So, i guess i feel like kinda a moron since i cant even get stuff to Rot!!! I started my compost pile and wanted to do a fast HOT pile to get started and it just isnt heating. I have leaves, green grass, a few small garden stalks, food garbage, long straw, and some composted manure (which consists of shavings and cow manure) At first the leaves kinda matted together and didnt allow air to get underneath and inbetween but i got more straw to incorporate and its not matted down now. But its STILL not heating. I guess i dont get what im doing wrong. Ive been reading the book i have and it SHOULD be working.... Its about 35-40 degrees here during the day and about 15 at night. Does that have something to do with it?? Ive been trying ot get this started for over a month and its not going anywhere. Any suggestions?? Im not sure how to get it going?? I want to have enough to cover my garden next spring and right now i have NONE!!!
Compost pile not "working"
- Thread starter rd200
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dfr1973
Power Conserver
I'm in the same boat ... those "bad" potatoes I tossed into mine refuse to rot. Instead they keep trying to sprout in between frosts.
- Thread starter
- #3
I was thinking that the extra long straw and composted manure i put in there would help.... but it hasnt. I guess maybe ill try just taking a big ol pile of cow crap and throwing it in there and seeing if that gets the bacteria rolling.
patience
from what I understand takes 3 years for soil..
we don't do anything...
is best to put more ground up on...but isn't necessary...evey 2 inch stick will compost
though now use a chipper...
I am not familiar with any helpfull products
we like to keep it all natural...
but soil will happen. over time..
from what I understand takes 3 years for soil..
we don't do anything...
is best to put more ground up on...but isn't necessary...evey 2 inch stick will compost
though now use a chipper...
I am not familiar with any helpfull products
we like to keep it all natural...
but soil will happen. over time..
Joel_BC
Super Self-Sufficient
My experience is that, if you have access to an abundance of freshly mown grass, it is the best thing to get a pile going.The materials you have should be okay, if the amount of freshly cut grass is enough, in proportion. You say you have green grass in there, but my guess would be the proportion of other materials is too great. Daily outdoor temperatures could be a significant factor too, though.
By the way, a layer - or layers - of matted leaves is always a potential problem (as you've noticed). I've taken to running over piles of leaves with my lawn mower, collecting the shredded leaves (either in a collection bag on the mower, or by raking up the shredded material) and then adding them to my piles.
Here's what I might try - not knowing if you have access to enough grass to cut to do this. I'd lay it down some freshly mown grass in a bit of a pile to one side of the existing pile/ Add some of the mixed materials from your current pile. Then add more (maybe 4-5 inches) of fluffy, freshly mown grass on top. Having done this, I might poke a bunch of holes down through the new pile with a pitch fork or punch bar (digging bar) to allow the flow of air. When this is heating up nicely (should only take a day or two), I'd repeat with another "sandwich" layer above this. And so on.
Now I admit, I've not especially tried to build new piles when the temperatures have gotten down into the daily temperature bracket you're talking about. This might be more of an impediment than I'm imagining. But the above method will work, I know from experience, under somewhat warmer conditions. It might work in your situation.
By the way, a layer - or layers - of matted leaves is always a potential problem (as you've noticed). I've taken to running over piles of leaves with my lawn mower, collecting the shredded leaves (either in a collection bag on the mower, or by raking up the shredded material) and then adding them to my piles.
Here's what I might try - not knowing if you have access to enough grass to cut to do this. I'd lay it down some freshly mown grass in a bit of a pile to one side of the existing pile/ Add some of the mixed materials from your current pile. Then add more (maybe 4-5 inches) of fluffy, freshly mown grass on top. Having done this, I might poke a bunch of holes down through the new pile with a pitch fork or punch bar (digging bar) to allow the flow of air. When this is heating up nicely (should only take a day or two), I'd repeat with another "sandwich" layer above this. And so on.
Now I admit, I've not especially tried to build new piles when the temperatures have gotten down into the daily temperature bracket you're talking about. This might be more of an impediment than I'm imagining. But the above method will work, I know from experience, under somewhat warmer conditions. It might work in your situation.
Beekissed
Mountain Sage
I've read about some folks drilling holes in the smaller, black PVC pipe and shoving it through their compost containers at different levels so that the air is piped into the middle of the piles. I've never tried it.
An order of red wigglers could change your compost pile this winter if you keep feeding it good stuff like garbage and manures.
An order of red wigglers could change your compost pile this winter if you keep feeding it good stuff like garbage and manures.
Dawn419
Almost Self-Reliant
I'm not very good at explaining this but I'll give it a try, with a link to an article that will help! 
I have a terrible time reminding myself that the green/brown in composting doesn't neccesarily mean the color of what your adding to your pile; green is nitrogens and brown is carbons:
green/brown compost materials
This time of year (cool/cold weather) will also greatly affect how fast (or not) that your pile works/heats up. I like to try and do fast composting in the late spring through summer and just do slow composting in the fall through winter. I have one of those ComposTumblers (bought it used) but I've yet to accomplish their stated "black gold" in 14 days with the confounded thing!
One trick that I grew up with was in the fall, my parents just had us kids dig a hole in the garden and put kitchen scraps into the hole, cover the scraps with the removed dirt and move on to the next spot in the row for the next batch of scraps. Come planting time the following spring, the scraps were composted into the soil and ready to help feed the new seasons' crops.
I've tried using corn stalks to help aerate the pile before and really didn't see a huge difference in the amount of time it took for matter to compost. The best luck that I've had with aerating my piles is by turning it daily or twice a day...weather permitting, of course!
Hope this is some help!
I have a terrible time reminding myself that the green/brown in composting doesn't neccesarily mean the color of what your adding to your pile; green is nitrogens and brown is carbons:
green/brown compost materials
This time of year (cool/cold weather) will also greatly affect how fast (or not) that your pile works/heats up. I like to try and do fast composting in the late spring through summer and just do slow composting in the fall through winter. I have one of those ComposTumblers (bought it used) but I've yet to accomplish their stated "black gold" in 14 days with the confounded thing!
One trick that I grew up with was in the fall, my parents just had us kids dig a hole in the garden and put kitchen scraps into the hole, cover the scraps with the removed dirt and move on to the next spot in the row for the next batch of scraps. Come planting time the following spring, the scraps were composted into the soil and ready to help feed the new seasons' crops.
I've tried using corn stalks to help aerate the pile before and really didn't see a huge difference in the amount of time it took for matter to compost. The best luck that I've had with aerating my piles is by turning it daily or twice a day...weather permitting, of course!
Hope this is some help!
hqueen13
<Insert Snazzy Title Here
Cow manure can be put onto a garden straight, but horse manure can't. I know the middle of our horse manure pile (which is admittedly pretty large) is always steaming in winter when you open it up. Maybe more manure would help?
Getting ready to attempt some compost myself... I am a bit concerned that this isn't quite the right season, but what the heck, I might as well get started, now or never right?
Getting ready to attempt some compost myself... I am a bit concerned that this isn't quite the right season, but what the heck, I might as well get started, now or never right?
HeronsNestFarm
Power Conserver
Yes, the cold is an issue.
Stir it up to make sure the leaves and grass aren't matting. Through your food compost in the middle and re cover. That will draw some life.
Also, You can make a yeast tea and moisten your pile. Gallon of luke-warm water, teaspoon sugar or honey and tablespoon yeast. Let ferment a little bit then mix in pile. This has worked well for me in the past.
Is it in a sunny local? You can throw some clear plastic on top to keep it from being too wet and create a little greenhouse to use sun rays to raise the heat and get it going. Just remember to remove or in spring with hotter days you will solorize it and kill the good.
Stir it up to make sure the leaves and grass aren't matting. Through your food compost in the middle and re cover. That will draw some life.
Also, You can make a yeast tea and moisten your pile. Gallon of luke-warm water, teaspoon sugar or honey and tablespoon yeast. Let ferment a little bit then mix in pile. This has worked well for me in the past.
Is it in a sunny local? You can throw some clear plastic on top to keep it from being too wet and create a little greenhouse to use sun rays to raise the heat and get it going. Just remember to remove or in spring with hotter days you will solorize it and kill the good.
