Compost Bin

[Annabel]

I was wondering if anyone can help me/point me in right direction with tips on how to manage a compost bin...

I have one in my garden left by previous owner and its quite full...I have been putting my guinea pigs dirty bedding in it... :unsure: is that OK.?

anyway my main question is, I opened the hatch at the bottom of the bin to see what the compost looked like and I noticed a bazillon ants :bigeyes:

Now is this normal? or have I got myself one hell of an ants nest to sort out???? :blink:

any help gratefully received! :notworthy:

[freakyfun]

Have a look at this site

http://www.howtocompost.org/

It has lots of useful info on getting your compost heap going.

One thing they do say is not to add pet faeces due to the possibility of transmission of disease.

If you have lots of ants in the pile, then the pile could be 'dead'. Try turning the pile to add oxygen to it. This will start it going again, and will raise the temperature, possibly driving the ants out.

FF

[Eeyore]

This might help a bit, this is what is done locally, but also gives good "compost guidance" :P

Compost bins (http://www.durham.gov.uk/durhamcc/usp.nsf/pws/Sust+comms+-+Start+a+Local+Composting+Scheme)

[Beth]

yes you must turn it, get it going again, maybe add some more grass to it or something, if you shread your paper, letters and so on you can add that too, not a lot mind, make sure theres no staples or see through windows in envelopes, paper is made from plant matter

the heat will kill the germs etc, dont put things like dandy lion roots in through as they will then grow again when you put it on the garden, and dont put any plant waste that might be diseased, white mould or black spot etc as this can get into all the compost

I am planning on turning the one over at work tomorrow :) I love the smell of it once it has turned into that lovely dark dry mush, I am a firm beleiver that you have to get close to your garden and muck to connect to it, make your garden an even better place! :lol: