Starting a compost bin

I have just bought a rotating compost bin. I have been adding bits and pieces into it and trying to ensure a good balance of green/brown materials and wet/dry materials as well. I remember seeing some products to get it going in the breaking down of materials. Is it necessary to add anything to the composting to get it started? Any answers welcome.

 

Hi Natalie....Ask a neighbour for a bucket of their well rotted compost if they have a bin or you can add an accelerator. Tumblers normally are very good and don't need a kick start,well mine was excellent and I never added anything.

 

Human Wee is an excellent compost accelerator.

I have also used something called "QR" (Quick Results) from an organic products specialist (let me know if you don't find it in Google)

Fresh manure is good too (from vegetarian animals only, so not cats and dogs)

 

Hmm...seem to remember something about adding just a little bit of soil.....

 

Same here. The soil will contain all the bacteria that is primarily responsible for the rotting process. Maybe a couple of earthworms too.

 

Thank you everybody. I went and added some vegetation to it tonight and it was rather on the wet side. I have added alot of shredded paper to it and hoping that will help it out a little. I have a large compost heap (made out of the pallets, two sides to it) that was left by previous occupant of my allotment, but the tumbler I am new to! Thank you for the advice, though I do think I will skip the pee :hehe: and I only ever use manures from cows/horses - cringe at the thought of anything from a cat or a dog, let alone the disease side of it! Thanks again :gnthb:

 

the most important thing is that it sits on soil. As long is it does and it gets topped up with greens and browns it will be rawwing :D

 

Adding a layer (an inch or so) of soil will help introduce beneficial bugs, although when I pull up weeds there is quite a bit of soil on them anyway :thumb:

Putting worms in won't help - the heap should reach a temperature that will kill them :( but once the bottom of the heap starts to cool down they will come in from the soil underneath.

 

I'll try adding some soil into the tumbling composter, but hopefully the rest will ring true for the pile that is at the allotment. Thanks again