Into the pile I added:
-chicken poo/bedding/straw
-old rotting potato’s and onions along with some old anorobic grass pile from my grandmas
-handful of store bought worm castings
-myco grade powder gypsum
-oyster shell
-bat guano
-coco coir
-vermiculite
-gypsum
-whole oat grains
-spent mushroom growing blocks
-peat moss
-fish bone meal
-aged sheep manure
-fresh sheep manure
-dirt from grandmas garden
-lots of leaves/dried grass/bark/sticks
-old rotting apples found by the dumpster
-piss
-15 gallons spent coffee grounds
-about two cups of blood meal
-shredded paper
-cardboard chunks
-rotting particle board
-lots and lots of water from the hose
And maybe a few more ingredients that I’m forgetting. How did I do? I started it at the end of March so it’s been going about two weeks now. I turned it for the second time just today as it was 130°f for two days. When I turned it, it was a bit smelly but not bad. Some parts smelled very earthy. I think I was right on time to give it some oxygen.
Any tips or suggestions? What is my timeline like for “finished” compost?
I have a big burn pile that I could chip down with the Amazon wood chipper I just got. And I have a 55gal drum that I can make biochar in, I just need to find the time to burn all the paint off and run the wood chipper without pissing off my neighbors.
Any advice is much appreciated. I think I’m on the right track but I’m excited to learn more about this process.
by Impressive-Check-631
2 Comments
✨Absolutely Splendid✨
Looks like you have this well in hand, just a terrific balance of materials☺️
Keep turning it every few days and you should have a finished product by the end of the month (although you could def get away with using it sooner, it’s already in great shape and well on it’s way)
If you wanted, bulking it up somewhat with those chips you mentioned would make it go farther in your garden, but that’s totally up to you (as it looks like you have the right mentality when it comes to ratios)
Too moist, and not enough carbon. Mycelium indicates a wet, cooling (or not-as-hot) pile with carbon toward the surface.
Add more bulk carbon (like sticks) horizontally/vertically in the pile.
130⁰f is good you can keep it that hot for a few weeks. Should aim for ~145-155⁰f if you’re adding manure (and planning on using the compost). A pile that large should easily reach 160⁰f+.