Backyard compost makers unite!!

[sunnydog]

How long?

How long?

I have my compost tub all mixed up.
So..... about how long till it starts to heat up????

 

[quadracer]

you'll see temperatures start to rise in a few days. Depending on the size of your container, the heating will be limited.

The minimum size to get to the desired temperature of 131 degrees F is 3x3x3. I've seen Earth Machines almost reach that, and some of the smaller ones reach 100 degrees F.

 

[sunnydog]

I have mine in a 40 gal tub,full.

 

[jaykush]

if it doesnt start to heat in a few days your ratios are off, add more N. when i did it in a 32 gallon rubbermaid it was very hot to the touch on the outside within 36 hours.

 

[sunnydog]

I guess I need more N, then!
Will some bloodmeal do???
If so roughly how much?
Thanks.

 

[jaykush]

cant say i dont use bloodmeal, i prefer all plant matter composts.

just know as a somewhat basic rule, its better to add too much N than too much carbon. as if theres too much N it will most likely evaporate as ammonia gas, leech out or close to something like that until the ratios even out and it composts, if theres too much carbon it will do nothing but sit there.

i would suggest add a little at a time, and if it simply was not enough add more.

 

[sunnydog]

Thanks. The blood was all I had around. Mixed some in with some high N guano last night.
I think this will work a bit better when I have an abundance of fresh leaf to use.

 

[jaykush]

you dont have grass clippings? or cant get any from neighbors? so much cheaper than mixing blood meal and guanos into the compost for your N source.

 

[sunnydog]

you dont have grass clippings? or cant get any from neighbors? so much cheaper than mixing blood meal and guanos into the compost for your N source.

I understand..... But it's winter here in Canada, lawns don't grow very well here anyway( it's pretty much rock), and any neighbors (ex cops and senior citz.) might wonder why I need grass clippings in my rental house!
I do appreciate the advice.
Tub was an experiment.
I thought I might be able to salvage it with some N I had around.
Still only about 78deg.
I'll try to ressurect it when I get a bunch of leaf to toss in.
SD

 

[Cascadia]

I'm freshly moved onto my new land(moved this summer), I recently made my first compost bin on my new place.

I took a old 55 gallon steel drum with no ends, drilled air holes all over it. Into it I placed layers of compostables, 15 gallons of Coffee grounds/filters, 20 gallons of sheep/goat/llamma manure from my new neighbors, and the rest is carefully collected half rotted Maple/Alder leaves raked from around my place before the new leaves fell this year. I have a feeling I'm heavy on Nitrogen in this mix.

I'll pull part of the mix out into a wheel barrow every few weeks, mix the rest in the barrel with my fork, then mix back in the rest. I need to make a better, easier, more permenent composting situation for future use as I get more projects finished around the homested. Mostly I just wanted to make sure I had a place to get my(high value) Coffee grounds, and veggie scraps composted for now. In the future I'll be composting large quantities of animal manure.

 

[T34418L3 1]

is anyone concerned about possible anaerobic digestion or spontaneous combustion by adding high concentration N chemicals?

 

[CTSV]

I've got two different compost piles, near each of my gardens. The land I use, is right nest to a horse farm, so I get loaded up with horse manure. I also get a local eatery, that I supply with produce, to keep all their vegetable scraps. I go back and pick them up, and throw them on the pile. I also have thrown in some dirt and cover crop matter, buckwheat, and my used moonshine mix.

I also keep a big trashcan at home, that holds all my vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, and leaves and such. Once that fills, I take it and throw it on one of the two piles. Both piles are about the size of a VW bug!

I am still pulling mustards, turnips, carrots, and collards now, and it's December 10th! However, I have had some frost damage, and all that goes into the piles.

I want to incorporate it with my used grow soil at some point, just need to do some test runs first.

Great thread!

 

[Cracky]

I have a 120 gallon plastic composter (Finnish made) This is mostly kitchen and garden waste. There are a couple of leaf piles and a 50 gallon plastic drum that I compost my indoor soils. I used water from two 30 gallon fish tanks to amend the composts. I also have a horse farm next to me and they bring a bucketload each year.

 

[Ocigamle]

Hello Jaykush.
I am not a first time grower, however i am still relatively inexperienced and am in need of some advice and guidence.
Please take a moment of your time to read this and get back to me.
My last crop was planted in a 6 litre container, the medium i used was incredibily dirty stoney soil i dug up from my back lawn. I fed my plant no nutrients, only tap water and i actually abandoned my plant for a good 5 months while i was away on work and my plant was mostly eaten.
I have now realized the areas in which i have went wrong (All areas).
My question is, how can i feed my plant organicly using food skins? I am currently decomposing lots of food skins into compost and i will be using that compost for my root medium, however i am still pretty stuck with ideas on how to fertilize my futer plants.
Thanks for your time and hopefully your advice.

 

[marali]

hey you. stick to this thread, it will help you a lot. your medium structure sounds nice, but i can't really say if i don't see it myself.

anyway you're on right path. compost those skins, hopefully you will get some nice compost, and mix compost with your backyard soil. add some dried local plants, not a lot and let it sit for couple of weeks. You have a nice medium and fertilizer for your plants! Of course there are other things you can add to the mix when preparing it, but i want to keep it simple for you. You will find your own ways and method and materials through some reading and using what works for you. Just use what works best for you. If you found it difficult to do, don't to it. Organics are all about simplicity and what's more important, about nature. cheers.

since we are in the compost thread, what else do you use for composting beside skins?

 

[Cracky]

We use a 'juicer' which separates fruit and veggie juice from the pulp and skin. I think this Spring when the soil warms outside I'm going to try a separate compost for these 'aromatic discards' for top dressing my mj plants. I understand that it may indeed give some flavors and aromas to the buds.
BTW, my big composter is plugged. (it's also frozen here at 45º from the equator) I'll have to rinse it out and shovel it back in this Spring. It is right next to the garden, so the 'tea' (run-off) should be miraculous. The frigging dandilions that grew around the edge of it last season were enormous.

Shov

 

[movingtocally]

awesome stuff

 

[quadracer]

Bump for compost makers. I have two piles going right now. The mycelium is really starting to take over one of the piles, going after all the woody debris in it. Since it is raining, I take the tarp off and let the rain soak in, then put the tarp back on.

There will usually be a fruit of mushroom, which is always good to identify to know what is growing in your compost.

I'll get mushrooms popping up year round in various containers which have received some of the finished compost. Gotta love it.

 

[jaykush]

good bump quad, i just harvested 400 gallons of compost the other day, FREE top quality soil amendment that the plants LOVE. and got another batch finishing in a week. im up to my nose with compost!

 

[Clackamas Coot]

An easy way to 'kick-start' your compost pile is to add 5-10 gallons of fermented 'bokashi' compost to your compost pile.

You'll be amazed indeed!