cold composting lots of greens

I have 3 side by side bins that are 4' square each. During basically 5 months out of the year we don't have garden debris to add so I use cardboard, newspapers, office paper, napkins, etc along with all my kitchen scraps. The kitchen scraps win in terms of volume on a daily basis I think. This year I went to Costco and got un-printed brown corrugated cardboard to layer between the food scraps. I try to compost everything that I can from my house. In the fall I have huge quantities of leaves - but they are already thru composting by now.

But here's my question. I have been using this kitchen compost which is very dark and heavy, when I plant. I have actually killed some plants with it I am startled to admit. I guess I used too much of it. Is there a way I can easily test my batches to find out what the composition is? Besides sending it to the Extension labs for $20 every time - not feasible.

Thanks!

I thought I should say that my bins are in a wooded area so remain consistently moist and shaded. They have a poured cement slab underneath. I guess they get hot in the middle of summer but in general I think this would be thought of as cold composting.

IHi Alyrics
I don't think i quiet understand , what you mean by under concrete slabs, your compost sit on the slabs and not directly on dirt?
Are you turning you pile?
most compost bins remain dormant in our cold weather, then by spring ,adding more layers should perk it right up. YOu need a ratio of brown , green , and kitchen scraps , to get a good ratio of carbon , nitrogen and air, a big key factor in composting, you need to break it down with anerobic bacteria or you will have a stagnet pile of goop. Turning usually helps this , along with proper layers of stuff.Also adding manure is a good way to add layers.
I think you should test your soil and not your pile of compost, if i am hearing you right.
Look on the ,"The key is in the dung ",thread started by JamesCo , he can lead you in the right direction:)
happy composting
sue

There is a 12' long and 4' wide concrete slab poured on the ground. Above it the bins are bolted into the cement with screws - so they sit on top of the cement slab. The set up is in the woods - the tree roots would completely take over something like that if it sat on the ground I have never turned a bin - I put the stuff in and when its finished I take it out. I make an attempt to layer browns and greens but believe me it is not scientific. It is only on rare occasion like when there is a couple of whole watermelon rinds or very large quantities of 1 thing in there that you can smell anything. Otherwise that pile gobbles up anything you can throw at it. It devoured 8 large pumpkins in the fall - they are completely gone now. I threw them in whole. In bin #1 last falls pile of garden debris, kitchen scraps and manure that started out over 6' high is now about 20". If it wasn't so inhospitable outside I'd go spread it. The groundcovers down hill are exceptionally lush!

I think you meant aerobic bacteria need to digest the pile - anaerobic conditions would cause a goopy smelly pile. But worms and other digesters are in large abundance in my pile - if I dug in right now I would find hundreds. Its big enough that they just burrow in when the weather is cold. Along with chipmunks and who knows who else. There are big snags of brushy twigs and larger garden debris - I don't chop it - just throw it in. It takes a year to decompose but it gets there.

I have a vast - virtually unlimited amount of leaves. One time in the fall I go to the bother to make a pile about 20 feet x 6 feet x 3 ft high and attack it with the lawn mower which will reduce that to maybe 2 bushels of shredded powdered leaves. Part goes directly on beds, part into the compost.

But I digress. My compost is made of something different every time - depends on what I've got. Is there any way to test NPK proportions at least - inexpensively?

Yes true
Sorry abuot my inproper use of bacteria LOL i was a bit tired that day :) i hope i didn't sound like a now it all, i didn't mean to offend . You are lucky to have such an amout of leaves. I do believe if you overanalyze a comost pile it wont work for you, LOL like watching a pot of water to boil. Funny if we let mother nature do her thing , good things will come.
Have you looked into the thread The secret is in the dung? it might give you some answers, more then what i can do, i m only pretty new , been doing the compost thing about 2 yrs.
best wishes and happy gardening
sue