I took a lot of pictures with my daughter’s camera as I “unboxed” the composter, but apparently when I thought her camera was taking the picture, it was just focusing. So I don’t have as many pictures as I would like. I wanted to show you that it had an insert that fit into the bottom of the composter, allowing for a couple of inches at the bottom where liquid–what Algreen calls compost tea–can collect. You can draw this liquid out into a container by use of a drain, which is circled in my photo.
On our large, rural property, we generate a lot more plant and food waste than this 45 gallon composter can hold. But I thought the Terra Composter would be handy during the winter, set up by the back door, where we could deposit our food scraps without donning boots and avoid schlepping a bucket full of food waste through the snow. I suppose we could use shredded bank statements for the “brown,” though I don’t expect much composting to happen in the winter.
So here are some questions I’d like to see answered:
- Will it really keep out rodents? You’d be amazed what a rat can chew through, or the size hole a vole or mouse can slip through.
- Will poking a sturdy twig into all the air holes be sufficient to provide oxygen for the composting process?
- Can it really hold up to freezing and thawing with moist plant waste inside?
- How long will it take the residents of Purdyville to fill it up?
Stay tuned. I’ll let you know after snow melt how it held up.
This looks nice. Did it work well? What is it made of – it sure looks like ‘terra’ means as in ‘terra cottah’.
I use a homemade bin myself. We had to replace an old, small, cube-ish water tank when its bottom cracked. I cut off the lower front half and used channels etc to make a sliding door. Also painted it black to absorb more heat. Works moderately well.
I like the ComposTumbler. Made in PA. All american. Spins easier. No axle runnng through the middle that always gets in the way of scooping out finished compost
curious to know whether it worked for you. hope to give it a try by myself. compost bin for children a nice post on how to inculcate recycling habits right from childhood. give it a try.
For Canadian residents, the Terra composter is avaiable from Home Hardware:
http://www.homehardware.ca/Products/index/show/product/I5010510/name/composter_garden_terra_200l
It’s also available online from GardenSuperMart.com:
http://www.gardensupermart.com/store/composters.php
Kathy, I am quite interested if this terra cotta composter lives through the winter for you. As a Canadian, I have not seen this composter for sale anywhere here yet. Is this a prototype that they are testing for release on the market next year? It is very attractive, something difficult to find, and desirable if you have a small city garden. I also keep a winter composter by my back door, and move it in the spring. I cannot be bothered to climb the snowbanks to get to the main ones.
.-= Deborah at Kilbourne Grove´s last blog ..Between Two Ferns =-.
I hope it works out well for you, Kathy. I like the looks of it much better than most I’ve seen.
.-= Cindy, MCOK´s last blog ..Through the Garden Gate: Monday, September 7th =-.
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Want one! Looks perfect for winter. Curious to know how it performs. Do you have trouble with rodents in your compost? I haven’t seen a big problem here, just birds and the Beagle. He loooooves corn cobs.
Our current compost pile is far enough away from the house that I have no idea what animals are visiting it besides the chickens, who don’t care if they’re caught snitching. It’s inside their enclosure, after all. But every winter we have problems with rodents getting into our old country house. I don’t really want to provide them with a cozy base of operations, nor do I want to come face to face with the enemy when I lift up the lid.
The idea of a composter by the door during the winter is a lovely one. Right now I have a big new compost pile near the Potager, but the old black barrel compost bin in next to the hen house, where I have to go every day anyway. No getting away from boots and a slog. sometimes snowshoes are required.
.-= commonweeder´s last blog ..Horticulture and Culture =-.
The appearance does make it tempting, Kathy – but those airholes look pretty big.
Our squirrels can chew through anything! For urban composting we need a model where stainless steel window-type screen is implanted over the entire interior during the molding process ;-] \
I hope it works for you – having an attractive composter right outside the kitchen door would be great in winter.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
.-= Annie in Austin´s last blog ..Looking for Julie and Julia =-.
Am curious to hear your end-of-winter review. Looks like it could be an ideal back door helper, if large enough for a week’s worth of scraps.
.-= Daffodil Planter´s last blog ..Correcting color mistakes in the garden =-.
Oh, I was hoping it’d hold a winter’s worth of scraps. Forty-five gallons . . . well, maybe two months’ worth. Won’t know till we try, right?
It sure is good looking. Wouldn’t the metal shovel chip the pot?
Unfortunately, Sylvana, my photo of the rear of the composter is one of the shots that didn’t “take,” but if you look at the images at either the Algreen or Amazon sites, you will see that the composter has a rear door. The access is wide enough that I don’t think you would be frequently hitting the edges of the bin. And, of course, just because the little shovel is included, doesn’t mean you can’t use a different tool to remove the compost.