Winter Composting Methods

[macsonParticipant]

Hi Charles and Forum Members,
I’d like to share some of my new (to me) compost methods and ask for comments and advice. I’ve always been a bit of a compost nut, and I’ve been told I should get out more, so I do …. into the garden. I’m having a lot of success so far with my latest compost heap built in the middle of January. I always collect all ingredients and then build the heap all at once. These are my ingredients:-
10 large bags old bedding from small furry animals (mostly hay, straw and Colehay Horse Flax bedding)
1 dustbin of kitchen waste and lots of coffee grounds
2 dustbins of garden waste
1 barrow load of old compost
4 large bags of shredded paper and cardboard (I have a good source for cardboard)
3kg of Rock Dust
Plenty of water
I have used a heavy duty paper shredder on the cardboard and paper, so this makes very small pieces. Temperature started at 12c and after 3 days it was 60c in the middle when it was -2c outside. It is now 74c after 4 days.
The compost bin is made from 3 pallets screwed together with removeable planks at the front for access. I have had problems in the past with bindweed growing up through the ground into the heap, so I now have thick plastic enclosing the inside and this successfully stops any unwanted growth into the bin. Worms are abundant when it has cooled down encouraged by me adding worms from my wormery. The sides of the pallets are insulated with strong bags full of fibre glass loft insulation. All made with stuff lying around in the garage! I put carpet on top of the heap for insulation and tarpaulin over that to keep out the rain. During the summer I use grass as the main activator, but during the winter, it is mainly the coffee grounds that do the job for me. This is the first time I have added rock dust.

I would love to have comments and advice on the following please:

Shredding cardboard for the compost heap.
Insulating the compost bin.
Using rock dust to help activation
Temperature 74c – Is this too hot?
I usually turn the heap every couple of days after day 5. Do I need to do this?

Sorry this is so long …. I’d love to hear about other people’s compost adventures!

[VintherParticipant]

Hi Mascon,

Your message is very interesting. I build a compost heep in early december using alternate layers og green and brown, and i was hoping for a lovely supply of compost in the spring/early summer. However, i just checked the middle temperature yesterday, and it was disapointingly only +10c above ambient temperature (currently 3-5 deg during the day and minus 3-5 in the night). The matarial was moist when i build the compost, so i didn’t add any water. The compost container is only about 75×75+75 so mayby that is the problem. It is made of wooden boards with with air cracks, and i have covered it inside with cardboard to exclude any light, and PE on top to keep the rain out.

When you build you compost, did you mix all the mateials evenly before adding to the compost, or added it in layers?

Regards
Erik

[macsonParticipant]

Hi Erik,
Thanks for your reply. I have 3 compost bins and they are about 1.2m X 1.2m X 1m. I usually wait until I have enough ingredients to fill a bin. I keep the green and brown ingredients separate until ready to build. I usually build the heap by simply adding the ingredients gradually and mixing thoroughly as I go. It takes a while, but I think it is worth it and gives me good exercise! I always need to add plenty of water as my brown ingredients are totally dry. I think it is very important to make sure the heap is wet enough. Take a look at Charles’s Youtube videos on composting. Very interesting. Also bear in mind that my compost heap was only started 5 days ago. As your one was started 4-5 weeks ago, I would expect it to have cooled down a bit by now.
Was it hotter when you started it?

[RonParticipant]

Hi!
Hope you won’t mind this input to your discussion, I find making compost easier than digging and generally it’s rewarding. Please take a look at the photos from the following link, I’ll be interested to hear your thoughts….
https://t.co/DiHs29Wjgc

[VintherParticipant]

@mascon,

Thanks, I have watched Charles’ video on composting – several times actually. Charles is such a wealth of information and his videos are so informative and inspirational, and I did try to build my compost according to his recommendation. One fact I have overlooked is – as you pointed out – is that the heap cools down after some time, so I hope this is the case with my compost. I only recently acquired a 50 cm soil thermometer so I don’t know what the initial temperature was. Maybe I should turn the heap now that 4-5 weeks have passed?

Erik

[VintherParticipant]

@Ron,

Of course your input is welcome. Your two beds look really nice. Did you make the beds on top of the lawn or was the grounds clear beforehand? Your open compost heap I expect will produce fine compost as well. I prefer a wooden frame around my compost and covering it inside with cardboard – as you rustic one – to exclude all light.

Erik

[VintherParticipant]

@mascon,

My memory may fail me, but as i recall from Charles’ video on compsting, temperatures between 60c and 75c is perfect. Above 60c to kill weed seeds and below 75c to prevent killing off the good micro life in the compost.

Erik

[macsonParticipant]

Hi Ron,
Very impressive. Isn’t it amazing that we take all sorts of stuff that other people just throw away, just put it all in a pile and let nature do the work. You can spend a lot of time building compost heaps, but the simplest ways are often the best. I love the look of your compost pen. A nice big area to work with. What part of the world are you in? I am in the South of England, just north of Portsmouth.
Macson

[RonParticipant]

Good Morning Vinther and Macson and thank you both for your comments of my posts.

The rustic compost bed was made on my allotment, it was on an area about 13ft x 13ft which had not been cultivated for several years except for some old Raspberry canes it was mainly laid to rough grass that was cut about twice a year. I initially removed the raspberries and covered the ground for about six months with thick cardboard. I’ve found old bike boxes are best for this, then laid wood chips over the top. So by the time the compost bed was built the underlying grass had well gone.

I’m in Bristol and have found that cycle shops are only too willing to give their old boxes away.
Regards.
Ron.

[john boxallParticipant]

I suppose with chickens I am never short of material, but having sen all the trouble some people seem to get/make for themselves, I find a good old fashion ‘3 bay’ system which seems to attract plenty of worms does the job even if it can take about a year start to finish & do little in winter

Chuck in whatever you have got chuck it into the 2nd bin when the first is full – job done

My 3rd bin though is about twice the size of the other two so it gets plenty of time to mature

[Author]

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