Hi so about 6 weeks ago I impulsively bought one of the Council scheme black compost bins (big dalek thing, large version) and stuck it at the end of my garden, also bought a kitchen caddy.

What I didn't do was read much about composting. Here's what I did do - put the bin straight onto a patch of level soil/mud ground right at the bottom of my garden, began to shove anything 'organic' in there. So far, what has gone in there includes grass from the lawnmower, weeds from the flower beds including quite a lot of dandelions, any fruit/veg that went rotten including whole potatoes and oranges, tea bags, all food waste (i.e. including some cooked and dairy, though not much), some cardboard boxes and waste paper.

Now I KNOW I should have read up a bit first, but now I've begun to do that, can see that some people are saying don't put this and that in the bin. Maybe I should have placed the bin on a wire mesh to prevent rodents entering? Not put any weeds in? Not put any cooked or dairy in?

What I'm hoping is that someone will be able to advise whether I should chuck out what is already in there if it's going to be a lost cause (it's around a quarter full, loosely), or can continue from here - if so what is the effect likely to be, and are there any changes I should make going forward?

There seem to be quite a number of tiny flies buzzing around in there when I lift the lid, if that means anything? I've more or less layered 1 part grass/weeds to 1/2 parts kitchen caddy waste (i.e. everything from the house). Have not used a fork or turned/changed it in any way, once in there.

Thanks in advance.