River
Senior Member
Posts: 125
Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2014 10:18 pm
Location: Mobile

Sawdust and horse manure

A few months back I asked our local sheriffs department for a load of manure.
When I got there they told me to pull up to a huge pile. They had a front end loader and when they scooped it out a lot of steam came out, which looked really good.

When I got home to unload it I realized it was a small percentage of horse manure vs sawdust.
So I went to a stable and got a good bit and mixed it in. It heated up for a while during the winter and now it's cooled off even if I mix it. I think when the temps go up perhaps it will start cooking. I noticed the balls of manure get dark black. I mixed in a great deal of fresh manure in early December

had I known it was sawdust I would have passed since it's going to take sometime to breakdown and compost. With a 500:1 ratio I wonder how long it's going to take to compost.

tomc
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2661
Joined: Sun Apr 10, 2011 2:52 am
Location: SE-OH USA Zone 6-A

If it has heated up and cooled, its ready to use.

Ideally you want a pile for 100 days after elimination, and before human consumption (of garden crop).

This is sort of like finding out where tripes come from. Menudo anyone? ;)

River
Senior Member
Posts: 125
Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2014 10:18 pm
Location: Mobile

tomc wrote:If it has heated up and cooled, its ready to use.

Ideally you want a pile for 100 days after elimination, and before human consumption (of garden crop).

This is sort of like finding out where tripes come from. Menudo anyone? ;)
I don't think it's finished. My question is how long will it take to compost the sawdust.
I added quite a bit of fresh manure in the winter. I figure I will have to wait a couple of months and by then I can try to add fresh grass as a new nitrogen source.

toxcrusadr
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Posts: 970
Joined: Thu Sep 09, 2010 4:50 pm
Location: MO

If you had gotten lucky enough to have the correct C:N ratio in December, it would probably be done by now. I agree it's not 'ready' just because it cooled down. If there is excess browns they will just sit there and the compost is not 'ready'. Add some more greens, it will be done by fall if you add enough.

I think I answered this on another forum just now. Hi!



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