My problem is this, the compost bin is uncovered. It's an old garbage can and there is no lid. I went to add some worms to it and found tons of ?maggots? wriggling throughout the bin. Basically I have a slimy mess on my hands. Is this okay? Can I fix it or do I need to start over? thanks, me.
The maggots, like the worms, are supposed to be there, they are part of the compost-making process, breaking down the leaves. If it is very slimy, you need to mix in more dryish woody stuff - shredded or chopped up twigs and prunings. The ideal is a mix of about half woody stuff, and half soft stuff like grass clippings.
Is the bin open at the bottom? Contact with dirt is optimal, and just throwing some dirt on top too can help the slimy problem. I'd be amazed if an open compost bin is a good idea in your climate. If flies are the worst you get that might constitute good luck. You can probably buy a lid to fit at any hardware store, and if you can't, you can also just put a square piece of plywood or something over top.
Ventilation is an imperative when composting. Since the process is one of enabling bacterial action to decompose the organic matter, lack of oxygen can and will kill your bacteria. The same holds for a need for temperature control, to a certain degree. If your bin, pile ,whatever, gets to a temp of 155 degrees F. , you will also kill your bacteria and end up with slime. In your composting, you must never use any meat scraps, or anything else that is high in protein content. Should maggots become a problem, there are wasp larva with which you can innoculate your compost. These larva will kill and lay eggs in the maggots, which hatch into more tiny wasps to continue the cycle of eliminating the maggots. Some of the trade magazines can probably tell you where to buy the wasp larva (they are a particular variety from Africa). I bought my last ones 15 years ago and can't remember where I got them. From what I read in your missive, I think you have a ventilation problem.
thanks for all the replies, I figured out that I was not adding enough green clippings to my bin. I also never put meat products in them. I can add a lid very easily as Karin suggested, but then I would have no ventilation. I think I will try to include more clippings thanks.
Sungoddess: Try to be conscientious about doing a little mixing when you add grass clippings because the clippings, in a thick layer will pack tightly and become an oxygen blockade, which will exacerbate the problem. A drum or barrel without air holes in the sides makes a rather ineffective composter. Ventilation is truly a key factor in keeping the digestive bacteria alive and healthy (and working).
