jason holdstock wrote:I was wondering if there can be too much rainfall on a compost pile?
I live in N Scotland near the coast so not too cold in the winter but quite wet year round.
I had thought that too much rain would sluice out anything trying to decompose so I found a pallet sized piece of thick plastic that I put on top.
But the pile looks too dry?
Should I maybe put the sheet on over winter maybe?
I also have some annoy big lumps of polystyrene that washed up on the beach that I may cut into 10" thick slabs to insulate the sides. Worthwhile?
Or I also thought about trying an actual wormery so rain won't be an issue and I will keep all the goodness to put where I want, rather than just flowing downhill of the current pile!
Any thoughts?
J
The Compost Coach is a colourful, comprehensive and accessible guide to creating the very best compost AKA garden gold. Check out my book here: https://geni.us/TheCompostCoach & my IG here: https://www.instagram.com/compostable.kate/
Kate Flood wrote:
jason holdstock wrote:I was wondering if there can be too much rainfall on a compost pile?
I live in N Scotland near the coast so not too cold in the winter but quite wet year round.
I had thought that too much rain would sluice out anything trying to decompose so I found a pallet sized piece of thick plastic that I put on top.
But the pile looks too dry?
Should I maybe put the sheet on over winter maybe?
I also have some annoy big lumps of polystyrene that washed up on the beach that I may cut into 10" thick slabs to insulate the sides. Worthwhile?
Or I also thought about trying an actual wormery so rain won't be an issue and I will keep all the goodness to put where I want, rather than just flowing downhill of the current pile!
Any thoughts?
J
Hi Jason,
Thanks for your questions. I'll start by sharing an edited extract of my book and then provide you with some personalised info.
"All life needs water, and the microbes and bug buddies in your compost are no different. Compost works best with 40–60 per cent hydration. These figures seem like a clearly definable amount, but what does this actually mean in practice? The organic matter in your compost needs to stay moist at all times, but what I don’t want you to do is to get trigger-happy with your hose and saturate your compost.
The best way to test the moisture content of your compost is to grab a handful and give it a squeeze. You only want a drop or two of liquid to come out; if you have more than this, then you have a problem. A happy heap will feel just like a wrung-out sponge – all the organic matter is coated with water, but there are air spaces in between.
There should be a thin, barely visible film of water covering all of the compost particles when they’re actively breaking down. This is because microbial decomposition happens most rapidly in that layer of water surrounding the particles of organic matter. Depending on the weather, you may need to add extra water (as dry compost will just sit there, doing next to nothing). But be careful not to over-wet the contents of your bin, as the compost will become anaerobic and start to stink, and the decomposition will slow down. If things become a little slimy, then add dry carbon to balance out your food waste and garden refuse."
Here's some suggestions for you: Your compost will not only soak up water from rain but also from the soil so if you are experiencing a very wet season then you may need to build your pile on top of non-treated timber pallets and place a tarp over the top. Do a squeeze test (as I explain above) and if it becomes too dry then you can remove the tarp when it is raining or add some water yourself.
I don't recommend using the polystyrene to insulate your compost, as it is not a stable material and will break down into micro-plastics quite quickly especially when out in the sun.
I love wormies! Definitely give that a go too.
Hope this helps.
Kate
jason holdstock wrote:
Kate Flood wrote:
jason holdstock wrote:I was wondering if there can be too much rainfall on a compost pile?
I live in N Scotland near the coast so not too cold in the winter but quite wet year round.
I had thought that too much rain would sluice out anything trying to decompose so I found a pallet sized piece of thick plastic that I put on top.
But the pile looks too dry?
Should I maybe put the sheet on over winter maybe?
I also have some annoy big lumps of polystyrene that washed up on the beach that I may cut into 10" thick slabs to insulate the sides. Worthwhile?
Or I also thought about trying an actual wormery so rain won't be an issue and I will keep all the goodness to put where I want, rather than just flowing downhill of the current pile!
Any thoughts?
J
Hi Jason,
Thanks for your questions. I'll start by sharing an edited extract of my book and then provide you with some personalised info.
"All life needs water, and the microbes and bug buddies in your compost are no different. Compost works best with 40–60 per cent hydration. These figures seem like a clearly definable amount, but what does this actually mean in practice? The organic matter in your compost needs to stay moist at all times, but what I don’t want you to do is to get trigger-happy with your hose and saturate your compost.
The best way to test the moisture content of your compost is to grab a handful and give it a squeeze. You only want a drop or two of liquid to come out; if you have more than this, then you have a problem. A happy heap will feel just like a wrung-out sponge – all the organic matter is coated with water, but there are air spaces in between.
There should be a thin, barely visible film of water covering all of the compost particles when they’re actively breaking down. This is because microbial decomposition happens most rapidly in that layer of water surrounding the particles of organic matter. Depending on the weather, you may need to add extra water (as dry compost will just sit there, doing next to nothing). But be careful not to over-wet the contents of your bin, as the compost will become anaerobic and start to stink, and the decomposition will slow down. If things become a little slimy, then add dry carbon to balance out your food waste and garden refuse."
Here's some suggestions for you: Your compost will not only soak up water from rain but also from the soil so if you are experiencing a very wet season then you may need to build your pile on top of non-treated timber pallets and place a tarp over the top. Do a squeeze test (as I explain above) and if it becomes too dry then you can remove the tarp when it is raining or add some water yourself.
I don't recommend using the polystyrene to insulate your compost, as it is not a stable material and will break down into micro-plastics quite quickly especially when out in the sun.
I love wormies! Definitely give that a go too.
Hope this helps.
Kate
Thank you for the reply.
There is unfortunately a lot of polystyrene around, since the fish farm pontoons are nearly all plastic cubes filled with it. When the weather breaks them up who know where they go, so making use of it would be good. The council doesn't want it, so it just gets left. I was going to shrink wrap it first to contain the bits.
So I need to monitor my pile for moisture and act accordingly?! Thank you.
The Compost Coach is a colourful, comprehensive and accessible guide to creating the very best compost AKA garden gold. Check out my book here: https://geni.us/TheCompostCoach & my IG here: https://www.instagram.com/compostable.kate/
I think she's lovely. It's this tiny ad that called her crazy:
Heat your home with the twigs that naturally fall of the trees in your yard
http://woodheat.net
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