Turn a winter compost pile?
Rick (zone 6b, MA)
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
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How often do you turn your compost pile?
Comments (42)I moved into my house last year. So have making a pile of boxes, as we slowly unpack and get settled. The recycle bin is always full so I couldn't figure out how to get rid of them. In addition we have 6 people, 4 dogs, and 2 cats living here so the waste bin is also always full, and with a ever growing pile next to it. This year the spring rain hit, and within 2 days we had weeds up to our knees. To say the least the green waste bin couldn't handle the load, so last week we started our first compost heap. Until yesterday it was only a pile of green weeds and roots, and I turned it every time I added more. I didn't know about the brown waste, and thought I still had to put the cardboard in the recycle. :) Well now that I know its 2 brown : 1 green, I'm glad I have so much card board, and junk mail. ;) Yesterday I didn't know about layering, so I turned the brown with the green. I don't have a shredder so this was difficult. In 24 hours I've learned so much about it. Now I have a 3'x3'x2' heap with the original green waste on the bottom, and lots of brown on top, I also just been throwing my kitchen waste in it, no meat or bones, but just about everything else. I also found a bag of rotting chicken feed, a stack of soaked egg crates and a bin of mealworms and beetles from a failed project to raise mealworms and crickets from last year. lol. In storage I had an old thick and really heavy area rug that my mother once loved, but is now so stained that I had no trepidations on using it to cover my pile. We still have 2/3 of the weeds to go, and at least 2x that mass of boxes from the move. So by the end of this week my heap will probably be about 4'x4'x'4, if not larger, luckily the area I have for it is 7'x7'. The funny thing is our yard is very small, so I only have room for the one pile, and I'm planning on going hot, mostly because I understand and trust the bacterial process better for it than the cold. So I mostly expect to turn it whenever it gets cold. Even better though and maybe even a little saddening is that I'm actually excited to have a way to dispose of all of our waste, that the city's bins just couldn't handle. Ok done with my book....See Morewinter heating GH with compost pile
Comments (3)The amount of heat a compost barrel will provide is a drop in the ole bucket, a big bucket. Unless your greenhouse is awfully small and the barrel awfully big it won't make much difference. Also you'd need to refill several times during winter....See MoreRestart compost pile after winter
Comments (3)Im pretty new at this compost thing so dont take my word. However, I have the same situation. It looks to be halfway done after 6 months. Im repairing 2 large sections of my lawn after some construction work was done in winter. Im just going to spread it out and till it before spreading new soil and seeding. The compost should still decay and help the new soil, I would think. The remainder, Im going to lay out in beds before spring mulch....See MoreHow often do you turn your compost pile?
Comments (4)Whenever... - I'm in the mood. - There's a smell which is not nice and composty. - A peek reveals more water is needed. - There's a need to make another pile so pile #1 becomes pile #2 by turning into another spot. - I want to experience some personal satisfaction by watching steam rise, hundreds of worms wiggle, and determining that whatever I've placed in there is no longer discernible. At this time of year, once a week. At turning, 250+lbs of used coffee grounds are added along with shredded leaves and seaweed. If the compost is left to cool down too much right now, it may go dormant which is not my intent. So to keep it going, I add new stuff to some of the old to introduce the microherd to new additions. In the summer, I will let the compost cool off to 90F, then turn. It will usually go back to 130+F a couple of times, but if it doesn't, then it's left to be dealt with by the worms and the cooler microherd population. Just my way of doing things.......See MoreRick (zone 6b, MA)
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agoRick (zone 6b, MA)
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agoRick (zone 6b, MA)
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agoarmoured
2 years agofloral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
2 years agormontcal
2 years agoannpat
2 years agoarmoured
2 years ago
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