Post Reply
User avatar
yoseph8santoso5
Newly Registered
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2011 4:00 am
Location: Indonesia

Let fresh cow dung rest first??

Sorry, I'm a newbie in composting. :oops:

I want to make a compost pile from fresh cow dung, sawdust, rice bran, and rice hull ash. I have read some articles that encourage to let the fresh cow dung first about one week to reduce the moist. I'm afraid if I let the fresh cow dung first, it will loss some nitrogen and will invite some flies and arise some maggots. :eek:

What should prefer I do with my fresh cow dung? Please some advices for me. Thanks a lot. :) :)

Note: I'm in Indonesia which have tropical climate.
User avatar
rainbowgardener
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 25279
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
Location: TN/GA 7b

I'm thinking the advice to let cow dung rest for awhile first is about putting it on your garden. You never want to put fresh cow manure directly on the garden. Although I don't use manure in my compost pile, so I don't have direct experience, I don't see any reason why you couldn't put it directly in the compost pile. Cover it with your sawdust, etc which will help keep down the smell and flies. Once it has started breaking down a little bit, you can mix it all together. Moisture is good in a compost pile, especially when your other ingredients are so dry.
User avatar
!potatoes!
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1938
Joined: Tue Apr 14, 2009 2:13 pm
Location: wnc - zones 6/7 line

I agree. I don't think you have to worry about the cow dung burning your compost pile.
User avatar
yoseph8santoso5
Newly Registered
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2011 4:00 am
Location: Indonesia

Okay, all my new friends. Thanks a lot again for your kindnesses and advices. I'll try to direct throw my fresh cow dung with my other dry carbon material. :D

Thanks a lot :D :D
User avatar
yoseph8santoso5
Newly Registered
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2011 4:00 am
Location: Indonesia

Hi friends. :)
I just made my compost pile this afternoon. :D
Let me ask a question :?:

I have ever read an article that mention, after made compost pile, it should be covered by plastic with black color inside and white color outside. Actually, this statement make me confused. Covering the compost pile by plastic is good to keep from rain fall and keep its temperature. Moreover there are temperature degrees differences between noon (34 Celsius degree) and night (24 Celsius degree) in my environment. In other hand, I'm afraid this covering action can make the compost pile lack of oxygen. :eek:

Therefore, please advice what should I do to my new compost pile? Thanks a lot. :) :)

Sorry, I think I will post this question in a new topic. :oops:
User avatar
rainbowgardener
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 25279
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
Location: TN/GA 7b

We've had whole big discussions about covering or not covering, e.g.:

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=175151#175151

I think the answer boils down to your conditions. If your climate is hot and dry providing some cover will keep you from having to water your pile so much.

I've done it both ways... for years I had just a wire bin enclosure completely open except for being a bit shaded by a nearby tree. These days, I have a closed plastic bin with just vent holes. Both work. The closed bin does not need to be watered nearly as much. It gets more black soldier fly larvae and some other insects in it than the open one did.

But the vent holes are important. Composting should be an aerobic process. If I were going to cover a pile, I would think about trying to make more like a canopy raised over it, than a tight cover over it.


Post Reply

Return to “Composting Forum”