[pepsi100]

I have two composters, 1 Dalek bin and 1 Hotbin

This year they have both been slow in doing anything

I have been putting, grass cuttings, leaves, weeds shredded paper/cardboard in to the Hotbin, mixing it up

When that is full I use the Dalek bin, with pretty much the same

The Hotbin isnt coming up to tremperature or holding it, it just seems to work when the sun is shining (and it hasnt done much of that this year)

I have put 2x2 liter bottles of water in there in the hope it will kick start it, butit doesnt seem to hold the temperature very well

The Dalek bin has pretty much the same, paper/cardboard,, grass cuttings, not so many weeds, that hasnt started rotting at all, I have tried Garotta in there, dampened it down a bit in the hope it will do something

I was thinking of emptying it out, mixing it up and putting it all back (but it is really stinking now)

Open to advice and suggetions

[pepsi100]

Not really sure what happened to my previous question

Anyway I have to compost bins, one is a hotbin, the other is the round Dalek type

The hotbin doest seem to coming up to temperature, despite putting in 2x2 liter bottles of hotwater in there in the hope of kick starting it

I have put all the normal stuff you can put in a hotbin, weeds, grass cuttings, shredded paper/cardboard, leaves, mix them all together and wait

The Dalek bin is pretty much the same stuff goes in there, I know it takes longer in there, I have tried the water bottles in there and yes they do stay warmish, I have added Garotta in the hope it will help the rotting process, but it really does smell

I was considering emptying it, mixx it up and put it all back in , start again

The hotbin does come up to temperature when the sun is shining, but there hasnt been much of that this year

When I take the compost out of the bottom, its always very wet, so I spread it on an old plastic sheet to let it dry out (I havent added and liquids to it)

Any advice/suggestions ?

Empty em both out and start again or just leave them ?

[New shoot]

Not really sure what happened to my previous question

You had one in general gardening and one in here in GYO, so merged the 2 for you.

To answer the question - hotbins usually cool down when they need emptying.  As well as green waste and brown stuff like cardboard, a hotbin also needs woody material like twiggy prunings or coarse bark chips to make sure there are air spaces in there.  You don't need a lot, just a handful or so each time you add a layer.

It does sound like the darlek bin is too dry and the hotbin too wet.  Maybe empty both, mix the stuff and put it back in the darlek bin.  Start fresh with the hotbin.  Grass clippings do very quickly collapse into a sodden mess in a normal compost bin.  A hotbin will accelerate that and intensify the sog factor, so if you want to put those in the hotbin, add a lot of brown waste along with the bark chips.

[pepsi100]

AH< right, not sure how that happened

Before I put grass cuttings into the hotbin I mix it up with paper/cardboard in an old dustbim to make sure its well mixed it
There is a sorry mass at the bottom of the hotbin, I took it out to try and dry it out, but its not what you could call compost

If and when it stops raining, I'll empty the Dalek bin, turn it all out, mix it up then put it back in

I dont have any bark, twigs to put in my bins

[Subversive_plot]

I dont have any bark, twigs to put in my bins

Do you have a lawn mower with a bagger? If you have trees, bushes, or a hedge that you prune, spread those pruned branches on the lawn somewhere, run the mower over them. The bagged material will work as the twiggy material.  Even better if you can spread that material somewhere to dry out before placing in the compost.

With grass clippings, you will have less problem with rotting into a mess if you spread and dry them, even if it is just a day or two.

[pepsi100]

I must be the only bloke that dont have trees near me

I have a hover mower, I use a lawn rake to pick up the grass cuttings

The hedge went before I arrived, its been a driveway for too many years

As I did say I mix up grass cuttings with shredded  cardboard and paper, so the grass cuttings arent in a soggy mat

Either me or the wife stir it up every couple of days, just to try and get some air into it

[jezza]

Hello put nettle tops or comfrey in the bins and stand back with in a day theylk be cooking the compost, I had a compost heap that had died on me I dug a hole in the middle about a foot deep 2 feet square put a layer of comfrey and nettle tops in filled hole up with compost ,put a black sheet on on the friday night got a call next morning to say that the sheet wad wrinkled aa if it had melted,put thermometer in it was showing 80 degrees   jezza

[pepsi100]

Thanks but I dont have any nettles in my garden or near me

Never heard of comfrey, what is it ?

Sounds like you have a better composter than my hot bin

[KalisDad]

A garden vac with a bag is a good way of combining everything, chops everything down nicely, the greens finely and the browns largely, works for me year on year

[pepsi100]

I had every intention of emptying both of my bins today, unfortunately A and E had a visit from me, it wasnt anything planned

I just keeled over

Oh, well maybe another day

[Subversive_plot]

Sorry to hear about the visit to A and E!

I hope you are on the mend soon.

[pepsi100]

I just keeled over last night, had a pee, then, BANG,

I hit the deck, wife came out, tried to pick me up, gave up called 999,

Ambulance came, low blood pressure, spent most of the night in IC, all the wires connected up, heart rate dropped to 55 bpm, 2 doctors came off the picket line to help me, eventually left hospital 18 hours later with a bag of pills, I felt like a bag of dirty washing

I think if I jump I would rattle with the amount of pills I am taking, got a repeat visit in 3 days time (the doctors said they wont be on strike that day, so would like to see me again)

These cold sweats are just awful, light headed

Look after your health and dont blame the doctors, mine came off the picket line to help me (there is dedication for you)

[Subversive_plot]

I'm glad you were tended to quickly.

Get some good rest if you can!

[Yorkie]

So sorry to hear about this - hope you feel much better soon