Obsessive spouse follow up

13 years ago

Regulars might remember my posting from 4-5 weeks ago about my husband and my forrays into hot composting. He had recently been laid off, and was obsessing about ratios of greens:browns, whereas I wanted to wing it. Everyone was really helpful, and someone suggested having his & hers piles to see which way worked better for us.

Right after that, the job search really picked up, which was great. He ended up getting 3 job offers, and started his choice of jobs today. All that ego-boosting did end up calming him down about ratios of things to rot, just as suspected. Since he was so busy interviewing, we didn't end up getting the 3-bin composter built until a little over a week ago. It ended up being a mix of pallets (in back), wood left over from various home projects over the years, plastic trellising that we used to use on the deck to make it safer for our youngest (now age 10), and a small amount of purchased wood. If you ask me, it's the perfect mix and somehow ends up fulfilling our composting esthetic. (I feel a little wacky for admitting that out loud.)

Having calmed down so much, my hubby decided to follow a "recipe" from Ohio State (he's a graduate) that I found online. It's the basic this many inches of this & then this many inches of that. So much for the experiment - oh, well. He ended up putting it together while I did some other garden chores.

Then we both kept taking the pile's temp - weird how excited one gets about this! After a few days, it stabilized at 110. I decided to turn the pile yesterday (day 6 for it) and add some more manure. When I opened the bag of the manure that I'd been so happy about the local horse owner leaving conveniently for people to pick up - aha! The darn stuff is more than half sawdust or wood bedding of some sort. Seems like it's soaked in urine, but still. After all that obsessing about volume vs. weight, my hubby had managed to overlook how high in carbon wood bedding is and our pile didn't have nearly enough greens. And no, I did not rag on him about that - not my style to gloat. Besides, he built the composter - that would have been rude. I was privately amused, however.

So now I'm on the quest to find reliable sources of greens. Argh!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

CaptTurbo
13 years ago
That seems to be the norm these days for stable bedding. I use the same stuff and I was amazed to see how slowly it heated, remembering how hot the straw bedding would get from the farm where I grew up.

Running the road apples and all through the shredder helps by making it a finer mix. Then I mix it all with some nice fresh lawn clippings to get it going.
sb158
13 years ago
I use rabbit feed (alfalfa pellets). I sprinkle in a handful every 6" or so. It really gets things cooking. I've also heard that cheap (mostly grain) dog food dumped in there heats it up quick.
Related Discussions
So how important is the right mix, anyway? (obsessive spouse)
Q
Comments (19)
Fantasic replies, and made me laugh quite a bit, too. Thanks! Ironically, given the tone of the suggestions, I've been trying to ration my online time because I'm studying for my board exams for my independent license in mental health counseling - which is why I'm just getting back to this. Needless to say, I love the idea of marital compost harmony by each just doing one's own thing. Duh, wonder why I didn't think of that before? It had occured to me already that if one builds a 3-bin composter, one could fill the outer two bins simultaneously for the first round of rotting, and then hopefully dump them in the middle when there's enough less bulk. So we'll try it - his & hers composting. :-) BTW, my hubby now has 1 job offer & other interviews still upcoming, so he's much less stressed. Still, why not try the math vs. hunch experiment - sounds like fun. What's the rough balance between leaves & horse manure, anyway? I was going to fudge it with about 5-6 parts leaves to 1 part manure. Plus whatever weeds I have on hand at the time, which is always tons. Maybe as much as 1 part. Lots in our neighborhood are about an acre, so we're close enough for smell problems, or I wouldn't care in the least if I got it wrong. My veggie garden is in the front yard (best sun), though, so the neighbors already think I'm nuts. ...Meanwhile, I find myself eyeing the vast amount of shredding at work (mental health agencies generate tons of shredded paper) and wondering if it would mess up my pile too much. Actually, I am now eyeing anything and everything and wondering about composting it. P.S. FWIW, I know how to use an abacus - I was fascinated by them as a child. I've seen a slide rule, but I don't know how to use one, though.
...See More
How old are you reached the limit for follow-ups
Q
Comments (48)
I am a just turned 45-year old medically disabled guy working on my second marriage to a wonderful lady named Joyce. I started seriously growing roses 5 years ago. Obviously I am totally addicted as much as I can possibly be to my roses. Due to my health conditions, my 200+ roses is plenty and offer me lots of very good therapy without drudgery and keeps me more beneficially active than I would be without them. When I have bad days or stretches of them I don't usually absolutely have to get out in the garden. Whatever needs doing can usually be held off for a couple of days or so if necessary. I hate daytime TV and prefer raising roses any day of the week. More than the # of roses I currently have would make it seem a chore rather than an enjoyable pastime which it currently is. If there is alot of heavy or strenuous activity needed my two sons or wife are always there to lend a helping hand, usually hauling around heavy bags or digging lots of new bareroot holes at planting time. I really appreciate them alot. I think my roses have been a good tool to encourage good conversation and communication between all members of my extended family. Last month I cut and supplied an entire weeks worth of roses to beautify my nieces wedding. Most were in vases around the various tables at the post-wedding reception and some actually were put on the wedding cake itself. My niece and sister-in-law were very plaeased and thankful for them and I loved supplying them. Little things like this can really strengthen an extended family core and build healthy and closer relationships. One last mention is the new on-line friends you make doing this "rose thing". Not to mention the number of people that have just pulled up to the house asking to look at the roses close up. I always try to oblige and have had some really good conversations and made new friends in the process. How cool is that???? Try it, you'll like it!!! John
...See More
revised floor plan-follow up
Q
Comments (25)
Congratulations on finalizing a plan that suits you! I know you worked on it for quite awhile but, if it makes you feel any better, I spent THREE SOLID YEARS on mine before I was satisfied. LOL! Of course we were waiting to begin building until we had paid off our land and retired the mortgage on our first home so I wasn't under any particular pressure to finish the design and, I swear, one can always find something to tweak. At some point, you just have to decide "that's it, no more tweaking!" Fortunately, now that we've begun building and I can actually walk around in real rooms - albeit, still without sheet-rock - I am totally satisfied with the layout and the way the rooms flow. So, I guess all the time spent designing and redesigning and re-redesigning was worth it! Anyway, it looks like your kitchen and dining area will be nice and bright with those windows and patio doors on three sides. You're going to love that. And the nice big size of the combined rooms will also be perfect for family gatherings or parties where everyone always winds up in the kitchen anyway. I think you've done well and I don't see any glaring issues with the design. Of course, there are some things I would change and I'm sure you'll hear from others about "tweaks" they would recommend. But you are absolutely right that everyone should design for their own needs and how they live. Again, congratulations on completing the design stage and keep us posted on the build process. Trust me, that's when the "fun" really begins.
...See More
OT: Who are we? Follow Up
Q
Comments (34)
I am, of all things, a construction defect atty, usually representing homeowners suing developers. (Before you ask, I don't often do remodel cases because homeowners are usually better off working things out unless they have a truly unscrupulous contractor -- but a lot of contractors just won't work with me for that reason alone.) I am thus a terrible snob about concrete and floors :) I recently settled a large case, realized that every single appliance in my kitchen was non-functional to a degree, and decided that I deserved a new kitchen. I fell in love with azul macaubas granite, obsessed about finding the right stone without blowing my budget, scoured the internet for pix of azul macaubas in kitchens, and thus found this site (thank you, theresab, cloudswift, and others). As my tastes evolved I realized that even though I've always lived in the suburbs, I'm a country chick inside. Thus, my dream kitchen has a farmhouse sink, beadboard touches, and schoolhouse lighting, along with that drop dead gorgeous azul macaubas. I want my kitchen to have a lot of blue without putting that color on every single cabinet, floor, ceiling, walls, etc. The first thing I did in starting the remodel project was to find a Thermador stove with blue knobs on ebay for half price. I'm making decisions, with the help of this site, on faucets, lighting, and floor tile while waiting for cabinets to arrive. In my spare time, I trail run and hike, quilt, and raise teenage boys.
...See More
sheaviance1
13 years ago
my hubby, who was resistant to composting, now mows the lawn once every two weeks so that I can get more grass clippings.
gardenfanatic2003
13 years ago
Did you moisten the materials when you put the pile together? FYI for future reference - I wouldn't layer materials. You'll end up with a bunch of leaves clumped together and clumps of wet slimy grass clippings. This mess typically doesn't compost well (the voice of experience). It annoys me when I read things about composting that advise people to do this. The materials need to be moistened and mixed together from the get go.

BTW, the sawdust in the stable bedding does actually make nice compost. And don't discount the urine being a green.

You could add some Starbucks coffee grounds for more greens. The nicest compost I make is in the bin where I put nothing but shredded leaves, coffee grounds, and horse manure (including the stable bedding). The compost turns out a wonderful texture and is loaded with worms.

Deanna

Obsessive spouse follow up

Comments (4)

CaptTurbo

sb158

Related Discussions

sheaviance1

gardenfanatic2003

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US