Does a Compost heat up by itself or does it need sun

[Avonnow]

I read every book I could on creating a compost pile. I started the beginning of March. I used all my kitchen scraps. Coffee grounds, raw veggies and fruits, egg shells. I use grass that I have dried out from cutting lawn. I have used plain white shredded paper, and have even added some Maxi crop liquid seaweed at one point and blood meal at another, it looks nice, it doesn't smell, but it never gets hot. I am worried as the pile gets maybe 6 hours of sun a day. Is that a problem, should it be in full sun? I do water the pile and toss it every week. It is surrounded by chicken wire so it gets air, I just can't figure what I am doing wrong. I appreciate any advice.

OFF SUBJECT: If people want to post pictures on this site, how do you do it. Thanks Again!

[rainbowgardener]

6 hrs sun a day is PLENTY!! It heats up by itself from the biochemical processes going on.

Three thoughts - most of what you mention including the grass clippings is greens, all except the shredded paper. How much of the paper are you using relative to other things? Especially when you are adding high nitrogen additives like blood meal you might need a better balance of browns. By volume you probably want a bit more of the paper or other browns than all the greens combined. This fall collect leaves. I brought home 8 yard waste bags full of leaves other people had put out at the curb. They make great mulch as well as great browns for the compost pile.

Are you watering your pile? Especially sitting in the sun like that, it probably dries out fast. Once dried out, it stops working. My pile is under a tree, gets almost no direct sun, but I still water it any time it is dry enough to water my garden. You want it to stay as damp as a wrung out sponge.

How big is your pile? Up to a certain size, like a 3 or 4 foot cube, the bigger the pile the hotter it runs.

Also, every week may be a little too often of tossing....

But until I discovered the first two (better balance of greens and browns and watering it regularly) my compost pile didn't heat up either. But it doesn't really matter. It will get full of earthworms, pill bugs and other macro and micro creatures and they will help it all break down. It will be a bit slower, but it will still make nice compost, whether or not it ever heats up.

[Avonnow]

I do water it when it gets dry, about once a week. I was going to get my neighbors leaves, but I thought I read that leaves take a long time to break down, I guess maybe a few would be helpful. I can get all I want from them. Thanks for advice. I have only added shredded paper two or three times, thanks - will try more of those.

[gixxerific]

Rainbowgardener is steering you right.

The leaves would be a great addition. Though shred them with a mower first to break them up so the microbes can break them down faster. Leaves and grass alone would heat up with your other additions it should be fine. The general rule is 30:1 C:N which is browns to greens or leaves/paper to veggie scraps/grass etc. A general thinking on this is 2 bags of leaves and 1 bag of grass comes to about 24:1 which is just about right. You will get it soon enough. It is kind of trail and error at first.

Do keep it wet. Mine somewhat dried up recently due to mixing and not watering. I knew we were in for a week of rain. I went out yesterday and it is very hot again.

as for posting pics check out this link https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3724

have fun and good luck with your pile.

[rainbowgardener]

gixx is right that mowing or otherwise crunching up the leaves will make them break down faster. But for me (lazy gardener!) they break down fast enough on their own. I produce finished compost in about 3-4 months in the growing season and none of the whole leaves I put in are identifiable in it.

[applestar]

If they're dry leaves, you can also put them in a bag or pile them between two layers of tarp and jump up and down (and roll around) on it My kids LOVE to help with this part.

[engineeredgarden]

I'd like to jump in here if I could....

I have 6 pallet bins currently working, and introduce the usual stuff in them (UCG's, vegetable/fruit scraps, etc.), but what really gets them heated up for me is alfalfa pellets, cheap dry dog food, or dry molasses. To keep the microbial population healthy, they must be fed. I use a compost thermometer to monitor the internal temperature, and never turn the piles until they drop to below 110 degrees. This is usually about 2 weeks after turning. I like for mine to stay between 140-150, but have let them get up to 168 before. Here's some photos of the ingredients used...

[img]https://i41.tinypic.com/so61pk.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i40.tinypic.com/2gtotpd.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i43.tinypic.com/nx9ifn.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i42.tinypic.com/2mxkena.jpg[/img]

[gixxerific]

Nice EngineerG

Love the Blog as well. I just created one late last night, though I haven't done a thing with it yet.

[engineeredgarden]

gixxerific - thanks! Blogs take alot of time and effort, but are a good way to share your garden with the entire world. Good luck with yours!

EG

[rot]

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I'm not sure what book Avonnow read but in Florida you should be able to compost year round. Non-issue there or here in So Cal.

The heat is not coming from the sun. It's coming from the microbial digesting process. Optimize the conditions for digestion process and you'll get heat. I'm sure the sun helps when it's cold though.

Good basics from a Florida website:
https://www.compostinfo.com/
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I like the Our Engineered Garden blog too. I'll be browsing for ideas.

Dog food in the bin? I think you're running the risk of attracting critters.

I do have one philosophical difference as well. I will not buy anything just to throw in a compost bin. I'll take care to get a diverse number of ingredients and will even take a little care to get the right mixes. I really appreciate the many benefits of compost but in the end, it's compost.
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to sense

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