Help! I'm going to compost hell!

Last year I started a compost pile with good intentions. Made a small wire ben and heaped leaves and dirt and bone meal and scraps and coffee grounds on it. It was even turned . That was before hurricane Rita really trashed up my town and turning dirt was the least of my worries.

The so called compost is sitting in my backyard and looks like an Indian burial mound. Four O Clocks and weeds are growing all over it and bugs and perhaps a critter is hiding around. The wire ben is not really holding anything now . Should I try to clean it up and maybe put it in a big plastic trash can? I did have some in a black plastic bag but the hurricane blew it away. Maybe I should just spread it all over my new shrubs.
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Compost Angels ...please give me good practical advice and save me from the fires of compost hell. thanks in advance.

God has blessed your compost with new plants. Use it and don't worry about hurricaines. I never do. LOL

Don't want to be misleading about my yard and town. We have recovered from the hurricane and my city is booming and my new yard is really nice now . Hurricane Rita ( not KATRINA! ) hit the Western coast of Louisiana.

My stupid compost BIN survived the storm but needs TLC and I don't know what to do with it.

Show me a picture if you are worried but things down there compost in 6 weeks even if you are a bozo. But the right combination of green and brown is helpful in speeding it up. I feel that any composted material can be added to the bed and nature will continue the process. The only problem is too much nitrogen too early added. I doubt you have done that.

ss - if it's a year old you surely can use it. I'd go spread it around and start over again.

This is my sad compost bin.

I think your compost bin looks fine, except for the viney weed (is that bindweed?)

I would turn the weeds back into the pile... (Weeds are not bad, they are just another source of greens)... they too will decompose.

Thanks for the tip. I think the pretty green vine is wild grape.

That compost is "a wastin" Pull the greens and use the compost start a new pile with the new greens and have fun raking, pulling and cutting to fill that pile again and again. Soon you will have a garden paradise.

I needed to build four compost bins. Everything seemed expensive or a lot of work. I finally came the idea to use a wire bin. Bought of 50' roll of wire for $20.00. Cut 11' and connected the ends. See picture. So far so good. just undo the wire, muck around and put back in the bin.

Earl

We add about 2 bushels of weeds (a.k.a. "green") to our compost every DAY this time of year. Compost gets turned 1x per week, and it breaks down pretty quickly in the summer. I use the sprouts in the compost to monitor how much ( or how little) moisture there is. Weeds that sprout in the compost pile will never make to the garden -- best of all.

Great description of how your composting works. I am way slower than you are about turning. Probably because I am older than you are and because I normally don't have anyone to help.
Nevertheless I do the same process as you, just slower. Turning once a week? I wish. But I do monitor the temperature so I will to when to turn. I get to it when I can. But the sprouting of weed seed is a common element in both of our methods. I start with manure and compost weeds as well, but I don't notice weeds in the output.

The wire is a great way to corral your compost, but it isn't necessary. You can just put it in a pile and let it compost that way -- of course your wire cages work just as well and look better. Really, the only constraints I find on a compost pile is that it works better if it starts out really big.
In the end, though, it is important to remember that all your really need to do is get all the compost components to rot. Any way you can manage it is just fine.
ssdogwood and earl1, If there are weeds growing out of your compost pile, pull them out, and throw them into your next compost pile. Then scoop out what the weed was growing on.
Enjoy. You have good stuff compost there!

one difference between us (not age!) is that we garden in a VERY public space. When you have several dozen people walking their dogs & children through the garden every day, you need to keep on top of the Big Pile of Stuff. We are also careful not to add kitchen scraps or coffee grounds when there are observers around. Can't have anyone accusing us of "burying garbage"!

Yes, Green Jay, neighbors have opinions and they count. It is possible to make compost piles that are not unsightly, something to consider depending on your neighborhood.

the best way I have found is to turn it frequently, and keep the height down.

Actually, I think done with sensitivity and good communication, it could be an excellent way to educate your neighbors. Perhaps they'll even bring you their extra coffee grounds! >smile< ...

Not all neighbors are receptive to "good communication", as some here can testify. We add about 50 lbs of coffee grounds and kitchen trimmings per week from various members of the Landscape Committee. Working with a Board of Directors and 188 families in a 5 acre partly wooded condo assn. is tricky, and I think we have managed very well by being sensitive to what people can and can NOT tolerate in their immediate line of sight.

Wow, in a condo ass'n... that's really wonderful. Sounds like ya'll have done a great job!

I think it is wonderful that you can get your assn members to save their coffee grounds and kitchen scraps. It gives them a feeling of involvement in your project and in making it a success.