[mistryer]

I started a compost bin nearly 3 years ago - it is a shop bought one, green square with lift up lids at top, and access hatch at bottom. I have put all veg, fruit and other non food stuff into it ever since, and it is only just over quarter full yet, but it also seems to be only half rotting. I just wondered how long it should take to convert into compost, should it have a certain amount in before it breaks down properly, and apart from adding bit of water now and again, and forking it over, what else should I be doing? It all seems to be incredibly slow. Was hoping after 3 years, some of it would be usable. Advice please...

[bloomer]

whats it stood on?

it doesn't sound like its got enough in to reach composting temperature, (they work better full)

a full plastic bin stood on earth not concrete should be useable in 6-12 months weather dependent

to accellerate it don't add water add urine!!!

[YorkshireLass]

http://www.shewee.com/

  

Sorry I've nothing else to help with, I'm waiting for mine to do something (though space keeps appearing at the top so it's at least sinking...)

[suziequeue]

Are there any holes at the base of the compost bin? Sounds like what you are putting in is perfect for composting.... but also perfect for rats!

It should shrink down.... but only a quarter full after three years is going some......

I tend to put food waste in the bokashi bin before putting it on our compost heap and burying it under a thick layer of something else..

I do my compost on a two year cycle. One year in the heap and then tunred into bins for another year. I I have an ever growing line of compost bins along the side of my polytunnel..... and an ever lengthening list of fruit, veg and flower beds wanting their share 

[mistryer]

It is a completely enclosed bin with airholes on the sides and it is stood on earth, in my veg patch. I only put vegetable matter in, and as we have a mulcher on our mower, I don't get to put grass cuttings in. I suppose because there are only 3 of us, plus visitors now and again, it is not filling up very fast, and it is a fair sized bin. Will it matter if it takes a while to fill? Did have plans to get another one, but did not realise how long this one would take. I cook all our meals from scratch, being as we live in rural France, and always have stuff to put in it, but it obviously takes a while!! Will try the urine - have heard that before, but it sounds like it just needs to be fuller 

[Dizzycow]

I've just turned one of mine over which was full of a mixture of chicken poo / newspapers, garden trimmings, grass cuttings and kitchen waste. Firstly, we've had a hell of a time with rats, (all the right and none of the wrong things go in from the kitchen) and secondly it was very far from rotted. I've now made a large compost pile which I can wade into and get shovelling around. I don't think I've ever made successful compost using one of the plastic bins.

[suziequeue]

I think if you are only putting vegetable matter in then you need to add more paper/card etc..... commonly known as "brown". You need to have a balance of "green" (vegetable matter, grass cuttings - stuff that's likely to go slimy if you leave it lying around) and "brown" (shredded paper and card, dried leaves, shavings/animal bedding - stuff that's likely to dry out if you leave it lying around).

You'll probably find that you compost bin fills up alot faster. We shred all our paper now and compost it - the recycling doesn't get a look-in 

[Hermit]

When reading through the posts I was thinking of something to say then Suzie said it! I agree sounds like you need more brown matter in there.

[mistryer]

ok - that's brilliant, thank you all. Will see if I can redress the balance. We tend to get a lot of the glossy style publicity paper here - that won't be any good to put in, will it?

[MAK]

No to the Pub stuff and I echo others comments
You do need an accelerator such as urine or chicken cr-p. I also scatter the odd spade of soil and go light on the grass cuttings that can just comapct as a layer. Turn when you have the energy and site in the sun.
Over winter I had a black plastic woven sheet over both piles to get some heat in).
I am using last years lot with  loam from a pile of upturned turfs - using it to start my seeds off.
I too have never had much joy with a plastic bin ( difficult to add the urine to unless you are 2 meters tall).

[deepinthewoods]

i agree with the above, lots of shredded paper and cardboard, these add air gaps too, to allow the oxygen in, which really heats the process up. you could use straw to the same effect. the bigger the heap the better, so try to build it all up in one hit.

[sabrina]

Mine has been going at least 2 years and it is very slow where as the stuff not in the bin compost down a lot faster but I do add rotted down horse muck.

[MAK]

2 years ! That is a long time so maybe worth revisiting things.
1. Spring ( now) Site - on earth and in the sun.
2. Composition - veg waste, weds, animal waste ( with straw) and the odd shovel of soil. Chicken poo and urine are essential accelerators. Don't clump grass cutting in one heap but sprinkle over and mix with other stuff.
3. Make a large pile in the summer and turn every few weeks and water if too dry.
4. autumn- winter.  Cover in black weed sup ressent material that lets the rain in but maximises any sun.
5. Spring - turn it onto veg patch - dig in and leave a few weeks before planting out.

A bit prescriptive but it works for me.     

[Plantoid]

Urine diluted to 1 part pee to 20 parts water and  put on through a watering can rose on every three inche layer of compostable material is very good .
 

Re :-
Not rotting
 
 There are two types of decay that will make a compost .. they are  aerobic and anerobic .
 the former ( aerobic ) is what you want for a quicker composting period 7 a better end product .

 Turn a heap every three to six days  . spray each 3 inch layer with a fine spray to dampen not soak it , addd a bit blood fish & bone meal for the acellerator to each layer .
This will put the air into the heap , , the moisture will start the BFBM rotting , this produceds the bacteia & fungus  needed to break down the materials . use a garden claw to agitate each layer down to about a foot at a time if you are using a bin

 Since the beginning of June last year  I've been researching the easier ways to get decent compost fast . For I've moved over from an earth/ soil based growth medium to a soil less one that uses a blend of a mimimum of five different sources of materials.

When composting aerobicaly you need a balance of materials . Too many greens it slows & almost stops , same with fresh grass cuttings .. The link I've given ( found it eventually  ) shows a very comprehensive list of materails and percentages that make for a decent compost as well as the best method that they  discovered at the Berkley university research unit  .

.
 
 I will post this as is and do a bit of searching my info to see If I can get you to the 18 day composting set up ..you'll be amazed at the results  in the warmer weather ..it slows a bit in winter .

 Here your are .. it's called the Berkley method .. here is a link to one description of how to do it sucessfully ...

http://deepgreenpermaculture.com/diy-instructions/hot-compost-composting-in-18-days/

Note
Aerobic composting products tend to keep almost the same volume of the materals you started with so makes for a lighter soil whe incorporated in the soil  . Most of the nutrition & the heat produced by aerobic decomposition  is enough to kill off the vast majority of pathogens and weeds seeds if you make the heap correctly .
 
Anerobic composting eventually rots down to a fraction of the original volume and is not so good at keeping the soil light it retains  .
 As it takes so long to rot enough to use as compost , most of the goodness is lost into the ground under the heap /bin . It rearely reaches the heat required to kill pathogens and weed seeds.

[Plantoid]

No to the Pub stuff and I echo others comments
You do need an accelerator such as urine or chicken cr-p. I also scatter the odd spade of soil and go light on the grass cuttings that can just comapct as a layer. Turn when you have the energy and site in the sun.
Over winter I had a black plastic woven sheet over both piles to get some heat in).
I am using last years lot with  loam from a pile of upturned turfs - using it to start my seeds off.
I too have never had much joy with a plastic bin ( difficult to add the urine to unless you are 2 meters tall).

 Buy a step ladder Mak or be like me and pee in a bucket away from public view , dilute it down to app 20 to  /1  at the outside tap  ,then add it to the pile at your leisure that day . don't get the pile soaking wet all the time it will kill the heat .