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

T i m writes
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! ;-)

It sounds like it's too dry.
Possibly too airy as well - if the stuff is too spread out in there,
it's difficult for it to stay moist. Things like cabbage stalks need
cutting up a bit before going in.

What I'd do next is water the whole lot, and then dump about 3 inches of
garden soil on top of it. That will cut down the smell as well as giving
another source of worms.
--
Kay

On Fri, 25 May 2007 22:48:04 +0100, K wrote:


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

It sounds like it's too dry.

Hi and it could well be as I've not added any extra water to the 'mix'
;-(

Possibly too airy as well - if the stuff is too spread out in there,
it's difficult for it to stay moist.

The middle of the bottom of the dustbin was cut out (leaving a
reasonable 'rim') and is stood on plain earth. There are (now) about
10 x 20mm diameter holes around the top, just under the lid line (is
that enough / to many?). I have forked the contents about a few times
but it's sorta quite well packed in there (and never seems to fill
up!g) apart from the surface, in between the lumpy bits etc.

Things like cabbage stalks need
cutting up a bit before going in.

Ah, ta. I have noticed some complete 'hearts' (is that what they call
them?) in there so I'll make sure they are chopped up next time.

What I'd do next is water the whole lot, and then dump about 3 inches of
garden soil on top of it. That will cut down the smell as well as giving
another source of worms.

Ok and ta muchly. It actually started off as somewhere for kitchen
scraps so hasn't really had any true garden stuff in there as yet. I
did strim the front and back gardens today (well, my
next-door-neighbours gardens as we borrow them) so I have enough
matter to fill our little bin several times over. I'll have to get
some topsoil from somewhere as we don't have any 'surplus'. I don't
suppose a bag of the bought stuff would come with worms would it? I do
have a fairly big plastic planter that is full of soil (used for
French beans last year) would some of that do?

I'll put 'some' grass and soil in there as you suggest and give it a
drink. Apart from doing the boy thing (I keep forgetting) how much
water would I apply to a half filled std plastic dustbin would you say
please?

All the best ..

T i m

p.s. I'm not really a gardener, not into 'flowers' at all but do like
trying the 'produce' thing. To that end I have just planted 20 runner
bean (plants, started by a mate who is a 'professional' gardener). We
had quite a good crop last year and they are probably the only
vegetable I actually 'enjoy' (shredded and steamed). :-)

IT i m writes
Hi and it could well be as I've not added any extra water to the 'mix'
;-(

Possibly too airy as well - if the stuff is too spread out in there,
it's difficult for it to stay moist.

The middle of the bottom of the dustbin was cut out (leaving a
reasonable 'rim') and is stood on plain earth. There are (now) about 10
x 20mm diameter holes around the top, just under the lid line (is that
enough / to many?). I have forked the contents about a few times but
it's sorta quite well packed in there (and never seems to fill up!g)
apart from the surface, in between the lumpy bits etc.

Do you still have the bin standing the right way up? Because the idea is
to put it upside down (so it's wider and more open at the bottom than at
the top), then put the lid on what used to be the bottom. That way, to
fork it over easily, you just lift the bin off the pile. Also, it makes
a wider base for the worms to come up from below. But the fact that it
never fills up is a good sign. Worms like unshiny torn-up cardboard,
too, mixed in with the green stuff.

--
Klara, Gatwick basin

"T i m" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 25 May 2007 22:48:04 +0100, K wrote:


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

It sounds like it's too dry.

Hi and it could well be as I've not added any extra water to the 'mix'
;-(

Possibly too airy as well - if the stuff is too spread out in there,
it's difficult for it to stay moist.

The middle of the bottom of the dustbin was cut out (leaving a
reasonable 'rim') and is stood on plain earth. There are (now) about
10 x 20mm diameter holes around the top, just under the lid line (is
that enough / to many?). I have forked the contents about a few times
but it's sorta quite well packed in there (and never seems to fill
up!g) apart from the surface, in between the lumpy bits etc.

Things like cabbage stalks need
cutting up a bit before going in.

Ah, ta. I have noticed some complete 'hearts' (is that what they call
them?) in there so I'll make sure they are chopped up next time.

What I'd do next is water the whole lot, and then dump about 3 inches of
garden soil on top of it. That will cut down the smell as well as giving
another source of worms.

Ok and ta muchly. It actually started off as somewhere for kitchen
scraps so hasn't really had any true garden stuff in there as yet. I
did strim the front and back gardens today (well, my
next-door-neighbours gardens as we borrow them) so I have enough
matter to fill our little bin several times over. I'll have to get
some topsoil from somewhere as we don't have any 'surplus'. I don't
suppose a bag of the bought stuff would come with worms would it? I do
have a fairly big plastic planter that is full of soil (used for
French beans last year) would some of that do?

I'll put 'some' grass and soil in there as you suggest and give it a
drink. Apart from doing the boy thing (I keep forgetting) how much
water would I apply to a half filled std plastic dustbin would you say
please?

All the best ..

T i m

p.s. I'm not really a gardener, not into 'flowers' at all but do like
trying the 'produce' thing. To that end I have just planted 20 runner
bean (plants, started by a mate who is a 'professional' gardener). We
had quite a good crop last year and they are probably the only
vegetable I actually 'enjoy' (shredded and steamed). :-)

Tim the flies are there becaue the recent additions to the bin are exposed.
Like Kay said -throw a bit of soil over the top. If thats not possible, use
paper shreddings or some torn up cardboard. (especially if you are about to
throw a lot of grass in)
I would chuck half to a full watering can in there first.
Also get a stick and make sure you wiggle a hole down the centre to let the
air in to the centre.
This is a good read : http://www.compostguide.com/

David

On Sat, 26 May 2007 07:41:33 +0100, Klara
wrote:

Hi Klara,

Do you still have the bin standing the right way up?

Yes ;-(

Because the idea is
to put it upside down (so it's wider and more open at the bottom than at
the top), then put the lid on what used to be the bottom.

Understood. Because we were really only looking to deal with kitchen
waste and it's not actually our garden but our next_door_neighbours we
didn't want to tack the Mick with something too big or looking too
strange. This bin is just a cheap thinish plastic green jobby and
fairly parallel in section so although the hole in the top *is* bigger
than what I made in the bottom, not by a huge amount? Plus this way
the lid 'fits' and any that don't end up getting blown round the
neighborhood! ;-(

That way, to
fork it over easily, you just lift the bin off the pile.

The problem with that is it's sort of in a little niche between a shed
and a fence (but exposed to the South for suns rays pretty well all
day). To get it out I'd have to slip a spade under it and drag it out
onto the lawn (don't really have any spare earth areas to turn it over
either). I have 'modified' a long handled hand fork as a turning over
tool and that seems to work ok in this fairly small bin.

Also, it makes
a wider base for the worms to come up from below.

Understood.

But the fact that it
never fills up is a good sign.

Well that started when we just had a loose exposed mini pile and that
seemed to disappear as fast as we put things on it g. Because it was
a bit 'untidy' (and not our garden) I went for the bin, not realizing
that doing so would potentially change the dynamics of what was going
on quite so much!

Worms like unshiny torn-up cardboard,
too, mixed in with the green stuff.

Ah, well we haven't really been adding much (any) of that as we
re-cycle cardboard (and paper) separately. So, if we were to put some
cardboard in there what would you say was *best* (as we have quite a
choice and I know now 'non shiny'). What about shredded paper (from
the cross cut shredder) would that be a 'good' thing to add in small
quantities? And talking of paper (and considering this is quite a
small bin) *should* (rather than could) we put paper kitchen towel /
tissues in there please?

All the best and thanks for your help ..

T i m ;-)

p.s. In spite of not professing to be 'a gardener', last years runner
beans were in hot demand by friends and family! ;-)

On Sat, 26 May 2007 07:51:21 +0100, "DavidG"
wrote:



Tim the flies are there becaue the recent additions to the bin are exposed.

Ok .. (would they still be considered so if I hadn't drilled the holes
under the rim David?)

Like Kay said -throw a bit of soil over the top.

Will do.

If thats not possible, use
paper shreddings or some torn up cardboard. (especially if you are about to
throw a lot of grass in)

So would either of the latter be 'better' than soil (I guess not as
you said 'if that's not possible')? Also I'm not sure just how much
'grass' I should add considering this isn't a big container and I'd
rather not waste the space for the kitchen waste. Yesterdays 'grass'
cuttings are currently laying in a big pile (I found that my green
wheely bin wasn't empty like I thought doh) and it was more like a
meadow than a lawn. Would some of that be 'better' than std lawn
trimmings?

I would chuck half to a full watering can in there first.

Right ta. I did remember to pop down there myself this morning weg.

Also get a stick and make sure you wiggle a hole down the centre to let the
air in to the centre.

Hmm, so should I also drill some further holes around the general body
of the bin do you think David? So it looks like a brazier sort of
idea?

This is a good read : http://www.compostguide.com/

It is indeed, that's for that!

All the best ..

T i m

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

On Sat, 26 May 2007 10:23:28 GMT, Pam Moore
wrote:


Hi Pam in Brizzle ;-)

Did you turn the bin upside down?

No I didn't. I cut (most of) the bottom out and left it at that, it
being pretty parallel and only 'small' in either case (it's about 3/4
the size of those big black dustbins) and was rally just to tidy up
the free form ground heap.

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 did think about that but because of the limited space I just
modified one of those cheap market telescopic hand forks as a 'muck
turner' and that seems ok so far (not as easy / efficient as with it
all on the ground but ..). ;-)

I find this works very well.

Oh for the space (and my own garden Pam) ;-( When my
next_door_neighbour bought the place there was just a (rough) lawn and
a narrow border that had some scruffy flowers in. He let me widen the
strip, cover it with that black fabric stuff and put my bean canes in.
As long as I keep it tidy and don't take the mick he's not bothered.
He also drinks a lot of coffee but in spite of the offer I've never
seen any coffee grounds in my compost bin (but I have had to pressure
clear his drain of them once though). ;-(

Ants, flies etc will love it if it is warm and dry.

Well it's just these tiny flies and one slug so far (he's probably in
there since I put crushed shells round my new runners) ;-)

Try watering with "Recycled tea, coffee, beer", "kidney filtered" as
one Urgler said recently.

Well I did the latter this morning (recycled tea, beer and gallons of
lemon squash .. not a good day for mowing the garden////// meadow
yesterday, very hot / sticky ..) and will give it all a turn about and
water a bit later.

Apparently a 'good sign' that 'something' is going on in there is that
in spite of adding to it fairly regularly it seems to be going down as
fast as we add to it .. and that's in spite of not having 'watered' it
at all (till now) and not having it in an ideal container?

All the best and thanks again ...

T i m

In article , says...
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 ..

The flies sound like friut flies which are harmless to compost heaps.
Your compost might be a bit a bit damp with only veg scraps etc. We
bulk ours out with confidential shreddings.

Gill M

On Sat, 26 May 2007 11:23:04 GMT, T i m wrote:

Apparently a 'good sign' that 'something' is going on in there is that
in spite of adding to it fairly regularly it seems to be going down as
fast as we add to it .. and that's in spite of not having 'watered' it
at all (till now) and not having it in an ideal container?

That's good. Just wait till you get the good brown stuff out of the
bottom. Such a feeling of satisfaction!
Good luck from Brizzle!

Pam in Bristol

On Sat, 26 May 2007 15:39:20 +0100, Gill Matthews Try the
wrote:



The flies sound like friut flies which are harmless to compost heaps.

Ok thanks Gill. I think I've also seen them inside the lid and at
first glance *some* of these insects look like silverfish (7mm long
and 1mm wide) , except they can fly?

Your compost might be a bit a bit damp with only veg scraps etc.

Doh, and now I've added water (n stuff) ;-(

We
bulk ours out with confidential shreddings.

I've torn up some egg boxes and bog roll tubes and added some (long)
grass that I cut yesterday. I might go with your shredding idea as
that is something we need to 'get rid of'

When I was giving it a good stir earlier I noticed the bottom ~6" was
a fairly dark black, consistent 'stuff' and although I might have seen
a worm or two there were quite a few woodlice (and what may have been
the beginnings of an ant's nest). After giving it a good turn over it
all smelt a bit better as well. ;-)

All the best ..

T i m

On Sat, 26 May 2007 15:07:47 GMT, Pam Moore
wrote:

On Sat, 26 May 2007 11:23:04 GMT, T i m wrote:

Apparently a 'good sign' that 'something' is going on in there is that
in spite of adding to it fairly regularly it seems to be going down as
fast as we add to it .. and that's in spite of not having 'watered' it
at all (till now) and not having it in an ideal container?

That's good. Just wait till you get the good brown stuff out of the
bottom. Such a feeling of satisfaction!

I bet. I was explaining the 'boy watering' process (in passing so to
speak) to our 16yr old this morning .. she said she would be eating
out from now on! ;-)

Good luck from Brizzle!

Thanks Pam ;-)

All the best ..

T i m

T i m writes
On Fri, 25 May 2007 22:48:04 +0100, K wrote:


Possibly too airy as well - if the stuff is too spread out in there,
it's difficult for it to stay moist.

The middle of the bottom of the dustbin was cut out (leaving a
reasonable 'rim') and is stood on plain earth. There are (now) about
10 x 20mm diameter holes around the top, just under the lid line (is
that enough / to many?).

I don't think they'll make any difference one way or the other - it's
air in the body of the heap people seem to feel is important, ie holes
further down.
My compost heaps have solid wooden sides and do fine.

I have forked the contents about a few times
but it's sorta quite well packed in there (and never seems to fill
up!g) apart from the surface, in between the lumpy bits etc.

That all sounds good.

What I'd do next is water the whole lot, and then dump about 3 inches of
garden soil on top of it. That will cut down the smell as well as giving
another source of worms.

Ok and ta muchly. It actually started off as somewhere for kitchen
scraps so hasn't really had any true garden stuff in there as yet. I
did strim the front and back gardens today (well, my
next-door-neighbours gardens as we borrow them) so I have enough
matter to fill our little bin several times over.

I think you'll find your problems are over.

I'll have to get
some topsoil from somewhere as we don't have any 'surplus'. I don't
suppose a bag of the bought stuff would come with worms would it?

No!!!! Don't pay good money for anything to put on your compost heap!!!

I do
have a fairly big plastic planter that is full of soil (used for
French beans last year) would some of that do?

Ideal.

I'll put 'some' grass and soil in there as you suggest and give it a
drink. Apart from doing the boy thing (I keep forgetting) how much
water would I apply to a half filled std plastic dustbin would you say
please?

I'd chuck a bucket full in. Doesn't matter if you overwater, as you're
open to the ground and any excess will drain away.


--
Kay

T i m writes
On Sat, 26 May 2007 15:07:47 GMT, Pam Moore
wrote:

On Sat, 26 May 2007 11:23:04 GMT, T i m wrote:

Apparently a 'good sign' that 'something' is going on in there is that
in spite of adding to it fairly regularly it seems to be going down as
fast as we add to it .. and that's in spite of not having 'watered' it
at all (till now) and not having it in an ideal container?

That's good. Just wait till you get the good brown stuff out of the
bottom. Such a feeling of satisfaction!

I bet. I was explaining the 'boy watering' process (in passing so to
speak) to our 16yr old this morning .. she said she would be eating
out from now on! ;-)

You should *never* mention bodily functions to teenagers. They are
ridiculously squeamish.

Having kids of their own generally sorts them out.
--
Kay