Hot beds with wood chips?

Tania · July 14, 2014

Did anyone build a hot bed with fresh wood chips? If so, what should be the depth of the chip layer under the soil/compost layer to provide adequate heat for a 2 month period?

I know from my own experience, that fresh wood chips will heat up quite a bit.

They will heat up very nicely when layered with coffee grinds and sprinkled with some blood meal and kept moist. A small pile 3' tall and 4' wide will heat up very well.

But I am unsure about smaller piles (2' tall) would heat and if so, for how long.

Please share your experience.

Tatiana

July 14, 2014	#1
Tania Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Anmore, BC, Canada Posts: 3,970	Hot beds with wood chips? Did anyone build a hot bed with fresh wood chips? If so, what should be the depth of the chip layer under the soil/compost layer to provide adequate heat for a 2 month period? I know from my own experience, that fresh wood chips will heat up quite a bit. They will heat up very nicely when layered with coffee grinds and sprinkled with some blood meal and kept moist. A small pile 3' tall and 4' wide will heat up very well. But I am unsure about smaller piles (2' tall) would heat and if so, for how long. Please share your experience. Tatiana __________________ Tatiana's TOMATObase