I haven't mastered it evidently.
Last Spring I bought a huge compost bin for putting all our grass clippings, tree leaves, fruit & veggie waste, egg shells and coffee grounds. I had read all about what to put in the bins and I thought I had this thing down.
For a whole year now we have been putting stuff into that bin and it has been getting eaten up by the microbes. Today I went down to get my first bucket full to use while planting some flowers when Alexis was taking a nap. What did I find? One inch of fabulous looking compost topped by dry leaves, egg shells, veggies and grass. I'm so bummed and so confused!
I am going to get this thing figured out. I soaked the whole mess with at hose really well this morning to add some much needed moisture. I guess it has been too dry for the compost to work it's magic. I am thinking that somewhere in the middle of this thing is some great compost otherwise it wouldn' t have kept going down. Also, when I was watering it down this morning I saw steam coming out of the vents.
Maybe it just needs to be stirred up more. I'm on the great hunt for a compost mixer thingie (a stick with some mix edges that go in flush with the stick and splay out when you pull it up) and some earthworms. I think those two things will help me get that compost ready for spreading in no time at all.
I will master this thing. I have 1/2 acre that could use some good compost and I don't want to have to buy it every spring when I could make it myself. Wish me luck and if you have any great experience with making compost, let me know!
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Composting takes longer than you think. It can take up to 18 months. Its great that you have a little going and the heat is a great sign. There are tons of guides on-line where you can get info (www.compostguide.com). I think you're right. Stirring will help. That link has a stirer like you described, but there are also corkscrew-type stirs.
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