The charity Hubbub  estimate that 14.4 million pumpkins are expected to be left uneaten after Halloween  and just under half are discarded as  waste. Even when the flesh of carved pumpkins is eaten the "lanterns" will be thrown away with many going to landfill.  Help Rescue  the lanterns so that they can be   composted to benefit the soil and climate. 

This year's pumpkin Halloween Smash, at Stokes Wood Allotments, Leicester will be on 12 November. Weekday Smashing sessions can be offered for schools  Go to the main webpage Pumpkin Smash 2022

As usual we will be asking schools, pubs, clubs, and individuals to donate their carved pumpkins to be composted rather than send them to landfill. Last year we had over 200 donated. Please help us this year. Local schools and individuals will be invited to attend the event and join in the smashing of the pumpkins and starting the composting process.

If you are based in Leicestershire and would be prepared to act as a collection point, please contact us. If you have a community composting site, please consider organising your own collection. More details from carryoncomposting1@gmail.com

The bin in which we had two layers of wool was turned today.    Little change in the wool but a large number of actinomyces growing in the "compost" which is starting to breakdown nicely . Further details will be published as the process continues and the bin is turned. 

If following on the webpage this is the link Composting Wool. If on FB or elsewhere the link is :http://www.carryoncomposting.com/453053208

 Actinomycetes are fungi-like bacteria that play an important  role in breaking down  complex woody materials including  lignin, chitin, cellulose in the compost  heap. These bacteria usually appear  when the bin is at  moderate temperatures and has been undisturbed during the maturation stage. They   form   threadlike filaments stretching through the compost.

It is during this stage that I usually see them in my bins. This year they have appeared in two of my pallet bins earlier than usual after only 4-6  weeks when the bins cooled from the thermophilic temperatures and were being turned for the third time to give a final temperature boost.

This year the weather has been hotter and dryer although the bins have been watered when turned and although a little on the dry side  where still reasonably moist.

Any suggestions?  

On an rarlier blog I mentioned the damage done by visiting badgers. They have been bacand   have now got my composting plot on their list of places to visit. They have   decided that the leafmould wire netting containers held a nice snack of worms so have pushed their way into the bin and removed half the contents. The bag is a leafmould mesh sack left in the cage to keep it safe!  They have not attacked the two Geobins yet

I have reconsodered implementing some of the measures suggested in Rats etc in compost