I'm getting round to my 'autumn approaching' jobs. One of which is to turn the compost heap. I have two 'bins', wooden structures built from six by one inch cheap timber. Having used them for about 7 years now I'm becoming used to their performance. I recall reading somewhere that you need 3 'C's to look after a compost heap. I know one was covering it. A neighbours scrap woven carpet does that nicely. Another was keeping it damp, though I'm darned if I can see how that turns into a C! Whilst turning the compost today I mused on the coloration within the heap. I started this one earlier this year so nothing is more than about six months old. My inputs are grass cuttings, hedge trimmings (Hawthorn mainly), flower bed turn-around and a small amount of kitchen waste. I'm told (and I think I've proven it), that turning the heap does it good. I'm now pretty convinced that my way of turning it is both effective and minimal in effort. Each 'layer' seems to have variant characteristics. I had cut the lawns (hopefully for the last time) a few days ago so I had a four inch layer of fresh green grass on top. Beneath this it was distinctly warm. Digging down, I met nasty dark stuff, grass which left too long has rotted and forms a fairly solid mess. Break it up prior to tossing it out of the heap onto the mound beside the heap. I met near grey-brown shreds, I think that's the hedge clippings. I shred them and I guess they produce some heat. Some years I've found them to consist of near ash colour. Other stuff is dry pale brown. That should have been watered, and wasn't. The one that makes me smile is the layer of peaty coloured compost. When I turn a pile, I often add a layer of rotted (ready) compost from the adjacent bin, in the hope that the bugs from that one will start chomping on this one. Theory only you understand. Either way I often find these layers too. As it slowly comes out I try and mix it in the bin, layer with layer, before dumping it on the ground beside me. The basic aim is to mix the colours. If I have a clean mix of colours then I'm happy.

Odd colours come from the shredder, the office shredder that is, not the garden shredder. Bright blues from a paper not yet disintegrated. Another one is those plastic covered wires that I use to hold plants to their supporting canes. No matter how hard I try they always seem to end up in the compost heap. Luckily they stand out like a sore thumb in natures colours.

My bin is built using slots in the planks, halving joints, so I can add height or reduce it to get at the contents. By the time I'm getting down to the bottom my energies are usually flagging. If I'm lucky I've dumped it where it won't be too hard to get it all back in without a long throw. When I built them I thought I was being smart, using some concrete paving slabs on which to build the bin. It seems this isn't such a good idea, since worms can't get through concrete very well, and given half a chance will do a good chunk of the decomposition work for you. I keep meaning to find a fishing shop and buy a small bucket of worms to prove this, but haven't as yet.

Half-way stage and I start to re-load the bin, again with the focus on mixing the colours, taking forkfull (sp? forks-ful?) from here and there to keep the coloration even. I had a barrow load of this years runner beans which went in after the first foot or so. I'd thought about adding the blackberry bush prunings, but thought better of it. The Hawthorn hedge does enough damage whilst I'm trying hard not to use my bare hands. That thin 'twig' I come across and just pull out? Why is it always a Hawthorn twig! Eventually the sides raise up to waist height (never more, I like to make it easy) and I'm done. Strange, but the full bin that I started with is now some fifteen inches from the top! Stomp down the corners and sides (is that another C? compress) and fill them up to give a level top, five minutes with the hose pipe to damp it all down and it's done for another year.

I'm going to be in excess next year. My other bin is still one third full of compost ready for the garden. I guess I could dig another patch over and use it up prior to winter. Sounds like a cunning plan Baldrick! Back indoors feeling good. And with an aching back. I once saw a pro garden doing theirs. Three sided bin, about 20 foot wide. In with the JCB, turn it, shake it, repeat until the urge to play is over! Dream on. There was steam coming off the heap!