On Fri, 25 May 2007 20:30:28 GMT, T i m wrote:

Hi All,

A while ago we started a compost heap and a couple of months ago I
made a compost bin by cutting bottom out of a cheap plastic dustbin
and transferred the (small) heap to it.

Then a 'gardener' mate suggested I put some holes in the side so
drilled (using a tank cutter) a few round the top.

Now when we open the lid we find the bin is filled with hundreds of
tiny flies of some sort?

They don't seem to do us any harm (apart from being slightly annoying
when they all fly out on mass) but I wondered if they were doing any
harm in there?

Also I'd say the bin does smell a bit and not a nice 'composty' smell.

So far it's only had (old) fresh household vegetable scraps, tea bags,
fruit, egg shells etc?

I have forked it about a few times but not done much about wetting it
etc (not sure if I should etc).

Should I expect to see worms in there by now .. my Mum's bin is full
of them! ;-)

All the best ..

T i m

Did you turn the bin upside down?
If you do so, putting the wider part (tp rim) on the soil, there is
more soil surface in contact with the compost and also you can easily
lift the bin off to inspect the lowest contents.
I find this works very well.
Ants, flies etc will love it if it is warm and dry.
Try watering with "Recycled tea, coffee, beer", "kidney filtered" as
one Urgler said recently.

Pam in Bristol