Originally Posted By: TooManyWheels
I started out with a commercially made composting bin, plastic/rubber, about 3 feet, cubed. Outgrew that in a hurry, now just compost in a free standing heap.
I agree with the previous assessments. My biggest problem is I don't have enough nitrogen components (fruit and veggie scraps, grass clippings) to match the humongus amounts of leaves (carbon) I collect. I have taken to buying bags of manure to get mass nitrogen.
In our climate the other problem is keeping it moist enough. During the summer I water it every day, every other day at least. I turn it twice a week, more often is counterproductive. You want to get the moisture into the
center, but if you have a predominance of leaves they act as shingles, so on the days I turn I water first, then turn, then water again. If possible, try to spread the compost which has started to generate amongst the inactivated sections to get them started.
About prunings - my experience is that branches with any measurable diameter will prevent you from turning that part of the pile, so that part will never get going.
I pretty much agree with TooManyWheels. I have similar problems with not enough green stuff and not enough water.
I have 2 bins, ~5 cu. yards each. 8'L X 6' W X 4' high. They are made mostly out of used treated 2x4 lumber. I run everything through my chipper/shredder. I empty one bin during the year while filling the other. I water the fresh grindings until wet, but not soggy. I do my best to mix green and brown
while shredding. I get about 3 cu. yds. of finished compost in the spring which goes directly on top of the garden. I don't turn the pile, just too much work for the old man.
If you turn the pile and keep the water, nitrogen & carbon in balance, you can make finished compost in 6-8 weeks in hot weather, longer in cooler climes. My pile dried out due to the hot dry weather last summer, so about the top foot of shreddings will go back through the shredder, mixed with new stuff and into the empty bin.
