Ensure adequate aeration is provided at the bottom of the heap. This may be in the form of ventilation openings or by raising the bin on a few bricks etc. Use as wide a variety of organic material as possible. Do not compact materials after placing in position other than to lightly compress with a fork. If materials are dry, lightly moisten them.
Optimum decomposition occurs when available carbon and nitrogen are present in the right ratio.
As a guide, dry stalky materials and leaves are rich in carbon while soft green matter, fruit and animal manure are rich in nitrogen. Try to use about 3 to 5 parts of carbon material for each part of nitrogen material. Seaweed, soil or your own mature compost can be used if animal manure is not available. Alternatively substitute a few handfuls of either blood or bone, or sulphate of ammonia fertiliser. These materials provide readily available nitrogen which will assist and accelerate the composting process.