My Compost Heap just Caught Fire

My compost bin is always damp. I still get compost though but am envious of anyone who can make theirs reach 80 degrees.

 

When you put kitchen waste in there, layer it with crumpled cardboard, that'll not only make it drier, but you get a better balance of Nitrogen/carbon.

 

Maybe a little bit of moisture wouldn't hurt?

I'm very lucky because I have duck and chicken do-do's which keep my dalek compost bin on the moist side; but, my pallet compost bins are only covered in old carpet. So, a fair bit of moisture gets in (particularly *this* year! ); but, I'm still optimistic that I'll have something of worth in the Spring for my garden.

Now, I do admit, I'm a novice composter; but, it is my understanding that you don't want it to be too dry? If yours is smouldering/smoking/firing, it does suggest that it may be on the dry side. Adding cardboard will only add to the dryness, so you need a bit of moisture in.

So, in your situation, if I were going away and worried about smouldering/smoking/fires, I would be leaving it exposed. Even if it got a little soggy, once the dryer weather comes (or should I say, *if* ), it will dry out and be fine.

 

Not when you've only got short legs like me.

 

The only way I'm going to be able to pee on my dalek bins is via the "Bucket and chuck it" method.

Plenty moisture is good! I only got my dalek bins festering well once they had got nice and damp, some were always too dry. Adding a hearty dollop of horse poo to each one also got things humming.

 

I should have added that in the tests done by C.A.T. they found it best with the lid left off when cardboard was added.

 

not surprised. not far from me is a mulch company. they have huge mulch piles, several stories high, even in the dead of winter you can see hot steam coming up from the piles.

 

Now you're talking composting Red Sounds great Makes our little piles of leafmold sound like little piles of leafmold

 

I have a confession to make - I was one of the 2 people who voted Yes to 'Ever had your compost catch fire?' only because I deliberately set fire to it myself (well there was an excessive amount of dry stemmy stuff in it that needed removing).