I started my pile the first week of May, and tried to layer it evenly with greens and browns. This is my first attempt at composting, never even seen a pile close up before. The pile has been watered only by rain, but we've had plenty of it. It's been turned occassionaly, but not regularly. All kitchen scraps that have gone in were buried, all coffee filters are no where to be found. Yesterday when I turned the pile the bottom was black, crumbly and loose...with just a bit of grass clippings mixed in from the top. I also discovered the largest night crawlers I've ever seen. The smell is hard to describe...kind of like walking in the woods after a rain. Does this sound ready to use? If so, do I just shovel it off the bottom or do I need to start a new pile while the top of this one cooks down? I really didn't expect this to be ready this soon, our night temps are just beginning to warm up here.
Thanks for any help,
Heather
Is My Compost Cooked?
Wow! It sure sounds ready to me. I love your description of the smell of compost. It's exactly perfect. After years of composting, I am still amazed that a pile of food scraps, leaves and paper can turn into something so wonderful. It amazes me to see all the trash my neighbors pay to throw away. Most of it goes back into my garden.
have fun with your first batch. You may want to purchase some landscaping cloth or another type of screen and screen it to get rid of the big chunks of matter that may not have composted all the way down yet. It just makes it easier to work into the soil. Not necessary, but nice if you can do it.
Thank you Leisurlee. I did something right! Woo-hoo! There are a lot of new beds planned for this year that have gotten held up due to bad weather and lots of other things...now it all seems worth the wait.
My neighbor didn't believe me that compost wouldn't have a bad smell, can't wait to tell her it's ready to use. She thought I was going to stink up the neighborhood.
I'm not really worried about screening it, unless there's something I'm not forseeing.
Thanks again!
Heather
Well done Heathrjoy! Keep up the good compost!
LOL, thanks Sofer. I just noticed yesterday that DH has a few pallets I didn't know about. He's so sneaky. I may just have to swipe them and make a crude copy of your bins...once I have enough beer on hand. tee hee hee
shame on you heather!! Just wait till he is asleep it is cheaper...hehehe
You know that that is a day of hard work and not beer drinking. All those cans in the pictures are the squirrels that were sitting there watching me. I made my compost bins out of railings that were on the deck that I turned into a sun room. AKA Pallets or what ever you have to structure the pile of gold.
ROTFLOL! Sandy thinks I'm going to use the beer to get the pallets. You're such a sweetie. You have to see Soferdig's DG Diary to know what the beer is for cutie! he he
I see how it worked now Sofer. Here's how my pallet project will work...I'll swipe DH's junky old pallets, which really are garbage. I'll put them together...somehow...minorly hurting myself in the process, I'm sure. When I'm finished...if I get that far...they will look pitiful, like a 10 yr old's first construction project. Nonetheless, I'll be happy with them and so proud that I'll show them off to DH who will tell me how I should have done it to begin with (interpretation = let him do it). Since he works 13 hours a day he really doesn't have time and I don't want to nag him...but after seeing my lame efforts perhaps he'll build me one. Perhaps. And perhaps the one he'd build me would match the fence he's going to build...and he does have 2 weeks off coming up soon. If not, I'll be more than happy w/ the pallets and the beer...er, the squirrels watching. =^)
You are a precious wife heathrjoy. Your husband is a fortunate man (if he ignores your pallets) Compost works just as well in ugly as well as beautiful. I haven't had the opportunity to enjoy the squirrels party yet but my compost is done and ready. just look.
Ahh, what a beautiful sight! I have compost envy!
Why thank you Sofer, I'm blushing.
I also have compost envy. And compost-holder-thingy envy. Sigh. I need to learn to use the circular saw. What I really want mine made out of is lattice, to match the rest of the garden. We don't have any place to hide things here, so the best I can do is match.
Drive steel posts in the ground every 3feet and place the lattice on them by wire and pile up the compost. Real easy! Cover 3 sides and you are ready to make whoopie black gold.
Steel posts you say? I may be able to get those from my db. I was thinking landscape timbers, but steel would be easier since db would cut it for me and the hole would be smaller. Good idea. Calling him now to see what he has lying around that he thinks is scrap. Thanks!
They make fence posts that are easy to drive into the ground. Well at least for us men. LOL
OH! No you didn't! Grrrr.
I called my DB and he said he had some scrap, but recommended I used rebar instead. I think I'll opt for the rebar, won't rust quite as fast. And easier for a delicate little flower like me (batting eyelashes) to deal with.
The problem here is that under our 2" of topsoil there is clay and in the clay there are boulders as large as some folks cars. Not my car, I like to be able to move the boulders with my car rather than move the car with the boulder...while wearing my sandals, because I'm a delicate flower.
rebar is a good idea. (flexing muscles) if reinforced with corner pieces of 2x4 nailed to the lattice to keep the corners from opening up.
Can do that! I actually have to buy the rebar though. Pout. I hate buying anything for the garden other than plants. DB said rebar is cheap and he'll cut it if the store won't, so I guess I'm set. This will be next week's project.
How big is a compost pile supposed to be? I remember reading something somewhere about height, width, depth, but I can't remember. Any idea? Did those squirrels whisper anything in your ear?
Compost piles are as big as you have room. I have 3 acres of composting material and that is a lot. So I would think 3 small bins about 4'x2' would work. You need 3 cause you are moving from one to another depending on composting levels. Each move oxygenates the pile. I move mine 2 times to make them ready about a month apart.
As far as the squirrels when they are drunk you can't understand a word they say. Squirelly drunks they are.
Well, ok then. All composting is on hold till Monday so I can get these things built. I do have another question if you don't mind, but I'm moving this to the other thread, since it's a much more serious atmosphere.