Composting ... Lots this year

Wild Dog · Post by **Wild Dog** » Jul 27, 2007 3:36 pm

Then there are the additives from my gardens. The usual, leaves, grass, alalfa, I don't use weeds though. I get rid of them as quick as I can....

If you want the value of the weed compost put them in a bucket of water (I use a 5 gal pickle bucket) and rot them in a anaerobic way then dry them a bit and put them in the pile.

hostalady · Post by **hostalady** » Jul 28, 2007 10:31 am

Do the weeds add alot of value to the compost? I didn't even know anyone put them on compost until I read it in this post. I'm the only person I know around here that has a compost bin so I have no one to compare with.

Wild Dog · Post by **Wild Dog** » Jul 28, 2007 2:37 pm

Do the weeds add a lot of value to the compost?

Absolutely any organic matter has a value; of course weeds also have weed seed. If a compost pile reaches proper temperature then that will kill the weed seed.

What I'm talking about it is a rotting bucket that will kill the seed then add the result to the compost or just the soil. This rotting bucket is an anaerobic decomposition as opposed to the aerobic compost pile; in fact one wants to avoid allowing the compost pile to become anaerobic (absence of oxygen).

The point is kill the seed then handle the result so that it does not hurt the plants, this rotting stuff should not go directly on the soil until it has dried a bit to kill the organisms and lose its acid or basic condition.

HostaDesigner · Post by **HostaDesigner** » Aug 01, 2007 8:48 am

UPDATE:

I take back everything I said about the smell. My compost pile stinks hardcore again in these hot temperatures.

...unless someone built a new pig farm behind my house that I don't know about...

Wild Dog · Post by **Wild Dog** » Aug 01, 2007 7:37 pm

My compost pile stinks hardcore again in these hot temperatures.

If it stinks it is almost assuredly has become anaerobic, turn it to get air inside. Spread it out, again to get air throughout. When you spread it out enough to allow plenty of air it will kill the anaerobic organisms, some will change to aerobic and it starts to compost again aerobically.

I would not use it fresh when it stinks, it can burn plants severely.

Long term it will not matter.

HostaDesigner · Post by **HostaDesigner** » Aug 02, 2007 12:56 pm

Wild Dog wrote:
My compost pile stinks hardcore again in these hot temperatures.
I would not use it fresh when it stinks, it can burn plants severely.

Without a doubt. I don't apply it until fall after it completely composted. When it really starts to stink, I have a homemade 4ft auger/drill bit made out of 5/16" medal rod. I attach it to a cordless drill and plunge it into the pile 20-30 times and mix up the center and allow air to reach the core. It's pretty amazing how quickly the pile settles after I do that. Just a couple of days, and the pile can drop 3+ inches.