At my 2-week point of using the compost tumbler, I got a little concerned. It seemed like the process of breaking down the waste was going a little bit slow, and I noticed a few fruit flies in.
I called Niklas (The Composting Warehouse representative in the States) and he assured me that this was a very normal experience during the first week or two before the microorganisms in the mixture begin to really go to work. He explained that when the compost tumbler fills up a little more, and also when it starts to build warmth inside, that fruit flies will not linger in there and I will soon see a cleaner, more hygienic compost. I was told that when starting to fill up an empty chamber in the tumbler (there are 2 chambers, so that while one is working, the other has produced compost ready for the garden), I could put some already made compost in there to help the process start more quickly.
This being the first time I am making the compost, I didn’t have any to do that with, but I did put about 4 handfuls of grass clippings in there, and after 4 days there were no signs of flies. I noticed that the temperature inside the chamber had also increased.
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