Compost heap too wet - what to do?
 

Compost heap is a metre square and 1.2 metres high.
Too wet.
Should I repeatedly turn it?
Or what?
--
Chris

Compost heap too wet - what to do?
 

In article ], Chris ] wrote:
Compost heap is a metre square and 1.2 metres high.
Too wet.
Should I repeatedly turn it?
Or what?

Ideally, turn it to loosen it. But, in any case, cover it loosely
with polythene or something to keep the rain off and let it drain.
When it is a better moisture level, turn it and cover it or not
as the rain indicates.

In almost every case, doing nothing would work, too, as it will
dry out somewhat next 'summer' and carry on rotting down then.
But it would take longer - perhaps a year or two.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Compost heap too wet - what to do?
 

On Tue, 03 Dec 2013 09:25:42 +0000, Chris wrote:

Compost heap is a metre square and 1.2 metres high.
Too wet.
Should I repeatedly turn it?
Or what?

Assuming that it is above-ground and not in a pit (!) gravity is your
friend. Stop further ingress of water and wait :)

Compost heap too wet - what to do?
 

On 03/12/2013 09:39, Nick Maclaren wrote:
In article ], Chris ] wrote:
Compost heap is a metre square and 1.2 metres high.
Too wet.
Should I repeatedly turn it?
Or what?

Ideally, turn it to loosen it. But, in any case, cover it loosely
with polythene or something to keep the rain off and let it drain.
When it is a better moisture level, turn it and cover it or not
as the rain indicates.

Loosening the top layer a bit will probably help too. For such a small
one I'd be inclined to hack it into lumps with a spade and then leave it
loosely reassembled so the air can get into it again.

In almost every case, doing nothing would work, too, as it will
dry out somewhat next 'summer' and carry on rotting down then.
But it would take longer - perhaps a year or two.

Getting a compost heap to behave seems to be a lot easier if you have
larger ones. It is always the small garden ones that compact to foul
smelling anaerobic green slime. Next year the OP might want to consider
putting a few bricks underneath his heap to allow water to drain away.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

Compost heap too wet - what to do?
 

"Chris Hogg" wrote in message
...

On Tue, 3 Dec 2013 09:25:42 +0000, Chris ] wrote:

Compost heap is a metre square and 1.2 metres high.
Too wet.
Should I repeatedly turn it?
Or what?

By what standard are you judging that it's too wet?
As others have said, either cover it with a bit of polythene or old
carpet to keep the rain off, or even just leave it alone. It will do
its own thing eventually. I leave my first-stage compost heap open to
the elements over the winter, not covering it until after I've
turned/moved it in about 12 months time. Then it ripens for another
12, but covered.

--

Chris

Gardening in West Cornwall overlooking the sea.
Mild, but very exposed to salt gales
.................................................. ..............................

I do the same as Chris, keep the pile I am adding to open all the time and
when that bin is full, turn it into a now empty bin and cover it. I have a
sheet of 'shutter ply' which I have painted with a roofing paint to help
preserve it. It slopes slightly to the back to let the water run off.
However, I do fork into that heap 'periodically' just to aerate it and see
what is happening. f it dries too much I water this heap and cover it again.

(The sheet of ply makes a superb 'temporary' outside work bench)

Mike

---------------------------------------------------------------
www.hmscollingwoodassociation.com
www.rneba.org.uk




---------------------------------------------------------------
www.hmscollingwoodassociation.com
www.rneba.org.uk

Compost heap too wet - what to do?
 

In article ], ] says...

Compost heap is a metre square and 1.2 metres high.
Too wet.
Should I repeatedly turn it?
Or what?

Cover it. Apart from the fact that it won't work efficiently if its
too wet, all that rain is leaching out nutrients into the soil beneath
it.

Janet.

Compost heap too wet - what to do?
 

"Chris" wrote

Compost heap is a metre square and 1.2 metres high.
Too wet.
Should I repeatedly turn it?
Or what?

Just push your fork in the sides and loosen it a bit and then cover to keep
off any more rain (not wet here?). Is it on concrete or something impervious
to get so wet? If so try to raise it up to allow drainage.
The best and fastest compost heap we ever had was one surrounded and covered
with builders polystyrene sheets so the warmth was kept in, material was
sometimes reduced to ash in the middle it got so hot if I forgot to water it
but it killed any weed seeds. Two loads of compost a year out of that one.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

Compost heap too wet - what to do?
 

In article , Bob Hobden
writes
"Chris" wrote

Compost heap is a metre square and 1.2 metres high.
Too wet.
Should I repeatedly turn it?
Or what?

Just push your fork in the sides and loosen it a bit and then cover to
keep off any more rain (not wet here?). Is it on concrete or something
impervious to get so wet? If so try to raise it up to allow drainage.
The best and fastest compost heap we ever had was one surrounded and
covered with builders polystyrene sheets so the warmth was kept in,
material was sometimes reduced to ash in the middle it got so hot if I
forgot to water it but it killed any weed seeds. Two loads of compost a
year out of that one.

Thanks to all.
It's a Huker bin.
Standing on concrete.
Perhaps an excess of HLA added!
--
Chris

Compost heap too wet - what to do?
 

"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...
"Chris" wrote

Compost heap is a metre square and 1.2 metres high.
Too wet.
Should I repeatedly turn it?
Or what?

Just push your fork in the sides and loosen it a bit and then cover to
keep
off any more rain (not wet here?). Is it on concrete or something
impervious
to get so wet? If so try to raise it up to allow drainage.
The best and fastest compost heap we ever had was one surrounded and
covered
with builders polystyrene sheets so the warmth was kept in, material was
sometimes reduced to ash in the middle it got so hot if I forgot to water
it
but it killed any weed seeds. Two loads of compost a year out of that one.
--
Can I use a spare plastic wheelie bin to make compost?

Compost heap too wet - what to do?
 

Can I use a spare plastic wheelie bin to make compost?

Don't see why not, provided you drill a few holes in the bottom to let
the juice out, allow it to breathe, and ensure the holes are in
contact with soil to encourage worms up into it. For breathing, holes
at the bottom of the sides may be better than underneath. But I can't
think it'll hold very much.


Depends if you own the bin or if the council provided it.
If it came from the council then it's on indefinite loan and they could
take action if you damage their property.
Many councils provide compost bins. some charge, some are free.

Compost heap too wet - what to do?
 

On 04/12/2013 19:58, Frank Booth wrote:
"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...
"Chris" wrote

Compost heap is a metre square and 1.2 metres high.
Too wet.
Should I repeatedly turn it?
Or what?

Just push your fork in the sides and loosen it a bit and then cover to
keep
off any more rain (not wet here?). Is it on concrete or something
impervious
to get so wet? If so try to raise it up to allow drainage.
The best and fastest compost heap we ever had was one surrounded and
covered
with builders polystyrene sheets so the warmth was kept in, material was
sometimes reduced to ash in the middle it got so hot if I forgot to water
it
but it killed any weed seeds. Two loads of compost a year out of that one.
--
Can I use a spare plastic wheelie bin to make compost?

Not so good for compost but brilliant for making leaf mould in which is
what I use mine for. A wheelie bin full of wet leaves transforms into an
ordinary bin of not completely rotted leaves in a year and into a couple
of buckets of near perfect leaf mould after two. AFter sieving it is
pretty good as a peat substitute and for lime hating plants.

I already compost more things than they would allow in the green bin.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown