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compost question

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posted 16 years ago

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I have a pretty good pile of compost cooking right now. I've been using chicken manure to heat it up and it's getting really hot. I have heard that too hot is not good. The center is reaching 150+. Is that too hot?

Thanks

Leah Sattler

Posts: 2603

posted 16 years ago

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depends on what source you use.

"An active compost pile should develop internal temperatures of 130 to 160F. If the pile is not heating properly, additional nitrogen may be added to supply the microbes or more organic material may be added to increase pile volume and allow for more efficient composting. Or, the pile may be too wet or too dry to allow for good aerobic decomposition."
http://hflp.sdstate.edu/compost.htm

my personal thinking is that yes maybe the very middle of the compost will get hot enough to kill the microbes in the middle of the pile. but if the pile is that big then there should be plenty of reserved good microbes that reside in the areas between the heat and the outside. also if it is getting that hot there must be something still in the middle that needs to be broken down and something that is breaking it down or that heat would not be produced. now I know that commercial composting operations have careful monitering and turning of the pile to expidite the process as much as possible but I am not sure it is of much value as a home composter as it is to a big commercial operation, unless you have the equipment and facilities to easily turn it.

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"One cannot help an involuntary process. The point is not to disturb it. - Dr. Michel Odent

Posts: 99

posted 16 years ago

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Yes, the edges are around 110 and it rises as I go further into the center. The pile is pretty big so I use a front end loader to flip the pile, which I do every 2-3 days.

Thanks!

Joel Hollingsworth

pollinator

Posts: 2103

Location: Oakland, CA

posted 16 years ago

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I've read a blanket of mulch will allow you to maintain activity longer after turning. Like this report of a pile similar-sized to yours staying above 125 degrees for 16 days:

http://onestraw.wordpress.com/2009/09/12/compost-trick-140-for-a-week/

That would use less fuel and take less attention, and would also interrupt the process less and allow less total N to evaporate.

"the qualities of these bacteria, like the heat of the sun, electricity, or the qualities of metals, are part of the storehouse of knowledge of all men. They are manifestations of the laws of nature, free to all men and reserved exclusively to none." SCOTUS, Funk Bros. Seed Co. v. Kale Inoculant Co.

Leah Sattler

Posts: 2603

posted 16 years ago

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I like the mulch idea. turning it every few days might be a bit too much.

this has a nice graph that shows the temp of the pile. it appears that for their mix it stayed at optimal temps for much longer then 2-3 days.
http://www.wastenot-organics.wisc.edu/05composting/publications/fogielcompostproduction.pdf

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"One cannot help an involuntary process. The point is not to disturb it. - Dr. Michel Odent

Jeremy Bunag

gardener

Posts: 231

Location: Central IL

posted 16 years ago

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Leah Sattler wrote:
http://www.wastenot-organics.wisc.edu/05composting/publications/fogielcompostproduction.pdf

Neat doc link, even lists testing facilities for Clopyralid and Picloram, as well as some common C:N ratios... Thanks for that!

paul wheaton

author and steward

Posts: 57197

Location: missoula, montana (zone 4)

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posted 16 years ago

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The last time I heard, testing for clopyralid was $125. But that was a while ago.

As for compost getting "too hot" - I would say that 99% of the people composting never need to worry about that. For the last 1%, the only reason they worry about it is because they are attempting to optimize some teeny tiny detail in their compost and that these people are extremely advanced composters.

my kickstarter is now live!

Joel Hollingsworth

pollinator

Posts: 2103

Location: Oakland, CA

posted 16 years ago

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paul wheaton wrote:The last time I heard, testing for clopyralid was $125.

Oh, wow. Running a bioassay would be well worth it, then.

http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/organics/Threats/Clopyralid/Testing/Bioassays.htm

I've read about this kind of thing at the checkout counter. That's where I met this tiny ad:

The new gardening playing cards kickstarter is now live!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/paulwheaton/garden-cards