If you’re struggling with what’s in your compost bin, here are some commonly asked questions and some great solutions.
You have probably got too many dry brown ingredients (slow rotting) in the bin. You need to activate your bin by mixing in some fast rotting “greens”. Good natural activators are grass cuttings (in small quantities), nettles, comfrey and watered down human urine. Moisture is an important factor, ideally your bin should be as damp as a wrung out sponge.
There will be too many “green” (fast rotting) materials in the bin. Mix in some dry “browns” for example leaves, twigs, straw and cardboard. This will absorb some of the moisture and open up the structure to allow some air into the bin.
These are likely to be fruit flies attracted to the fruit and veg waste in your bin. When adding this type of waste wrap them in paper then bury it into the bin contents or cover it with garden waste and wetted cardboard. By leaving the lid slightly open allows flies to come and go instead of them building up under the lid which can create the cloud of flies when the bin lid is lifted. You can also add lime to make the conditions more alkaline.
Do not add pernicious weeds such as bindweed, ground elder, docks, hogweed etc. Although you can put grassy weeds in as long as they are not in seed. Generally small compost bins do not reach the temperatures needed to kill off weed seeds and pernicious weeds, which is around 60-65 degrees Celsius.
Do not expect a dalek style plastic bin to heat up as they are too small to generate much heat. However the contents will still compost but more slowly than a hot heap. The process can be helped by keeping the bin in a sunny spot and in the winter you can insulate the bin by putting a layer of carpet on the top. If it’s a box or bay style bin then try turning the heap, if its dry add more greens, water well and cover with carpet.
Yes, there is a whole myriad of beneficial creatures that are involved in the composting process. This is the sign of a healthy compost bin so leave them to it!
When adding eggshells, crush them up first and don’t worry if they are still present in your finished compost, they are biodegradable and will break down in time. The nutrient value is good for the soil.
Don’t worry, your compost probably won’t look like a commercial product. Its appearance may well be woody. You can always sieve the larger pieces out and put them back through the process. Remember your compost will have a much better nutrient value than shop bought and will be more beneficial for your garden.
