And sometimes some helpful re-direction.
My lazy man's composting style has mostly been, [get what is easily available, blend the ingredients, and then wait until it is ready, with very little turning or maintenance.] Over the winter I've been reading these threads regarding the balance of greens to browns, for an efficient compost pile that generates adequate heat. Have also read comments related to turning schedules.
My compost, except during the summer, has generally consisted of most all browns, leaves, aged manure, used potting soil or compost. After reading many of your comments decided to start managing the pile more regularly so for the past few weeks have been gradually turning one pile by blending into another bin with fresh ingredients. That process seems to be blending the manure and old compost/soil mix in closer contact with the season's fresh batch of leaves. But it still left me with the problem of nearly 100% browns.
Here in S.C. we have lots of winter hearty weeds that grow lush green top growth throughout the winter and then quickly go to seed in the spring. Those weeds have really bothered me, and I've really had to motivate myself to attend to them during the garden off season. A few weeks ago, a couple of beds could no longer be neglected, the weeds were out performing the collards. So I weeded for an hour or longer that day and tossed the weeds aside. Then the thought hit, why not go ahead and turn another layer of the compost today, and incorporate the pulled weeds. When re-layering it looked so nice, having the full surface covered with a lush layer of greens which were then covered with the next layer of browns. That is where the attitude shift took place. The pesky green weeds quit being weeds. Instead they became a wonderful volunteer crop, which can be harvested to give layers of green material to the compost pile. Now when walking the garden, I'm inspecting those volunteer plants, eagerly awaiting their harvest and addition to the compost pile. The task is no longer "weeding" but is rather harvest and use of a valuable product, and in fact one that requires no planting, no maintenance or care. Just harvest the crop when a new layer of greens is needed in the compost bin.
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hendi_alex
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 3604
- Joined: Sun Jul 06, 2008 7:58 am
- Location: Central Sand Hills South Carolina
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rot
- Greener Thumb
- Posts: 728
- Joined: Wed Sep 24, 2008 1:15 am
- Location: Ventura County, CA, Sunset 23
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I think you want to make sure you harvest those weeds before they flower. A lot of weeds once flowered, will still go to seed after harvest. Then they grow real well in a compost mulch. Of course, pulling weeds out of well mulched beds is easier than otherwise.
If you are managing to get good heat out of your piles or bins, that will kill most seeds. Turning will become necessary to mix the seeds from the outside, cooler, part of the bin into the hot center that will kill the seeds.
So turning brings in air, brings in better contact your mix of ingredients and, brings from the outside to the inside those things that need heat treatment. Hot composting is a quicker process but requires more labor.
I have found cause to keep some cool slow bins and some hot ones.
Grass clippings and horse manure are greens you might be able to get your hands on readily enough from neighbors. Coffee grounds can serve as a green but they tend to smother so I'd discount those.
The worms will move away from the heat and return once the hot part is done.
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I think you want to make sure you harvest those weeds before they flower. A lot of weeds once flowered, will still go to seed after harvest. Then they grow real well in a compost mulch. Of course, pulling weeds out of well mulched beds is easier than otherwise.
If you are managing to get good heat out of your piles or bins, that will kill most seeds. Turning will become necessary to mix the seeds from the outside, cooler, part of the bin into the hot center that will kill the seeds.
So turning brings in air, brings in better contact your mix of ingredients and, brings from the outside to the inside those things that need heat treatment. Hot composting is a quicker process but requires more labor.
I have found cause to keep some cool slow bins and some hot ones.
Grass clippings and horse manure are greens you might be able to get your hands on readily enough from neighbors. Coffee grounds can serve as a green but they tend to smother so I'd discount those.
The worms will move away from the heat and return once the hot part is done.
..
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MagnoliaMan
- Cool Member
- Posts: 69
- Joined: Tue Nov 18, 2008 4:15 pm
I have a lazy composting style, too. My method takes two years to cook down to a finished product, and I don't worry about browns and greens. What we are really talking about is the carbon/nitrogen ratio needed to help the micorrhizae to do their job. I know that I'm going to get hammered by you “organicâ€
We have alot of semishaded/open woodland on the property and in the late spring while the soil is still soft I can easily pull up piles and piles of mustard, thistel, etc. (before it goes to seed). As a "Green" the weeds are much better than grass clippings because of high water and nitrogen content, but unfortunately they are out of season with my major input of browns (fall leaves), so I end up using them as garden mulch/lasagna topping.