More composting question for a beginner....

[IlanaK]

We have a 3 sided (open at the front) wood compost bin that is split down the middle so essentially it is two bins. The landscapers have half filled them with turf that has partly rotted down already as it was sitting at the back of the garden for god knows how long before we moved in. They said it was great for composting and already full of worms. Over the last two days we have been adding on top some grass cuttings, some shredded paper from my shredder and lots of fruit and veg peelings, banana skins, etc from our daily use.

Keeping in mind that it is open at the top, do I just leave all this in layers thrown on, or do I get my garden fork out of its wrapping and mix it up? Can you add too much fruit and veg (we eat a lot of it!). And how long until I have usable compost, and how will I tell?

Lots of questions!

It will all rot down in the end so you don't need to mix it, but it will rot down quicker if you do.

You can't really add too much fruit and veg but if it starts to smell funny, just add a few more dry ingredients like bits of twigs and dry grass.

Warning - don't add loads of freshly mown grass it will make it stink.

Thanks. It was a very small amount of grass. Although we have a massive garden, only a small amount is grass. It was more of a sprinkling of grass cuttings really. I was desperate to mix it when I stood looking at it today, so glad you said I can! SO how long until it is compost?

I think it takes about a year, but if you keep mixing it it will take less time.

If you throw grass cuttings in, put plenty of dry stuff too. Or at least some earth.

oh and quicker if you put some insulation over the top - either compost lid or bit of old carpet

I just keep piling mine up and maybe turn it once or twice a year if I can be bothered.

Do see if you can find a lid for it as that will certainly help.

And I second about mixing in layers of twiggy material, we produce a lot of kitchen waste and it can go slimy and smelly if you're not alert to it. You just need to add layers to keep the air circulating.

I assume you are filling one half, then letting it rot down while you fill the other half? As it does take a good year to rot down in our climate, unless you are very active about turning/accelerating with urine etc, I think this is the best approach.