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Springfield, Missouri

My friend and I are going to grow together this year and are getting a new patch. We are putting up fencing around the patch to keep things out. We will also have a section of the patch where we will compost. We are trying to think of things that will keep the compost insulated durring the winter and that will keep it in its area. We were thinking about ply wood but will it toxify the compost with the chemicals and the wood or will it not matter? Should we just use wire fencing and not insulate, or is there somthing better. We are also trying to keep cost down and right now we figure the ply wood will cost 1.63 for a foot long by four foot high.

11/16/2008 2:15:05 AM

Bloomington, IN

couldn't you just cover it with dirt?

11/16/2008 2:37:58 AM

Rhode Island

personally heres my take on compost piles logan

raw composted materials need to be turned or have air introduced into the pile in xome fashion to be effective.
i turned our pile of hay,raw chicken and raw cow,with the tractor once a month from last fall into this fall.

once the pile becomes frozen this winter and you cant work it ? i would cover the pile with a large tarp to help hold in some heat. eventually most of the pile depending on size will freeze

in early spring start turning pile again.

if you live in a residential area? make a small compost bin or closure out of pallets connected in a box pattern. put compost materials in and go from there . either way you need to turn the pile or force a steel rob into the pile weekly aslong as weather permits allowiung air into the pile.

hope this helps

pap

11/16/2008 7:06:30 AM

Paradise Mountain, New York

The biggest factor is the size of the compost pile. Last year in November, I made a compost pile 12x7x32. Yes that was just a hair under 100 cubic yards. Every now an then I kept checking the temp. Just before Spring it was still cooking at 60. I have a big pile going right now I started this fall. The pile is round and tall.I'd say looking at it right now it's cooked down to a pile about 20-25 cubic yards. Two weeks ago I mixed up 30-10-10, 2 gallons of molasses, a galloon of left over seaweed/fish with about two hundred gallons of water and sprayed thw whole pile. I checked the temp. This past friday and it was back up to 140.I'll let it cook to Spring then I'll turn it over and use it in the Fall.

11/16/2008 7:41:39 AM

Columbus,ohio

Wire would be good because it would keep the pile by airating it....but I am not sure

11/16/2008 8:51:02 AM