In article ,
Rick McGreal wrote:
(Nick Maclaren) wrote in
:

Does anyone have a URL for a website that has info on home composting?
There are uk.rec.gardening FAQs on it.

And where is it held?

Try a search - e.g. google - it is what I would have to do!

I have been composting my own stuff since I mved into my new house
last July
Depending on how you do it, that isn't long.

Oh...Most people state 9 months...But mine is barely making an impact

It depends a lot on what you put on it. 18 months is for sapwood
prunings.

Well, in a traditional heap, that could be rather hasty - mine takes
c. 18 months. In what way has it not composted? That could help
identify the cause.

Well...Everything is still 'woody'

Although the grass trimmings start to breakdown it just gets to a certain
point then stops...

I turned a small part over the other day to have a look at it...Adn aside
from being all brown and slightly slimey...It wsa just compacted rubbish...

I have also been told that I shoudl expect a more 'Earthy' smell....
I don't have that....It smells like....Well...rotting veggies

Ah! The key things are the slimy aspect and the smell. You are not
letting enough air into it, perhaps because it is too compacted,
perhaps because there is too much water.

Should I be adding in other things apart from grass and scraps?

Someone mentioned woodshavings....??

Or sapwood prunings, or anything that would help air get into the
heap. You don't critically need even that, as you can get the same
effect by turning the heap over (and not compacting it) at intervals.
I suggest doing that - just fork it into a new pile, making sure that
it is all damp and not compacted.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.