Topic: Compost too wet

[posie]

Spent a few hours digging through the compost heaps today.  One of the heaps has lovely crumbly soil at the bottom which is now over the beds.  The other however would be lovely and crumbly but seems to be extremely wet.  I've turned it over best I can, but it stuck like glue to the fork!  What's the best way of drying it out a bit?

[dtw]

Maybe you've come across a lump of grass cuttings.
Mix it back in with the rest of the heap to get some air in there.

[cornykev]

Put some shredded paper in and give it a good mix, if you don't shred your own then just rip up some newspaper into thin strips.  ;D ;D ;D

[posie]

Thanks for suggestions, there's loads of shredded paper in there from the office and billions of worms!  Mind you I don't think this incessant rain is helping, maybe a week of sunshine (she says pleading with whoever runs the weather!) will help!  ;D

[Andy H]

Is the heap covered?

Maybe a layer of cardboard boxes and chuck the wet stuff on top of it and carry on filling as normal. I sieve my heaps out with a tumbler and anything left in the sieve goes back on the heap or anything woody that has not broken down goes back on top for another cycle.

Only thin layers of grass at a time.

[posie]

Is the heap covered?

Only thin layers of grass at a time.

Hmmm, no it's not covered, doh - maybe that would be a start lol

As for grass, I did go on a bit of a mission when I first started working it and there was masses of grass put in there, perhaps I should work on my layering technique!

[Andy H]

I have a 6ft x6ftx5t high heap and it has a lid and if you think about it, the black ones you get from the council have a lid.

In this country we need to keep the rain out. I guess in a warm country you may need to moisten your heap or it could turn to a brick.

Grass probably half inch at a time or it masses together.

How is your heap made? Pallets? if so then put another next to it, cover both, and now and then open the front and chuck it all in the other one, this mixes stuff up and aerates it too. heaps like air and a good mix to get the heat to kill off the seeds and rot down quick.

[posie]

Yep made out of pallets - my brother is being nagged as we speak! Thanks Andy.