Storing the compost?

[Duh_Vinci]

Hello all!

My laptop took a dive few months ago, just had it fixed, back online =) Felt kind of strange w/o access to the internet, but ended up reading more

I started the compost piles 2 months ago, one is ready, nice, rich black, crumbly, earthy, great smell! Another pile is half way done, getting ready to start another one (just gathered couple of huge piles of leafs in the local woods)

What is the proper way to store the compost? In the bins somehow, with holes? Any advise is greatly appreciated!

Regards,
D

P.S. Off to catch up on what I missed on the forum...

[gixxerific]

I was wondering what happened to you.

Not sure if this is right but if it was me I would put the finished compost on the garden and let it go. Especially if you are going to have more coming that could be used in actual planting.

[Kisal]

Making compost by all these "new-fangled rules" is a whole new experience for me.

In the old days, I just threw the stuff in a pile and let it rot until I needed it. When the guy from the Extension Service brought my new compost bin out to me, though, he advised me to remove the finished compost from the bin and store it in some kind of container(s), so it could "mature." I have no idea what happens while it matures. He suggested I use either a plastic garbage can or 5-gallon buckets, but to drill holes in the container for air circulation. However, I'm not sure that it wouldn't be important to make sure the container was made of food-safe plastic, in which case the garbage can probably wouldn't work.

[cynthia_h]

I've had some finished compost sitting in a plastic garbage can with the lid bungee-corded on since, oh, Fall 2008. I look inside every now and then to be sure no critters have taken up residence.

No ventilation holes, no nothing. I *do* want to use it again for garbage. Eventually.

Cynthia

[Duh_Vinci]

It's good to be back, missed the forum very much!

Dono - while I removed all of the pepper and tomato plants, I still have Cabbages, Bok Choy, Cauliflower, various Lettuce and Radishes thriving, so the beds are not ready for the compost yet. But since I wanted to start new pile or two, I figured just to store it till the early spring? Leafs don't come available but for few months out of the year, so going to collect and mulch as much as I can in the next couple of weeks, so I can still have the "browns" for the spring and summer composting too!

Kisa/Cynthia - that's what I was thinking, 3-4 medium size garbage cans, going to stop by one of the stores tomorrow, to see who has the cheapest plastic... Though I think few holes for aeration would be a good thing to keep it alive? Wondering if I have to drill some holes in the bottom too - in case of excessive moisture accumulation?

Regards,
D

[rot]

..

Well compost not in or on the ground does nothing but decompose further so think about it.

Otherwise consider burlap sacks or those nylon versions stored in a cool dry place.

to sense

..

[Duh_Vinci]

I know, common sense tells me to fill up the beds, and call it a day, but I don't have completely empty beds at the moment... Oh decisions...

Regards,
D

[gixxerific]

I still have stuff going in my beds as well. If I can swing the money for compost next weekend (it's very cheap where I go but I'm very broke at the moment) I'm going to lay it on thick to my empty bed area and lightly around my still growing plants as a mulch type amendment. What ever is left over I will pile up until the rest of my veggies go down for the winter, than I will fill that in thicker to overwinter. I do have another section of garden that I have my own compost doing it's thing. When it's done this spring it will be added as well where needed.

That is how I'm doing it, just a suggestion if you will. The main reason I'm doing it this way is because I have a new house with a new garden and the soil is not very good yet. No, to be quite honest the reason I'm doing it this way is because that is how I've always done it. But I see nothing wrong with bins either. I started out here with a trash can but my garden keeps growing now I have room to start a ground based composts pile. I really want to get an off garden site ready for compost but not sure where I will do it.

Your a smart dude I'm sure whatever you come up with be just fine. I sure hope so you have to have a good garden next year I miss your totally excellent photos of the garden.

[rot]

..

When I'm finally ready to spill a bin it looks like a lot until I start spreading it around. I worry far too much I'm not putting what I do have in the places where it will do the most good. I just can't make enough compost.

I've stored some away but that got silly as it dried up.

I have several bins going now and I try to have something close enough to done on hand when I'm ready to put it in the garden or start up some pots.

I'd love to have truckloads and spend days just spreading it all over. I like the big splat applications but it seems so short lived.

to sense

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[applestar]

This is not exactly on topic, but WHY is it that no matter how much I load the wheelbarrow or prepare a container mix, once I start spreading the soil or compost, planting the tree/shrub/plants or potting up the container plants, I NEVER seem to have enough by a few shovelfuls or 1/2 a container.... I'm left trying to decide whether to trundle the wheelbarrow back for more or to mix up another batch of container mix. Is it just me?

[soil]

if your going to use a trashcan, drill the holes at the bottom half of the trashcan. its where it needs it most not the upper half. I have too much compost to store in trashcans anymore so I dug a pit, lined it with weed cloth, and just mulch it with leafmold. take as needed.

make sure its in the shade wherever you store it.

[rainbowgardener]

This is not exactly on topic, but WHY is it that no matter how much I load the wheelbarrow or prepare a container mix, once I start spreading the soil or compost, planting the tree/shrub/plants or potting up the container plants, I NEVER seem to have enough by a few shovelfuls or 1/2 a container.... ... Is it just me?

Not just you! Seems to be one of those Murphy's Law kind of things, you will always need a few shovelfuls more of mulch (or whatever it is) than your wheelbarrow holds.

[muddy45]

why not store your compost on the ground and cover it with a tarp till ready for use.
I have a niebour that has chickens,but does not garden,twice a year he brings me his coop cleanings in about 3 tractor bucketfuls.
I tell him to dump it on the ground next to my compost bins and I cover it up with a heavy tarp,till I am ready to use it,,most times it composts down befor I am ready for it and is loaded with my ascaped manure worms from my out side worm beds.
it is just wonderfull to look at and smell,,hard to believe it use to be stinky and nasty in the beginning.
God sure knew what he/she was doing I think.

Larry

[The Helpful Gardener]

soil is spot on about holes in the bottom; you need to get rid of the CO2 (heavier gas that settles) the critters are exhaling...

Double handling is labor intensive and unecessary; use that common sense thing you had going for you, DV... it was working pretty well, I think...

HG