Homemade compost is so exciting! (MERGED)

*faith*_2

olibearhorse wrote: »

Hi and welcome faith!

It has been very dry recently so you probably just need to give it a good watering, I often do in the summer. Give it a good stir too once you have done this. Do you try to put in 50% dry and 50% wet?

Thankyou for the welcome and for the help!!

I am a total novice at this and just thought that if I just bunged any old thing in the composter it would work, I guess it doesn't!!

Basically all that goes in it are weeds, grass cuttings, and last year I did start putting peelings from veg in it, egg shells and egg boxes. I wouldn't say any of it is particularly wet though, I think that must be where I have gone wrong!!

olibearhorse

It's all trial and error, I only got mine last year and until I had a good look, didn't actually think it had worked but it had!

Don't forget teabags and coffee grains, they can go in too. Also, if you have access to any manure that's too new to put on your soil, stick that in too, it really helps.

Good luck with it!

*faith*_2

Thankyou, I think I will need it!!

I am going to get a pot in the windowsil I think to start putting more veg waste in and tea bags as I get through a few of them. I didn't realise they could go in!!

Thankyou for the help!!

knithappens

does anyone have a problem with flies and their composter, they seem to be small and white/grey. only small. Is this normal with a composter?

Kantankrus_Mare

lilmrsmullen wrote: »

does anyone have a problem with flies and their composter, they seem to be small and white/grey. only small. Is this normal with a composter?

Yep all my compost bins get flies which are of course worse in the summer. Doesn't bother me too much as they are all at the allotment and I only open lid to put more stuff in.

Someone was asking how to get a compost heap on the go again? Get a man to pee on it.!! Supposed to be an excellent accelerator but it doesn't like females urine. ..cos of the hormones apparently :eek: compost must be male Im thinking :rotfl:

olibearhorse

lilmrsmullen wrote: »

does anyone have a problem with flies and their composter, they seem to be small and white/grey. only small. Is this normal with a composter?

I've got loads of little flies but like K....mare, they don't really bother me either. I think it's inevitable!

olibearhorse

Kantankrus_Mare wrote: »

compost must be male Im thinking :rotfl:

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: smelly, a bit dirty, takes a while to get going....yep, definitely male!

davidscot

My composter seems to be attracting lots of flies, anyone know why this is?

olibearhorse

davidscot wrote: »

My composter seems to be attracting lots of flies, anyone know why this is?

lilmrsmullen has asked the same question - I've got them too but I don't think there is much you can do about it. They don't bother me and seem to be worse in the summer. I shouldn't worry!

davidscot

olibearhorse wrote: »

lilmrsmullen has asked the same question - I've got them too but I don't think there is much you can do about it. They don't bother me and seem to be worse in the summer. I shouldn't worry!

I have the little grey/white flies in the composter but im talking about your normal black houseflies/bluebottles- the ones that really annoy you