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composting

Partially anaerobically broken down sheep manure in an aerobic compost pile?

Posts: 138

Location: Galicia, Spain Zone 9

posted 11 years ago

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So I made a fairly large compost pile yesterday with less-than-a-month old goat manure, nettles, chicken manure, forest mulch (english oak, pine needles and some chestnut leaves), grass clippings, dry ferns, what comfrey I could find and some food waste. Its is maybe 8 feet long, four feet wide and 5 feet tall.

However, the main source of nitrogen is some sheep manure I pulled out of a relative's stable. The issue is that it has been sitting for a few months underneath the sheep and continually covered with extra layers of straw so that it has been breaking down anaerobically. Since this is the main source of nitrogen in the pile I was wondering if the pile will still heat up, or do I need fresher manure?

I guess I can always pee on it if it doesn't heat up

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Jennifer Wadsworth

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Location: Phoenix, AZ (9b)

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posted 11 years ago

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Jose - I think you'll be just fine. In Geoff Lawton's online PDC, he showed some video of him making a "Berkeley method 18 day compost pile" - he had a variety of manures he'd collected on his farm that he used. Basically the more diverse the materials, the better the compost. Sounds like you have some fresh nitrogen sources as well with the green plants, kitchen waste, etc.

Check out one of my fellow classmates as he demonstrates 18 day compost (he used aneorobic sheep manure too)

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Cj Sloane

pollinator

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Location: Vermont, off grid for 24 years!

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posted 11 years ago

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Sheep manure isn't very hot though. You can put it around plants without composting and it wont burn the plants (though there may be some ick there that you don't want to get on your plants).

Add more chicken manure or pee on it if it's not heating up for you. It'll all break down even if you don't, just more slowly.

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Jose Reymondez

Posts: 138

Location: Galicia, Spain Zone 9

posted 11 years ago

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I needed some reassurance but after a week it has gotten hot!

Thanks!

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