By Undermate
Isle Of Wight,
United Kingdom 
Composting - All of our kitchen waste (raw) together with most of our lawn clippings etc are placed on the compost heap. It is also layered (not heavily) with ash from the bonfire. Is this procedure correct or am I likely to get the wrong acidity mixture?
Many thanks for the early reply to the above.
As a add-on to it I should have mentioned that a quantity of Stable (Horse) manure is also incorporated.
Apart from which only vegetable matter is included.
10 May, 2012
Answers
Sounds fine apart from the ash. Keep it damp, dont let it dry out or nothing will rot down. Tea bags are a good addition, although the bags don't completly decay, but I can work with that! Lots of layers too.No meat!!!!
10 May, 2012
I was always taught to deposit material in thin varied layers as you are doing.
Regarding the pH I wouldn't worry too much about that at this stage as there is very little you can do about it at this stage.
To add lime at this stage to adjust the pH is not wise, as this might create a build up of ammonia.
Adding an activator ( I sometimes use Sulphate of Ammonia) might speed up the process.
But generally I just leave this to the worms!
This is my slant on the subject;
http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Composting/Composting.htm
10 May, 2012
I think the addition of some brown material eg straw, cardboard, dry leaves and paper etc would help avoid a slimey mix. This will incorporate air pockets aiding the mix you already have to break down quicker.
Leave out the ash from now on.
11 May, 2012
Wow! what an excellent and rapid response!! THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
The 2ndhand responder mentions straw etc. Within the stable mix there is often a goodly amount of straw and the 'overgardener' sees to the tea bags.
It is left to mature - with the help of our good friends the worms.
Again many thanks to everyone.
11 May, 2012
The ash isn't a great idea, a little occasionally is okay, but regular layers, I wouldn't. Kitchen waste is fine, so long as its not meat products, cooked or raw, so things like veggie and fruit peelings, but not the scrapings from your chicken casserole plates when you've finished... Lawn clippings should be added only in thin layers not less than 6 inches apart, and not more than half an inch deep at a time.
10 May, 2012