On 22/04/18 21:23, Roger Tonkin wrote:
Having limited spaceI invested in a dalek in the autumn, which
I have been slowly filling over the winter and spring. Not
being in a hurry for compost, I'm happy to just let it get on
with it, although I shall be careful how much grass I add when
mowing starts in earnest.

Problem at the moment is that the bin is home to masses of tiny
flies, which fly out and land on me when I go to add anything.
The leaflet that came with the bin said "they are harmlees but
you don't want too many" and not to use pesticides!

So how do I reduce the pests?



Mine are like that too. I'm not sure if you can - the cold compsoting
action makes it a veritable home for worms and flies.

You *could* try reducing the amount of kitchen waste that sits on the
surface by mixing in shredded paper or wood chippings if you are able to
produce one of the other. I do not know if that would work, but it won't
do any harm.


On an aside, as slow as daleks are, this:

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/91/c3...8dbea85f47.jpg

(I have one, without the fancy wooden bits) makes it easy to aerate the
pile which does help with speed of composting and reduces the tendency
for it to turn into a lump of crud.