Composting questions
By Eklogite
Fars,
Iran, Islamic Republic of 
Hello all,
I have built a 4ft x 4ft x 4ft compost bin today using cement blocks which has holes for air and one of the walls is impermeable.
I am new to composting, need your help.
I placed a thick green layer on base of the pile, then a very thin layer of garden soil, then a medium layer of saw dust and dry stems.
Again, a thin layer of soil, and a green layer using weeds and grape leaves in the garden, then sawdust.
Will it go okay?
I did not shred the leaves, I just cut the weed and dropped in my bin.
After all, I added 10 litres of water on the materials and came back home.
Any suggestions and assistance is really appreciated.
Eklogite
16 Jul, 2013
Answers
If you have plenty of moist green stuff you probably won't need to keep adding lots of water.
SBG my eggshells never seem to break down at all and I've stopped adding them - any tips?
16 Jul, 2013
I wonder about the eggshells too. I do throw them in the compost, but I try to remember to crush them up first, that way they seem to vanish more readily.
17 Jul, 2013
Thanks a lot for the replies.
I will consider your suggestions.
Thank you again.
Eklogite
17 Jul, 2013
I do crush my eggshells first.
17 Jul, 2013
The area which my garden located is pretty hot.
It's Over 100 F in mid day and around 70 in the evening.
I have to drive about 40 miles...
I guess it's not bad to add some water to the bin...
Are cardboard or egg boxes go faster than sawdust ?
Or they act as an activator ?
Is it better to shred the green and brown materials so they start faster or it is okay to cut the large weeds and drop them in the bin ?
I have giant weeds in my garden, they are about 1 - 1.5 ft tall and 1 ft wide...
Thanks
Eklogite
17 Jul, 2013
How do you surive that sort of heat?
17 Jul, 2013
Try mixing in a pint or two of pee now and again, it works wonders.
17 Jul, 2013
I'd probably not add much sawdust until it is active. I also add scrunched up newspaper as well as dead heading. don't add too much grass clippings unless you mix them with more drier stems. I also add veg peelings/fruit skins/egg shells and egg boxes [cardboard ones].
If you can, a jug of urine is also a good activator. it rapidly breaks down and gets the compost going.
16 Jul, 2013