Cheshire, United Kingdom

Hello In There.

Regards composting in a 'Dalek' bin. I'm making useful amounts of compost for my small but growing garden. I shovel it out all dark and unctious and smelling like the forest floor, as it should be. But....I've noticed that when it's dried out after laying on the soil surface, as a mulch say, any large clumps of it have hardened like coal, and although it does break up in the hand, it's left me wondering. Could it be something to do with the corrugated cardboard I've put in the bin? The glue that binds and all that! What do you think?

• 25 May, 2011