[greenhut]

Apologise in advance if this has been asked before but a search did not bring up an answer for me.

Ok, I have had my "dalek" type bin for 2  and half years. I fill it with a good mix of greens and browns also a couple of doses of sea weed and give it a poke and a stir every few months. However, when I removed the bottom access cover hoping to have some nice crumbly compost I was shocked to see mostly potato peelings a few tea bags and lots of twiggy matter and egg shells. Most of the stuff there does not appear to have rotted down in the 2 yrs +
Took a spade full out and never seen one worm kust lots of wood lice.
There is plenty of heat coming of the bin, its stood on a plastic base supplied with it and in the corner of my garden lawn. Any ideas what Im doing wrong ? Should I just empty it all out into the council bin and start from scratch?
Thanks in advance

[mumofstig]

I would take it off it's base for a start, to let worms get in and water it (with pee would be a good idea  ) You don't want it soggy but you do need to keep it slightly damp.

Egg shells don't rot down  and neither do some brands of tea bags, so it's usual to find them in the finished compost

[Mark's Sussex Allotment]

Sounds like its needs an activator.

Water it every soo often.

[angelavdavis]

Wood lice is usually the sign of a dry compost heap - I would empty it and refill it giving each layer a good soaking. 

Dalek compost bins have a tendency to bake, but unfortunately this also means they dry out easily as the rain doesn't get into them.  You need to soak it well in order for it to rot down well and keep it fairly damp.

Oh, by the way, I would also remove remove the plastic base before you refill it too.

[yaxley]

Yes i would agree with what has already been said when you empty and refill with the waste add a little horse manure with each layer ..

[solway cropper]

I know bins look nice and tidy and I have a couple myself but I get the best compost from my big open heap. Currently digging into about four cubic yards of crumbly goodness.

With regard to tea bags, many are now made from a plastic mesh which doesn't rot down so I just leave them to dry then split them open for the contents.

[fatcat1955]

If you place it on a plastic base how do the worm's get in to eat their way through all the waste?

[greenhut]

If you place it on a plastic base how do the worm's get in to eat their way through all the waste?

There are holes in the base to help drainage and soil was raked underneath that prior to starting off.
I put worms in there collected from each time I weeded or forked the borders.

All good replies though and I will attempt to sort it out asap. Thanks peeps

[davejg]

Wrong sort of worm, you are putting earthworms in there. get some red worms from someone else s heap (ask first) and do as others have said re. water activator etc.

[Annen]

I think you can get the brandling worms from fishing shops as well

[Nikkithefoot]

My dalek compost bins get turned and mixed after 6 months, or sooner if it gets full. Any rotted or very nearly rotted stuff gets put in a second dalek bin to finish off.
Never had a problem personally with it drying out though, could you have put too many dry 'browns' in ?

[shed head]

I think you can get the brandling worms from fishing shops as well

Has anybody used fishing tackle shop worms in compost?
Ive been trying to get my compost tumbler to work & adding worms could help.....or i could just have confused dizzy worms

[ConfusedGardener]

Ive been trying to get my compost tumbler to work & adding worms could help.....or i could just have confused dizzy worms

What I would do is grab a small plastic tub/container with lid, head to a nearby park/forest or anywhere that you are likely to find rotting organic matter on the ground, and collect some worms from there.

[allotmentann]

I get beautiful compost from my two daleks at home, a bin full, roughly every six months at most, less in the summer. I add to it daily, keep it moist and keep the mix varied. I do mix it  frequently (sometimes daily) with one of these:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dolmen-Compost-Mixer-and-Aerator/dp/B0050I2FB4/ref=cm_cr-mr-title

The more often I mix the sooner I get nice crumbly compost. I have wooden bins at the plot, but to be honest I get the best compost from the daleks, although I think this is because they get far more attention.

[azubah]

I put everything in my dalek compost bin without worrying about mixing it. I put in a layer of soil now and then as this provides the necessary bacteria etc to rot it down. I get so many worms I have to take care not to squash any when I take the lid off.
After a few months, when it gets full, I lift off the bin and put it somewhere else and put any unrotted stuff back again for another go. I always put it onto the soil, not slabs or concrete.