I have been doing composting for over a year now. At first mine container would have flies as well. Also I would water it alot and it smelled funky too. Now I don't water it and it smell earthy and no flies. I do turn it at least once a day and keep on adding materials to it. Now it depends on your area, my area is really hot during the summer (in the 100s). My wife collects most of the leftover (fruit peels, egg shells, coffee grinds, veggies and etc) and place them in a plastic bag and puts in the freezer. To avoid a smelly kitchen and when ever I am ready, I empty out the bag in the compost. I think that's where most of my moisture comes from. I do add leaves, branches, shredded brown paper bags, and grass clippings. Its been like 10 months since I have added water to my compost.

Do you have a pile or a container for your compost?

Hi yes I do have a container in the kitchen that collects the material for the compost. I have learned since then that too much moisture attracts flies and to cover any fresh food with browns.

This has helped reduce the amount of flies on the earthmachine bin.

Thanks for sharing your insight too.

I save my grass clippings since they are fine green & browns (use the lawn mower bag) to cover my kitchen waste. I dig a hole in the middle of my compost pile, dump in my kitchen waste and cover it with my grass clippings.

This procedure has two advantages:

1. It places the freshest waste in the middle of the pile so there is no side exposure (bin is well ventilated along the sides).

2. The grass clippings are fine and get hot fast creating an inhospitable barrier that the fruit flies cant get through.

Cross-shredded brown paper bags also make up this saved pile.

Here is a link that might be useful: My Have To Trade List

Thank you for your help. It looks like I don't have problems with fruit flies so long as the fresh food are covered by either dried grasses, leaves, or plant materials.

Your method is useful and makes a lot of sense.