Granny's Makin' Compost!

17 years ago

I just shoved a thermometer about 6" down into the big black compost barrel, and the stuff I built it with just six days ago has heated up to 130F! I think I'm finally making compost :-)

The same materials in the poultry fencing enclosure were only 80F, so I'm going to combine the two when it's time to turn the hot stuff.

I have been a compost failure in the past. This time, nothing goes in unchopped!

Granny

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

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Comments (7)

engineeredgarden
17 years ago
That's great, granny!

EG
rlkennerly
17 years ago
Nice work, Granny. I noticed the other day that my "compost" pile is growing potatoes. Apparently my unused seed potatoes weren't as dead as I thought.

Rachel

Here is a link that might be useful: LookMaNoWeeds
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greenbean08_gw
17 years ago
When I turned my pile the other day, I found the bottom portion of an onion that was growing 3 new plants. I meant to save it & park it somewhere it could grow, but it must have gotten mixed back in without me seeing it.
engineeredgarden
17 years ago
Granny - I just emptied my compost bins today, and used it for the flowerbed, as well as the new melon box. Tomorrow, i'll start a new batch with the bagged leaves from last fall. Which do you think I should use to heat the piles up - HM or HS? Ha!

Ok, really.....I'm gonna get a big truckload of horse manure (fresh), and will put a small amount of ammonium nitrate in there, too. I'm gonna get this batch finished before cold weather sets in....

EG
garden_croaker
17 years ago
I've read that the key to compost making is the amount of nitrogen sources in the mix...needed to further the process.

I have one old trash container used for kitchen scraps that I use in the garden...another bigger one made with fence material for yard waste and dog poop used elsewhere...not good for food crops.
sinfonian
17 years ago
Granny, try boosting the greens and maybe moisture more than you think to kick it up a notch.

I just read an interesting thread on composting in Florida heat and they need to cover theirs to keep moisture levels up. Not sure if that could be your issue?

EG, thatks what I ended up doint with my unfinished compost, put it on flower beds. They loved it. No more wood chips for me or pine needles for you, hehe.
anniesgranny
Original Author
17 years ago
Sinfonian, isn't 130F hot enough for the fourth day of composting?? I think it's doing just fine..it has lots of grass clippings in it.

If you meant pile #2, it is just there for future composting. It is layered leaves and grass, not mixed, not watered and nothing added to it. I just had to have a place to store the goods! Like I said, it will be mixed in and blended with the hot pile when it's time for turning.

Granny

Here is a link that might be useful: Granny's complete garden update.