Frequently Answered Questions
What is the best material to use when beginning with the Big or Little Pig composter?
Place a couple of shovels loads of active compost, horse or chicken manure into the new side to begin the process.
What CAN I put in my composter?
Food scraps – raw, cooked, fried and smoked
Meat – and bone
Fish – and bone
Shellfish
Vegetables
Eggs – and shell
Potatoes
Bread and Biscuits
Fruit – every kind
Coffee drains and filters
Teabags and tea leaves
Household paper, paper bags – non coloured
Serviettes – non coloured
Egg cartons – non coloured without price tag
Sawdust from hamster/guinea pig cages
Flower waste from vases, pots and terraces
Dog waste
What should I NOT put in my composter?
Cigarette butts, ash, snuff and tobacco
Chewing gum
Tinfoil and other metals
Rubber items
Cat sand
Vacuum cleaner bags
Envelopes, newspapers or other heavily printed matter
Any plastic, plastic bags
Milk or juice cartons – they are waxed
Cling film
Pieces of coloured or impregnated wood – a pollutant to the compost
Sacking
Fire ashes, chalk, earth
Liquids – milk, soup etc
Why can I put meat into this composter? I thought meat was no good.
One of the main reasons that meat has traditionally been excluded from compost is that is attracts vermin. With the Joraform composters, they are completely sealed units which are also elevated therefore this is no longer a problem.
How important is adding newspaper, lawn and garden clippings to making good compost?
They key to making a compost work is aeration and the correct mix of carbon and nitrogen. Tear up all household paper and newspapers; add garden clippings and also wood shavings or pellets to remove the moisture. The design of the Big and Little Pig composters is that it’s easy to rotate and introduce air and turn over the planes so that the micro organisms can do their work.
What role do the sawdust/wood shavings play?
The use of sawdust / wood shavings absorbs the moisture and gives structure to the compost, keeping it well aerated. The addition of sawdust has 3 important functions. Micro-organisms need both carbon and nitrogen.
For each part nitrogen (N) there needs to be 30 parts carbon (C). Green waste and food waste are very high in nitrogen. Therefore, carbon is needed to balance the waste. When you add dry sawdust, it…
1. absorbs moisture
2. adds structure to the finished compost
3. provides a carbon source on which the micro-organisms feed
What makes the Joraform Composter so unique?
Composting works best when it’s left to do its own thing! The twin compartments of the Joraform composters allows for one side to be completely closed off when full. The heat generated in this highly insulated unit reaches up to 75° centigrade.
This Swedish designed quality home composting unit is manufactured to impeccably high standards. Available in 2 sizes, both units feature 2 insulated compartments and are self standing or can be mounted to the wall (brackets included).
What can I use the compost for?
You can use your homemade compost for fertilizing lawns, pot plants, vegetable gardens and flower beds.
How long will it take for my compost to be ready?
Your organic, nutrient rich compost will be ready for use in around 6 weeks!
Why is it important for my composter to be fully insulated and aerated?
The most suitable organisms for decomposition are oxygen breathers or “aerobes” and there must be an adequate movement of air through the decomposing matter to supply their needs.
The Jora composter has been cleverly constructed to allow aeration while simultaneously, the insulation accelerates the decomposing process as the temperature is maintained at the correct level for decomposing to occur.
Why is it important for my composter to rotate?
Rotating the unit draws air in through the air vents, preventing odours and mixing wet and dry matter. By rotating the unit, aeration occurs and the moisture is evenly distributed so new surface planes emerge for the micro-organisms to digest.