I've inherited a compost heap...

[TheTermagantToaster]

And I have no idea what to do with it!

We moved in late March and have not touched it. Plenty to do with the house so we're only just turning our attention to the garden.

So - it's a home made heap, boxed in with pallets, a bit higgledy-piggledy and fairly large (about 1m3). Currently half full of stuff that hasn't been touched for at least 6-7 months and as it was winter when we completed, probably not since last autumn. I have no idea what's in there.

I'd really appreciate some advice as we'd like to start using it. How do I get it up and running again?

Get a fork in there and turn everything in it over to get air into the mix, and it'll be nice and warm soon.
It sounds like a good big heap, so it should be fairly forgiving whatever you put in.
Add kitchen waste, but not anything cooked, or any weed seeds.
Turn it every few months weeks to get air in, and microbes will sort the rest out for you. When it looks like soil, or when you need some for something, take a bit out from the bottom, and keep adding to the top.

Thanks sparetime, that's sounds reassuringly straightforward.

I thought there might be special tip/considerations/compost gods to be appeased :o

TBH as with all things garden related, you can spend all your time and money making it perfect, or you can do a little bit and have it less perfect but perfectly acceptable.
You'll get to know what works for you, but starting simple means you're more likely to stick with it.

What a lovely asset to the garden - love my compost heap!

I keep a caddy in my kitchen to collect kitchen waste, but not anything cooked, no meat/protein because that could attract rats. So we generate:
Veg and fruit peelings
Tea bags
Coffee grounds
Egg shells
Shredded paper, hedge & grass clippings, avoid weeds.
Turn it every so often. It's the worms that do all the work btw, so if you see them, especially the red one's, all is well. Compost that is ready to use will be at the bottom of the heap. Dig it in in the spring and your garden will thank you.

If the heap seems inactive then get you husband to pee on it and that will give it a kick start.
Compost should be a mix of green and brown material if it is slimy then it is too wet so add brown material paper, straw or hedge clippings. If too dry add more green so grass clippings, veg peelings ect. Fork and turn it every now and again to get more air in but if you cant be bothered it will still compost but might take a bit longer.
The only things not to do are to add cooked food, dairy, cat or dog poo, diseased plants, weeds with seeds or bind weed.
I love composting and have 3 bins on the go at the moment plus my leaf mold bin.

Ok, on closer inspection it seems to have far too many sticks in and is home to some fearsome spiders .

Not sure DH will go for peeing on it as he would be visible to the local GP surgery :o.

Leaf mold should be done separately?

You can put leaves into a normal compost bin but they are often to low in nitrogen for bacterial decomposition. Leaves have a very high carbon content so fungal breakdown works.
Keep the leaves wet and in a sheltered spot and you will have lovely humus rich compost for the garden. Takes longer than household compost but your soil will love you for it.
I have oak leaves which take around 2 years to compost into leaf mold.

TermagantToaster i have an old lenor bottle i keep in the utililty room. Husband pees on command in that and i add to compost.
Saves a fortune on compost accelerator

The mysteries of gardening revealed

:o