skip to main content

Soil, Compost & Mulch

Nothing germinates in my compost pile.

12 years ago

My compost pile was started with roughly 65 percent wood chips and 35 percent leaves. I keep it moist and continue to add greens. The greens have viable seeds in them. I have also broadcasted thousands of viable seeds from Flowers to Sunflowers to Squash. The pile is not hot and produces lots and lots of mushrooms. However no seeds no not even one has germinated.

Is this normal for a fungus dominated compost pile?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

TheMasterGardener1
12 years ago
Yea. Fungus like wood rooting. You have way too much wood. I make compost from only kitchen scraps.
feijoas
12 years ago
thisisme, do you mean no seeds are germinating in the pile itself, or after you spread it?
I'm quite possibly missing something in your post, but just want to clarify!
Some seed doesn't germinate in 'fresh' compost, but squash loves growing in my compost heap...
I don't think high ratios of carbon should interfere with germination; it'll break down slowly, but it will still break down.
I'd rather have a slow, carbon-heavy pile than risk a stinky, ammonia off-gassing monster that makes the neighbours think compost's gross.
Related Discussions
How can I make my compost pile work
Q
Comments (11)
Lloyd, Thanks. I have lots of fallen leaves (maple/oak) in the woods from last fall (This layer of leaves in the woods is dry at the top and wet/black/mucky at the bottom, take it all?) and I have lots of shredded office paper (photocopier kind). Are both OK? (also, that means, I should not put new grass clippings in there, since they are greens). I do intend to invest in a big fork .. after I convince myself that I am in this gardening/vegetable growing business for long haul :) Jon .. Is that your compost pile? When I started my compost pile in fall, I thought that by this spring, I would have the "black gold". I will add some browns and then spray it occasionally when I am watering the gardens. Let's see how that goes.
...See More
seeking advice on my compost pile
Q
Comments (20)
All, Good to hear all this. I am only bumping this topic with updates as I find the information useful and hopefully so will others. To be clear on a few points, I originally did use my chipper to reduce freshly fallen leaves but no more. I keep them loose long enough to dry thoroughly and then they easily crush to smaller size by hand, only about 30 minutes work. At this point I started my new pile for next year, mixed in some greens and a couple shovels of old compost to "prime the pump". This is the pile that is already very active with internal temperatures near 125 F. I will continue to monitor the old and the new piles as I am in Zone 4 and our coldest months are January/February. In addition, we are semi-arid around here and I will need to occasionally add moisture. My old pile is indeed fogging but only slightly and it is visible only on the coldest of mornings. I will stick my thermometer in the pile to make certain what the temperature actually is before tilling into the soil. Best of holidays to you all.
...See More
What to do with my compost pile from last fall before this fall?
Q
Comments (3)
When we lived in short-season New Hampshire we had one huge pile that got anything and everything organic, from huge volumes of leaves to twigs to garbage to clothes to whole corn stalks to rotten pears to whole walnuts to my sister's many poor gerbils. Come Spring, once the ground had thawed and dried and we were getting ready to turn under last Fall's cow manure, we'd take one pile and fork it over onto the other spot, starting a new pile. What didn't fork was compost, or close enough. That went right onto the garden. No picky metering it out or piling it up, it just got spread and used, and we then had a (new) pile that didn't get touched (except for the piling-on and for fishing worms) for a full 'nother year. No turning. No worrying about ridiculous green-brown ratios or weed seeds. No thermometers. Just a totally simple, low work, and effective pile. Everything eventually rotted down. We just spread it around and got on with the gardening. In a way there are no bare spots underground, and roots will grow, inter-mesh, and find the nutrition the plants need. What I'm trying to illustrate is there's no need to store anything. Holding it back until you're ready to plant something in a particular spot does nothing for you other than make extra work or cost extra money. All it is (ALL) is adding back organic material you're removing by growing food and grubs. No magic. Use it now, use it all, and there will be more next year.
...See More
Look what I find in my compost pile..
Q
Comments (16)
Lorelei, that's an interesting observation, but the piles of ground tree limbs that the tree trimmers have left for me to use as mulch is full of the huge grubs and there is no manure anywhere around. I just toss them aside as I fill the wheelbarrow. It's curious that I don't see that many rhinoceros beetles. Just one or two now and then and often just an empty shell/skeleton. It seems they burrow because occasionally I see their head at the entrance of a little hole. Sometimes I find them in the soil of a pot that I've topped with mulch, but the plants have not been harmed since they only eat dead plant matter serving to break it down faster, sort of like earth worms do. This post was edited by roselee on Sat, Nov 8, 14 at 11:04
...See More
thisisme
Original Author
12 years ago
Sorry feijoas, I will try to clarify.

Nothing germinates in the compost pile itself.
Kimmsr
12 years ago
Nothing should be germinating in an actively digesting compost pile. If plant seeds do germinate in a compost pile it is not actively being digested.
That your compost pile produces lots of mushrooms may indicate it it too wet to be actively digesting, either by fungus or bacteria and that can also keep seeds from germinating.
If you are making a "fungal" dominated compost why are you tryin to germinate plants that prefer to grow in a bacteial dominate medium?
thisisme
Original Author
12 years ago
kimmsr thanks for posting. What you said makes a lot of sense. I have heard a lot of people talk about how well some things have grown in their compost pile. Given that I decided to give it a try. I did not say I knew what I was doing. I guess things will have to compost down a lot more before anything will grow on the mushroom heap.
Laurel Zito
12 years ago
Do you want seeds to germinate in the pile? Normally if you use the compost on the soil, then the seeds will germinate if that is what you desire.

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES Get on a Composting Kick (Hello, Free Fertilizer!)

By Matt Kilburn

Quit shelling out for pricey substitutes that aren’t even as good. Here’s how to give your soil the best while lightening your trash load

GARDENING GUIDES Houzz TV: Make a Worm Bin for Rich Soil and Happy Plants

By Annie Thornton

A worm-powered compost bin that can fit under a sink turns food scraps into a powerful amendment for your garden. Here’s how to make one

THE HARDWORKING HOME Clever Ways to Rethink the Linen Closet

By Laura Gaskill

The Hardworking Home: Get rid of those toppling piles with these ideas for organizing bedding, towels and more

FALL GARDENING 5 Ways to Put Fall Leaves to Work in Your Garden

By Therese Ciesinski

Improve your soil and yard the organic way with a valuable garden booster that grows on trees

EARTH DAY The Case for Losing the Traditional Lawn

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Work less, help the environment and foster connections by just saying no to typical turf

MOST POPULAR 10 Strategies for Keeping Surfaces Clutter-Free

By Laura Gaskill

The universe wants your coffee table to become a clutter magnet — but you can fight back

FARM YOUR YARD 6 Things to Know Before You Start Growing Your Own Food

By Abundant City

It takes time and practice, but growing edibles in the suburbs or city is possible with smart prep and patience

GARDENING GUIDES How to Stop Worrying and Start Loving Clay Soil

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Clay has many more benefits than you might imagine

GARDENING GUIDES Step Right Outside for Fresh Herbs and Vegetables

By Abundant City

Decks and patios can be convenient spots for edibles, and sometimes they even offer advantages over backyard gardens

ORGANIZING 7-Day Plan: Get a Spotless, Beautifully Organized Kitchen

By Laura Gaskill

Our weeklong plan will help you get your kitchen spick-and-span from top to bottom

Sponsored

More Discussions

Using Pebbles as a Mulch in Succulent Garden

1

Question About Wood Chip Mulch

7

How to water trees on land without access to tap water?

28

Worms in compact clay soil

1

Need advice - got into some ‘DIRT’

13