Compost - fruit flies & worms escaping

[Dipzy]

Can you help. We started off our compost bin last summer and this year we got some beautiful compost to use and we are chuffed to bits it has been worth all the trips to the bin during the winter months.

Now I know that fruit flies are common during the summer when it is hot but I have tonnes of the sods at the moment and also loads of worms (very small and useful I know) but they are all at the top and along the sides of the bin like the are trying to escape. 1, is this normal and 2, if not where am I going wrong ? Do I needs more browns, have I got the balance wrong somewhere.

Any help would be hugely appreciated.

[FionaH]

If its not normal then Im in trouble cos thats just what my bin looks like

[Two_Sheds]

The fruit flies are feeding (and breeding) on the rotting stuff.
Put a layer of soil over the top to discourage them.

the worms will be where it's coolest and moistest. They're fine.

[Alison]

Think we're due a cold snap this week so that should put paid to them! But more seriously, as Two Sheds says, bury the fruit so the flies can't lay eggs on it.

[Dipzy]

Brill, thanks for that Two Sheds and Alison, will do once it stops raining.

I now also have a second compost bin. Do you think it is best to leave the first to finish off and rot down and only put stuff in the new one ? My OH said I should still put some stuff in it or it will stop working. What do you think ?

[lynda66]

depends when you want to use it, i've currently only got one bin, and the stuff at the bottom is ready to use, just haven't got round to it, but i'm still chucking stuff on top, so it will probably get annoying if i decided to use it next week, having to pick out the new stuff.

[Two_Sheds]

I now also have a second compost bin. Do you think it is best to leave the first to finish off and rot down and only put stuff in the new one ? My OH said I should still put some stuff in it or it will stop working. What do you think ?

Fill the first one, then start on your 2nd.
It won't "stop working".

When one of mine is full, I empty it. I put unrotted stuff in the bottom of a new bin, and spread the rotted stuff on the garden. I'll be waiting until it's warm and sunny before I do it though.