Compost Question?

[katynewbie]

???

Am no expert but things I have read say that an "aerobic" heap needs air, so just being open at the bottom and having a cover on to stop it getting too wet should be ok. Not heard of wasps being a frequent problem, expect you were just unlucky....try not to think about them and enjoy all the lovely worms noshing away on your gorgeous composting material!!

;D

[katynewbie]

[Diesel]

Scotch mist I have a metal rod which I poke down through the material now and again to make some air holes.If you keep it moist enough you shouldn't get any wasps wanting to nest there.I also keep mine quite firmly packed down, not too much but I do like to get as much into the bin thing as I can.That is really all I do with mine.I recently emptied half of it (I got about 100 litres out of it) and for the first time I noticed there were loads of the red worms everyone talks about.I think this is why you need to bottom open and sitting on soil.Like Katy said to start mine I had a layer of twiggy brown stuff at the bottom to allow the air in a wee bit, then try and alternate layers of brown and green stuff.After it gets going I just keep filling it,packing it down, put some air holes in and watering it.Its a great feeling when you get the first batch out though :) well worth persevering.

you can buy aerator's for the bin for between £10 - £15 but like I say I just use a metal rod (I think it was a metal crook that I bought to hang a lantern in the garden)

http://www.ferndale-lodge.co.uk/pd_559155.htm

[grawrc]

If it's too dry nothing much happens. if it's too wet it becomes disgusting smelly slime.
Agree with Tim the stuff will rot anyway especially once the worms make their way in from the soil, but heat is necessary to kill weed seeds and turning also helps with both that and aeration (mixing different types of stuff). I'm going to remove the "cooked" parts from my daleks and use them, putting the weedy parts back in with hew stuff to start the next heap.