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Soil, Compost & Mulch

HI!! I am new, from CO with questions

17 years ago

Hello all! I hope you can answer come of my questions.

I am hoping to start a hot pile. I have ample (read: endless) supplies of both manure and straw. The manure is mostly cow, but I can also get pastured horse and chicken manure. I can also get either straw or alfalfa hay bales, and they are 8+ years old, partially composted. The manure is also old, I can get as old as 3 years probably.

My question is, 1, can I use just those two things to get a hot pile that will decompose by spring?

Or, 2, can I put them straight in my soil?

Or, 3, could I do both: compost, and then put it in the soil, whether it is completely finished or not?

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Comments (5)

brdldystlu
17 years ago
A pile of manure that is around 3 years old is already compost. Spread it on thick. I spread fresh on my garden in the fall time, early winter if I am busy, and let it feed the worms all winter long.
Straw if it is also 3 years old I am taking bets it is well on its way to compost also. Straw bales around here that have sat for a year pretty much fall apart and crumble nicely. Again spread it on. Maybe layer it with the manure, let it sit till planting time then enjoy.
Sandy
jannoel_gw
17 years ago
For a hot pile I would mix fresh manure and the straw. The older stuff is ready to be used whenever you need it.
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Kimmsr
17 years ago
Depending on how the manure was stored the available Nitrogen may well have gassed off into the atmosphere and to get a really hot compost pile with the straw and that manure you may need to add another N source.
The link below will take you to a web site on composting that allows you to build a virtual compost pile and it may allow you to play with the same materials you have and see what would happen.

Here is a link that might be useful: Florida's Online Composting
pablo_nh
17 years ago
Much of CO tends to be really dry. If the straw and hay look like straw and hay- then they're not compost. If the manure stinks when you dig into it (if moist)- then it's not compost. Mix maybe 2 parts straw and one part manure, keep it moist but not sopping wet. Bingo.
gonefishin
17 years ago
I would choose the alfalfa bales over the straw any day. Chances are that there is still some good nitrogen in the center of the bales at least. The older manure can be put on straight as already mentioned, but I am under the impression (since you said that you can get it as old as ~) that you might be able to get some fresher stuff which would be more beneficial if you want to build a hot compost pile.
Just my thoughts.
Bill P.

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