Storage Bin mess?

[Ozark Lady]

I have a bin, my husband made it as a compost bin. It is big, like 4'x4' or maybe more.

I have always simply used it to hold leaves, that I rake up in the garden, and occasionally throw weeds in there that the goats won't eat, like mint. But mostly it held leaves and twigs.

I hauled home a load of "dirt" it was half saw dust, aged, and half "dirt".

I used some of the mix in seedlings, it turns into... yuck, something.

It doesn't absorb water, and yet when it rains it won't drain. This is half sawdust, mind you. And it turns into a gooey blob.

Okay, so I went and got nice compost from the barn, and it is growing weeds like crazy. Sheesh it was full of worms, but I guess they didn't eat the seeds? The plants are growing well in this, and it is great on water holding as well as drainage. Beautiful rich dirt from goat bedding of manure, hay, and urine, it broke down nice, but anaerobically.

My issue is: If I combine the two, will the "compost" still heat up and get rid of those weed seeds? I mean one is dirt and the other is goo.

I have several 5 gallon buckets of wood ash so I can mellow the leaves and the sawdust in the bin. But, what a mess that all turned into... goo indeed!

To keep quantities straight, I have about half a ton of this goo on top of about 2' of leaves. And who knows how much of the "compost" I can dig out of the barn and animal runs? It is nice soil, just full of weed seeds.

I could spread that soil, water it and every time it sprouts turn it again to use them up, but is there an easier way to fix both issues?

I am seriously wondering if I should just fill that bin with leaves, hay, and wood ashes and let it set for a couple years? The old hay is completely full of seeds, that I don't want.

[Dillbert]

if it's already aged unlikely to heat up much.

sawdust in a heap takes easily 3+ years to break down depending on pile shape and how much moisture from rain/snow/etc seeps into the pile. turning & mixing will reduce the time.

dry stuff + wet goop = semi wet stuff that's likely to break down quicker. they key is being able to mix it together 'somehow'

I am the world's laziest composter - I put it in a pile, I don't worry about brown/green, I don't turn, I don't aerate.

when it looks to be ready I go get it.

[Ozark Lady]

Are we related? That is how I do it too. I do not turn compost piles. I simply clean the barn, and heap it up, then later, I rake the top and take the under stuff. The top becomes a new pile.

As close to turning compost piles as I get is moving leaves from bed to bed as I am getting ready to plant them, and turning over the hay that is on the plastic- sprouting weed seeds before I mulch with it. I guess my dirt will work that way too. Lay out plastic, put dirt on it, water it, and daily use the edges to flip the dirt... killing the seedlings, I hope. Or hey, compost tea? Lets see those weeds grow in a bag under water! ahah. And I do have fish pumps... hmm. But it was made anaerobically wonder if that will mess up the beneficial bacteria and defeat the whole thing. I still don't quite get composting, and tea etc.

I still have tons of leaves and ashes, I guess the bin will simply get piled up. Right now, it just seems, not usable for anything. Oh well, lots of other stuff that is usable. But disappointing that the hauled in "dirt" is worse than my raw dirt off of the pond. I think the clay content is just really high... Maybe I should get a potters wheel? ha ha

[gixxerific]

If it were me I would add some of that compost you have in the barn to your goo pile even the ashes. And just keep adding more material to the goo pile. You have ton's of leaves around you add some of them and maybe some grass clippings if you can muster any.

But I would just start using that as another pile to add compostables eventually it will all work it self out. It's obviously not usable now so take your time and make it usable. Though I would suggest turning the goo pile quite a bit it will break down with some help sooner or later.

Good luck.

[rkunsaw]

Now that grass is growing add grass clippings or any green material.It is the green material that heats the compost pile.Mix it with the sawdust goo or other brown stuff.If it gets hot enough it will kill most seeds.