Getting the balance of compost input materials right……

[RhysParticipant]

Hi

I’m just starting to build a new compost heap at a time when we have plenty of everything but vegetable/food waste.

Lots of:
1. 6 month old horse manure.
2. Grass cuttings as we already need to start mowing due to the warmth.
3. Wet leaves from last season.
4. Newspapers.
5. Cardboard.
6. Comfrey Leaves, Yarrow, nettles.

In theory, there will also be lots of daffodil and other flower waste, but I”m not sure of whether that’s suitable for vegetable compost?

We do have two medium-sized green bins which are rotting down kitchen waste etc, but they probably won’t be ready to mix with the above until September in order to avoid rats etc.

I suspect that the 70cm * 70cm * 70cm area will be full with the above in layers by the end of April or early May.

Will it be necessary to incorporate remains of bean/potato/tomato haulms etc etc later on to get a good compost, or would the above combination be sufficient if left to rot for 2 years??

Thoughts appreciated…….

[charlesModerator]

 If around 50-70% green (2&6) and 30-50% (the rest) brown, that sounds a good combination and I don’t see you needing to add anything else, also it should be usable by next winter, especially if turned once, an option to improve quality. It will become quite warm from all being assembled within a month.

[RhysParticipant]

Really appreciate that – now I can think about building five or six that size this summer, which will be sufficient to cover our garden each year, allowing for spaces where no treatment is necessary in the rotation.

[peatParticipant]

It’s always been advised to build a compost heap with a minimum size of 1 metre by 1 metre. This helps to retain heat better.

[charlesModerator]

 you can make lovely compost without significant heat, it is just slower, and there are more fungi. This way he is assembling it quickly and that will speed decomposition.

[Author]

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