will adding urine daily heat up my compost pile?
Celbrise
11 years ago
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Comments (14)
Kimmsr
11 years agojonfrum
11 years agoRelated Discussions
Why Isn't My Compost Heating Up?
Comments (8)Something if "off", either: C:N ratio- brown-green mix less than ideal Moisture- it's too wet or too dry Air Or, could it have heated already and then cooled? Mine stays hot for a week or less if I don't touch it. You just have to play with it to get it right. Maybe try adding nitrogen (green) and see if that works, give it several days. If not, maybe try more carbon (brown). Do you think it's too wet? Flip and let it dry out some. If it seems dry, try more water. Even when you get the right knack, sometimes it might not get as hot as other times. It's really a matter of experience, and doing it is the only real way to learn. It's one of those "practice makes perfect" things. But there's nothing wrong with cold composting. It will still break down into good stuff, it just takes longer. Karen...See More'heating up' my compost bin
Comments (2)It's a matter of the right mixture of greens and browns, the right level of moisture, and enough oxygenation. Others on this forum have done a better job than I can explaining how that is done. But yes, stuff that's high in nitrogen heats it up. I find mixing in grass clippings does great....See MoreWoopee! My pile finally starting to heat up
Comments (10)Here is a link to a great compost calculator, input your ingredients and obtain the C:N ratio. C:N should be 25-35:1 with 30 your goal. You really need the mix of carbon (brown stuff) and nitrogen (green stuff) for development of the decomposing organisms. The minimum size of a 'hot' pile is 3' x 3' x 3' which offers the proportion of materials to support the organisms and maintain moisture and temperature. Greater the 5' x 5' x5' should be the limit since it require more management action; beside being a heavy task in turning. ha ha C:N is the simplest means. The pile does need turning when a drop in temperature suggests. Turning mixes the ingredients to ensure all is exposed to decomposition. Your best resources are those available free. Grass clippings, kitchen wastes, garden wastes, manures, leaves, and straw are the easiest to work with without problems of odor and pests. A slowly built pile will not heat so well. Try building an entire pile with a proper 25-35:1 C:N ratio. You will see it heating up in days and shrinking in volume by the end of the week. Work the pile without further additions until finished. Monitor the heat, moisture and possible odors. Good composting. Dan Here is a link that might be useful: Compost Calculator...See MoreAdding urine to compost ?
Comments (11)I think you're reading too much of what someone has suggested as not to be thrown out...and since urine from our dogs kills our lawns because of high nitrogen values, its been thrown around that urine can be added to a compost to give to the pile such element that is used to break the contents down. Surely you can think there's a better medium to do that....without resorting to such fouled up thinking. I realize urine is used in many manufacturing situations but your compost pile is not one of them. If you think that, then why not bring your bathroom to your compost pile and put up a sign to exhibit such. Pine needles should be gone over with the grass clippings with a mower before being added to the pile. Such evergreen needles have a tough texture to their make-up and can take a lot of time to break down unless you break their skin (so to speak). If you use such for mulch around acid loving plants, such as rhodos, again they should be gone over with a lawn mower before using. As for growing blueberries, their soil should be at a pH level that cannot be changed much by adding pine needles...the change would not happen; there's so little acidness in them it would take many months/years even, to bring it about. Instead, if you have some idea what pH your soil has now, then use garden sulfur to take the pH down to where the blueberries can do well in. Do this in early spring so that the benefit can be seen as the plant grows and if remedy has to be done, you have time to change it. I believe the blueberries need a pH of 4.0 to 5.0...which is quite different from what it might be -- probably near neutral 7.0 Using such acid plants like evergreen needles and their ilk, would take more time that you would have patience for....See Moretoxcrusadr
11 years agojonfrum
11 years agotoxcrusadr
11 years agoceth_k
11 years agotoxcrusadr
11 years agodantonic
11 years agoCelbrise
11 years agoluckygal
11 years agotoxcrusadr
11 years agoOil_Robb
11 years agolonmower
11 years ago
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Kimmsr