A garden is only as good as the ground that it's planted in. Discussion forum for the many ways to improve the soil where we plant our gardens.
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April 9, 2015 | #16 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: zone 5
Posts: 821
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The only thing you are doing wrong is not asking hubby to use his big strong oh my muscles to turn the compost a little each time he adds more leaves. It is making compost for you so it is working just fine. Keep trying to add some browns when you think of it.
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April 9, 2015 | #17 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Posts: 2,593
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April 9, 2015 | #18 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Los Angeles County, CA
Posts: 258
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mari.beth you have created a wonderful opportunity, so forgive me if this doesn't help directly but below is the answers to the questions I had when I was in the same situation.
My key indicator is internal temperature (there are others, but I like this one) - less than 100 degrees for cold piles. For these piles, the brown and green materials are less optimally sized and distributed; this is the way nature does it without our help. Bugs will be there - someone's gotta move things around and break stuff down. If more than 100 degrees its time to think about hot composting- we humans have made the materials just right so we have to manage it by adding water if needed, stirring/turning, adding greens or browns. Why do I go by temperature? The more available nutrients (browns/greens, air, and water), the hotter the pile gets from microbial activity. Turning the pile shuffles the browns and greens and makes it more likely they will be in the right place at the right time to further decomposition and regulate the temperature. There is a threshold where the aerobic organisms will use up the air and collapse if not turned. It is a messy and smelly disaster as the anaerobic organisms take over the job. Again, temp will indicate when this is approaching. Commercial composers can control enough of the processes that they can take their pile close without going over. This means materials break down really quickly. It is best to hot compost in batches since continually adding materials means it is harder to know if you are doing things right. Plus it will be difficult to separate the finished from the unfinished among other things. Last edited by shatbox; April 9, 2015 at 03:59 PM. Reason: add stuff |
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