[Offwego]

Really dertermined to make some really good stuff this year, so I am trying to follow the brown and green system the best I can

Mowed the paths yesterday and today I put some straw and droppings from the rabbit hutch and cut up two cardboard boxes into two inch squares and put those in too , I the mixed them all up and added four six inch Potts of well rotted over the top to help it along and to add the worms.

I saw on YouTube that one guy actually makes his household peelings tea bags and fruit ect into a pulp before adding so I am trying that too

Does anybody else do this or have any other tips please?

[juvenal]

No need to pulp stuff. Just keep bunging in the greens and browns. Make sure you've got brandlings at work in your heap. If not, get a spadeful from someone who has.

[Trikidiki]

My cardboard (mostly heavy fruit boxes) goes in as flattened boxes. Within a month it is 'in tatters' pretty much gone within two. After three months I might find a corner where it is 3 layers thick and glued, these goes back to bin one with twigs and bits.

[compostqueen]

Worms will just turn up by themselves  ☺  continue adding a hood mix of materials, stirring regularly and add a bit of water if it gets dry. Site the bin in a bright spot where it will get really hot.  Good luck  ☺

[Robster]

I asked my next door neighbour for his grass trimmings.  Which he is happy to give me.  Later the clippings get used as a mulch but at this time of year it goes in the compost and it heats up really nicely.  Obviously you need to balance it with the browns but it seems you've got that covered with the cardboard.  And give it a good stir every now and then.

A lot of people are very happy to let you have their mowings saves a trip to the tip for them and you get the compost.  Don't forget to ask about weed and feed though!!

[Ivor Backache]

http://www.klickitatcounty.org/SolidWaste/fileshtml/organics/compostCalc.htm

Have a look at this site. Each of the four lines has a drop down menu and the next box is a nit of volume. You enter the ingredients that you have on each line and adjust the volumes to achieve  a carbon/nitrogen ratio of 25-30.
I have used this for several years and once you understand what the different ratios are for the common ingredients, you will get good compost and a lot quicker.

[Yorkie]

Two things to be alert for with grass clippings:

1. If the grass has had feed & weed applied to it, you need to avoid the clippings for certain length of time or number of cuts (as per the packet)

2. Don't add too much at a time to the compost bin or it will get all slimy and 'orrible 

[Robster]

Spot on with the weed and feed Yorkie.

[oakridge]

I am lucky in that time and space is not a problem for me.  There is a Dalek compost bin that takes the kitchen waste - just as it comes - with added brown stuff and shredded paper, card, etc.  Because Christine and our daughters work is confidential we have a hefty shredder but I have to take whatever comes, glossy, coloured etc.  There is also a large heap, I reckon about 15 cubic metres, which this gradually feeds with large quantities of strimmed grass, bracken etc.  Because the land is acid and bracken is added there are no worms but I have not trouble in the Dalek and the heap generating plenty of heat.  I have only been told in the last week or two that the lack of worms is because of the high acidity.  I am going to start adding some lime to the heap in future.  The result is a very nice compost but the process lasts about 18 months.

[Dantheman]

Add stinger nettles, confrey and wee to the mix they are all good activators.

[oakridge]

Oh, yes, all of those go in my compost.

[Thrutchington]

Bit of brown card, mixed cuttings including grass, kitchen peelings etc, plus a bit of soil to add bacteria, old manure with brandlings in, a good turn every so often and a bucket of water once in a while.