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Colorado Springs, Colorado

What is the best "stuff" to put into your compost pile for growing AG's and why? The majority of my compost consists of horse manure, and egg shells. Is this ok? What do I need to add and what do I need to stay away from? Thank you for your time.
-behemoth

8/10/2005 11:12:14 AM

New Hampshire

I put all my leaves, grass clippings, seaweed, all the manure from my pigs, chickens, and turkeys, also coffee grounds. ANything that will rot with tehe exception of meat and bones. And when i am down that way and have had a few beers.........well, you get my drift

8/10/2005 11:16:12 AM

Montoursville, PA

I did a very complete compost picture and presentation in my 2004 Diary. I've been told it was a good read. :)

8/10/2005 12:53:48 PM

Utah

This might help you in your composting...

http://www.compostinfo.com/Default.htm

typically you want a mix of brown and green...
brown is dead leaves, etc ... green is grass etc .. and provides the nitrogen.
I don't know what horse manure is !?
if it has the wood shavings in it ... then the wood is a brown ... but if it is fresh then we know from the smell that there is N in there ... which is the green.
all I know it is that it is OM and I know it is good. So I put a lot of it on my patch in the fall- because I get it cheap.
egg shells are fine ... the decompose slowly though so if you can crush them up some before adding them then that would help.

8/10/2005 4:44:36 PM

Colorado Springs, Colorado

thank you everyone for your helpful insight into composting and taking the time to read my post.
-behemoth

8/11/2005 11:53:32 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

I second docgipe's 2004 diary. Dwaine also recommends a good book on the subject, The Dirt Doctor. It's worth looking for or makes a nice gift.

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryView.asp?season=2004&grower=20044&action=L

8/12/2005 5:13:36 PM

Colorado Springs, Colorado

thank you for the diary of 2004 of docgipe. I didn't read it yet, but I can see that there is a lot of info there. Thanks
behemoth

8/13/2005 11:18:52 AM

Owensboro, Ky.

Compost pile never seems to reach temp to kill seeds in pile. Am I doing something wrong? Every year dad's compost pile grows assorted melons, squash, tomatoes, etc. if compost is used in garden. What do I need to do to increase temp to kill seeds? Thanks for all the help!!!Peace Wayne

8/13/2005 2:11:46 PM

Follansbee, Wv

You need to keep a good balance of carbons and nitrogens (greens and browns) in your pile, and the proper moisture level, along with adequate oxygen. A properly built pile will reach 140 degrees and higher within a few days. Let it cook at that temp for a week, then turn it, and make sure it still has the proper moisture level. It will heat back up again almost immediatly. You will never kill all of the seeds in a home composting operation, but you can get a lot of them.

8/13/2005 4:06:58 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

How do I determine which category things fit into...carbon or nitrogen? Fruit and veggie scraps are??? Lawn clippings, nitrogen? Leaves in the fall...carbon??? Thanks for any help. Peace Wayne

8/14/2005 6:41:42 AM

Follansbee, Wv

That's where the term "Greens and browns" comes in. An easy way to decide whether something is carbon or nitrogen is to think to yourself, "If I put this in a sealed container then set it in the hot sun for a couple of weeks, would I want to open the lid and take a big sniff?" If your answer is "Heck No!" then you are holding a green, or nitrogen component. Granted, leaves and wet sawdust will have an odor to them after those few weeks, but wet grass or pumpkin fruit will have an odor that will make you wish you had left the lid on.
Generally, nitrogens are softer and are usually plant leaves or fruit/vegetables. Carbons are usually more woody in nature. Some things change from a nitrogen to a carbon if left undecomposed. Corn stalk leaves for instance. They will decompose fairly quickly when green, but after they dry and become brown, they are more of a carbon.
There are exceptions of course. Manures are considered greens. The reason is that the manure started out as a green, and has been partially decomposed by the animal. Now the exception to this is horse manure. Horse manure can be either a green or a brown, depending on the bedding content. The more sawdust or wood chip bedding there is, the more of a brown it becomes. Things like eggshells are more neutral. They are not broken down by bacteria, but rather by natural acids in the compost or soil.

8/14/2005 7:34:17 AM

Windsor Maine

Here is an Excellent forum "soil, Compost and Mulch" makes fer wicked good reading...

http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/soil/

Hope it helps~
Ennnjoyyy~
TLISH~

8/14/2005 9:34:05 AM

Montoursville, PA

Geese I appreciate you all pitching in with the compost question. That book I suggest, for compost data is, Let It Rot by Campbell. About eight bucks second handed on line.

8/14/2005 7:36:38 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

Monty and all, thanks for the info. The mental pictures (or mental aromas) sure help. Peace Wayne

8/15/2005 6:43:51 AM

Colorado Springs, Colorado

So Monty, if the bedding wood chips in horse stalls are urinated on, would the bedding still be good for decomposition, or would you just throw that stuff out?

8/20/2005 3:01:40 AM

Follansbee, Wv

No don't throw it out. It will be just fine for composting, still a carbon, or brown if you prefer, but will decompose just fine.

8/20/2005 9:11:49 PM

Colorado Springs, Colorado

thank you monty.

8/21/2005 3:14:10 PM