Mine gets completely turned (into a different bin) twice in the total process, plus a bit of sticking a fork or a pole in and mixing it a bit when adding more stuff while the initial bin is filling up. More turning makes compost faster and better, but isn't absolutely essential. When I first started composting, without turning at all, I found that there'd be nice compost in the middle but a lot of twiggy stuff left around the outside - probably the outside dries out and doesn't get hot enough without turning/mixing.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
I do kind of the same as Jenny. I turn it all out from one bin to another once or twice and, for the type of bins I use, that seems to be enough for a 4-6 month waste-to-soil cycle. I use only small stuff, nothing twiggy, no hedge clippings etc.
If the mix is too damp I add more paper, card, earth. If the mix is too dry, add grass or water.
For smaller bins (under a cubic metre) I would recommend a closed bin with no open side slates. It holds in the heat and moisture better and you will get a very much faster turn over. I've been testing different styles.
I never thought I'd find rotting matter so fascinating but I do 😂
It's a healthy fascination to have, not enough modern gardeners make their own compost. Turning 3 times a week is far too much btw, personally I watch the temperature of it, when it goes cold it's time to turn. If it heats back up to a good temp then it was the right thing to do and there is still life in it. When it stops heating back up again then it's virtually ready, the worms will move in and do their bit.
You can make the whole process as simple or complex as you want. Don't turn it at all and it will eventually rot down - it might take more than a year, which is fine. Turn it more often and that will probably speed it up. Some compost nerds get very involved it on all, some just leave it be.
You need your compost heap to start in Autumn and be ready for Spring/early Summer so you can use it. 6 months is a sensible amount of time, if it's more you get a backlog and it's a waste of valuable space to those who don't have much.
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Three times a week! 😲
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Turning 3 times a week is far too much btw, personally I watch the temperature of it, when it goes cold it's time to turn. If it heats back up to a good temp then it was the right thing to do and there is still life in it. When it stops heating back up again then it's virtually ready, the worms will move in and do their bit.
6 months is a sensible amount of time, if it's more you get a backlog and it's a waste of valuable space to those who don't have much.