Is there any chance you could get coffee grounds from a Starbucks? Or some other coffee shop or convenience store? That would provide a free nitrogen source. I guess I'm just cheap to the core, I never buy anything for the purpose of composting.

But really, assuming that you had adequate N in there early in the process, it might just finish nicely on it's own without other additions. The carbon sources do take longer to break down, but just letting it sit around will allow composting to continue as fungi work the stuff. Straw takes a long time to disappear in mine, but eventually it does.

Karen

Alfalfa pellets or blood meal (not bone meal) are the fastest and easiest to obtain and are higher in N than coffee tho it will work too. Both are sold in Walmart if you have one available - look for rabbit food in the pet aisle.

As to amount - there isn't any specific recipe, just estimates. So a guesstimate for that size bin: 4 cups of each mixed in well should kick start it. If it doesn't, just add a bit more.

Better yet, why not just go ahead and use it and let it finish in place?

Dave

Dave and Karen thanks for your input.

I am really glad I asked. Lacking experience as I do, I
would have probably guessed a 50lb bag of alfalfa pellets or a 65lb bale of alfalfa Hay.

The reason I think I need nearly finished CP is I plan to start deeply ammending my heavy GA red clay for some early root crops. Namely carrots, Turnips, onions and rutabagas. I assume finished CP would be best for this. I have 6 bins working which will be used as veggie mulch and most of this will likely not be finished come April. This Composting activity is hard on an old man's back.

If you can, I would take both Karen and Dave's suggestion of UCGs and Alfalfa and mix them together into your brown mix.

I made a 3X3X3 pile the other day and used just shredded leaves, UCGs (filters included), and alfalfa pellets and it went to 130F in two days. Make sure everything is nice and moist. I put in 3 heaping handfuls of alfalfa with 6 bags of shredded leaves and 8 five gallon pails full of wet UCGs.

To make things easier for you is there any way you can compost right on top of your veggie garden? This would invite the worms to do some work for you and add some good stuff to the soil when the pile cools. Your compost would also be on site so in the spring would not have to be move from one area to another. The fact that it would not be in a 'bin' would also make it easier to turn if you are inclined to do so. (Just thinking of your old man's back. :O)

If you do purchase a big bag of alfalfa pellets from a feed store (MUCH cheaper if bought there), just store them in plastic buckets with tight fitting lids. They will last forever and are great for other uses in the gardens such as teas.

You need something with Nitrogen in it and Bone Meal does not have any of that, although Blood Meal does. What to use, as a Nitrogen source, depends on what is readily available to you and, maybe, how much you want to spend. I have a store, relatively close, that sells blood meal in bulk for about 2/3 of what the big box stroes sell it for and that is less expensive than rabbit food.

I have a suggestion... urine! Don't flush possibly the best nitrogen material down the toilet. Get out there and heat your pile up. It's cheaper than alfalfa and blood meal and will also keep your pile moist. Got brown? flush it down, but save the pee for your pile.