not sure if that's what the company recommend though, you'd have to have a wee nosey :D
Thanks Eli 😊
:D no probs
Hi, would you compost plant waste from plants that are subject to blight like tomatoes and potatoes and be confident that it sterilises the blight?
That's actually a really good question. I'd say absolutely not. With problems like blight which can be spread very easily and can lurk, it's best to be safe and properly dispose of remains Ilike plants, roots, tubers etc. The Royal Horticultural Society recommend either sealing these in a plastic bag and disposing of them in the bin, or burning them.
Obviously it would be really convenient to compost these, but I just wouldn't risk it, even if you hot compost.
The Kitchen Garden with Eli & Kate: Cheers.
I found your channel and blog today, and love that you are in Scotland. What sized hot composter do you have? Is it the 200 L or the 100 L bin? I'm researching compost bins (to cover waste from our garden, allotment and food waste (I'm in a 2-adult household)), and think that the 100 L bin would be big enough to be able to run over the whole year.
Hey Lucy, lovely to have you! Hmmmm now that's a hard question to answer as when I bought it, there was just one bin, so I'm not 100% sure, but.... I suspect it's the 100L bin as when I got this they said it would create about 90L of compost. Also, it's so old, it doesn't have the new tap to collect the liquid which comes out the bottom..... :)
@@eliandkate Hello Eli! I've got a question about the paper you add to the hot compost bin. Can you use newspaper, or must it be office-type paper? Would it be OK to use shredded junk mail?
Newspaper is perfect. Basically you can add a lot of paper and cardboard types, but avoid anything glossy like magazines and some junk mail as those can contain some unwanted chemicals. Things like bank statements etc are great and gives you the added bonus of shredding personal items for privacy too.
@@eliandkate Hi I was wondering what size you have too. Having just heard about the HOTBIN I've been looking on the site and get the impression the new Hotbin Mini (100L) is the newer size for a 1-2 person household with or without a garden, so I'll go for that. Your videos are fantastic by the way. Really informative, which gives me a bit more confidence to try it...and you just make me smile! :-) Thank you!
Yup the one we have is now called the mini I think, about 90L. It's just the original one.
It's all about how much waste you have. We really struggled at first because we just don't have enough kitchen waste and only really have garden waste in summer, but we've now got a lovely neighbour giving us their kitchen waste too to help.
Thanks
😀😀😀
@@eliandkate was ment to read thanks for the help, I'm still struggling to get hot bin up to temp, but it's still middle of winter in the North East of England 🤣❄️
Yeah I have to accept sometimes that my bin won't run proper hit. It's all down to how much waste you can be feeding it. If I have lita of lovely green garden waste, I chugs away like a beast. But in winter when there is much less it usually sits between 20 and 40. Just depends on how much I can be feeding it every week
@@eliandkate thanks for the advice
What about Water. That comes out What do use it for ?. Please
Hey Russell, I think I mention it in one of the videos but I have the old version which doesn't have a tap so it's not exactly easy to collect the leachate from.
The hotbin people have lots of information on their website these days that might help. Wish they'd had this when I bought mine
www.hotbincomposting.com/search/for/leachate/
@@eliandkate ok thanks again for your help I will have look fantastic videos by the away really good watch
Hi Eli,can you add them worms you can buy for these compost bins,pls let me know,btw you are so funny😂
Hey Kally, hmmmmmm to be honest, I am not 100% sure of this one as it's not something I've ever done so please take ANYTHING I say with a pinch of salt... BUT... usually I see the worms trying to get away from the bin cause it's too hot so I would imagine it's maybe too hot for them (we are talking 60C upwards, too hot for me).
You could always contact the manufacturer to ask.
We dont hava a lawn, but generate enough vegetable waste. By woody can I just use old privet clippings or is that not woody enough?
The hard branches are classes as woody but remember to shred them or chop them as small as you can.
In terms of "enough", only you will be able to answer that. You'll see how your compost is doing and get to decide if it's too dry, too wet or just right :D
@@eliandkate Just a thought. We had some tree maintenance done and the guys doing the work said they had difficulty disposing of the shredded wood material. Do you think it would work as the bulking agent? If so, this would be a cheap alternative.
Yeah I think other are doing that
If it's shredded up it might.
Let me know how you get on
@@eliandkate I’ve finally got around to setting up our hotbin. I’m following the instructions and your advice initially so will be using the product provided for the time being. Having handled it, though, it has a very similar texture and consistency as the wood chippings the tree surgeon produces once it’s stood for a while. I’ll give it a go once we’re more experienced and will let you know.
PS. Loving your videos.
Can rodents chew through the Hotbin to get to the compost?
Given rats can chew through metal and concrete then yeah if they wanted to they could easily chew through this.
I've not had any issues with rats or mice since shifting to this, so I suspect maybe it's not as attractive an option as my old standard pile or "dalek" bin.
Firstly after recently discovering you, I love watching your videos! I can't remember when I started using my hotbin but definitely for months. I went to open the front for the first time today and the bottom looks way too dry and definitely not composted. I can still see the twigs I used to start up. Do I remove it and replace it back in the top? Or do I just try and get my bin consistently hot (which I struggle with) and recheck once it's staying hot. I am running out of space though 🫣 Sorry for the essay of a question.
Hey Katy,
now remembering that I don't work for the hotbin people, so they may not give the same advice as me or even like the advice I give.... I say it can go two ways... if your bin is full and you can't add any more... then empty the bottom and add to the top. This method of "turning " it can help get it all going again, but if you think it's too dry then that could be why it's not chugging away. So if the bin isn't full... then I'd say just focus on getting your recipe right to make sure there is enough moisture so that it can get to those temperatures :D
The hotbin is a bit of a learning curve :D