garden virgin wrote:
Hello,

We are new to gardening, sorry if all of this sounds daff but...

1. We have a brand new composter, basically a green plastic bin with a lid &
a removable base which we've installed in the back corner of our garden. We
have lots of brown leaves from last autumn lying around the garden, should
we put these into the composter first then kitchen wastes like veg.
peelings? which would rot down first basically? and how long does it take
for it all to breakdown into compost? do i need to stir it from time to time
or do i just leave it to do it's thang.

Don't use the autumn leaves in your composter: they need to break down
slowly by fungi. Bung them in black plastic bags, tie up the tops,
ventilate by sticking your garden fork through a few times, leave in an
inconspicuous place and forget about them until next spring (at least).

Good compost - well, see the FAQs but basically you need a mix of green
and brown and it's best to fill it all at once. It will heat up to 80
deg. C. or more and the volume will decrease dramatically. Repeat many
times over the summer months. Turn it out and mix well to aerate, return
to composter and leave till the spring (not adding anything more) and it
should be ready for use. You can buy compost accelerators but each human
being comes with a ready supply of 'recycled beer' and the male of the
species has been specially designed with an application device.

Finally, if it's on the soil, don't use the plastic bottom, let the
worms get in.