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Western PA

Last fall I started a compost pile with maple leaves and apples. About a month later ( mid November ) I turned the pile and it was nice and hot inside. After that I started adding coffee grounds and fruit and vege scraps. Then between all the snow and freezing temps I finally turned it about 6 weeks ago. There was no heat in the pile this time.
Will it start to decompose when the temps start to warm up or did something happen to it ? Do I need to add something to kick start it again ?
Lee

2/20/2010 7:22:22 PM

kick start is required to use it this year

add some alfalfa pellets or meal as soon as you can work the pile, keep the moisture at the right level, some molasses will feed the bacteria, turn the pile weekly

depending on the size of the pile it should be finished in 6-8 weeeks

2/20/2010 7:42:14 PM

Paradise Mountain, New York

We have had many days here in New York in the single digits. Even some nights below zero. Just for the heck of it last week, I checked the temp. of my big pile. It was 62. Once I finished turning my pile for the last time in late October, I never turn it again until Spring. She will cook all winter long....

2/20/2010 7:46:32 PM

Bristol R.I. USA

It'll heat up when it thaws. I'll be adding some bloodmeal and then mixing when its thawed out. It should start to warm up soom, you must understand that we had so much bone chilling weather this year. it needs time to thaw out. then it'll heat up.

2/21/2010 11:17:57 AM

Western PA

Thanks everyone.
Kenny, I kind of figured that this cold and snowy winter might have done it. It was half frozen when I turned it last. When the temps moderate I'll take all the above advice.
Lee

2/21/2010 12:35:10 PM

Bristol R.I. USA

No problem. I have been having the same issues. I got out there when the ground was thawed and I dropped a bunch of blood meal and moved the pile around to get the air to it..It'll heat uo soon enough.

2/21/2010 12:47:51 PM

Paradise Mountain, New York

Twenty miles from me is Oneida County Transfer station. They collect all the green waste in Oneida and Herkimer County. They make hundreds of tons of compost from May to November. There experts at making it. Make sure your C/N is right. Finish mixing your compost by November and make sure it's wet enough. Then let it set all winter. Leave it alone and DON'T turn it during the winter. A compost pile that is still cooking at 60-70 degrees is better then a pile that is frozen..Come Spring, peel off the first foot or so and all the rest will be composted enough to use on your patch.

2/21/2010 1:18:57 PM

South Hero, VT

I found last year that letting the compost get soaked by the rain really slows the process down. I plan to build an inexpensive solarium structure out of 2 x 4s and plastic to really cook the compost and keep it from getting wet this year.

I also found that stuff that had been sitting in a passive composter all winter long perked right up and turned into great compost with elevated temperatures and turning to incorporate oxygen.

2/21/2010 2:35:18 PM

Hot West Tennessee

Everbody is right. Don't turn it when its to cold it is hard for the microbes to wake up under certain temps. Give it some more nitrogen and make sure its moist Try cover it with a darker tarp to asborb any heat from sun. It should kick back up. Mine had snow on the sides , cooking about 150 under tarp. I give it a shovel of alfafa to keep it happy.

2/21/2010 7:17:09 PM