[Weston grower]

I've just emptied my compost bin of last years compost. What I got was a slimey mush. Having read various things it seems that I didnt have enough "woody" material in the bin just green stuff. PS I've got a dalek.

So having just cut down my raspberries -

1. Can I use the cuttings to put a layer of "woody" material between layers of green as I go thro this season.

2. Will this be enough to give me the nice crumbly compost that I was expecting?

Cheers, WG   

[muntjac]

personally id burn them ,then add some fibrous material as you go through this year add some  straw or such to the mix ,remember everything green can be composted except cooch type weeds .burn these first then add this to your bin...if you collect nettles as they grow you can add this to the mix to give space for air to circulate, half way through the year turn the bin out and put the newer stuff on the bottom as you fill it back add the nettle stalks 

[savbo]

it's not so much woody as 'brown' material that's lacking - shredded paper, cardboard, some leaves...

[mumofstig]

If you have a shredder you could put your prunings through that, then they can go in the bin

[hamstergbert]

Just a thought - did you actually turn it at all?

Other than that, I echoes the shredded paper recommendation (or roughly torn newsprint)

[Weston grower]

Thanks everyone for your comments. Hope to get it right this year. WG

[viettaclark]

It's still usable! Just a bit difficult to work with!!

[noshed]

The slimey stuff will be fine if you just put it in a trench and sow your runner beans on top. All that has happened is anaerobic rotting, whereas you need the stuff involving lycra... So you just need to encourage air circulation with twiggy bits and turn your heap from time to time.
But who can honestly say they have never come across a stnky corner in their heap?