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What does everyone do to get there NEW compost pile cooking through the winter????? my compost pile is not heating up very quick(Its not heating up at all). I need as much help as possible. Thanks so much!!!

Martin

12/11/2008 10:17:54 AM

South East

You could add some fresh horse manure. Bloodmeal, bonemeal.
And if all that dont work a bit of urea. (without going crazy)

12/11/2008 10:49:51 AM

Www.extremepumpkinstore.com

Alfalfa pellets will have it hot in 2 days, layer 6-12 inches of compost with a thin layer of pellets, wet it down and continue until you have a 3 x 3 pile or so (just big enough that you can turn it over without busting your back. Within 2 days it will be hot, by 3-4 days...it'll be smoking.

12/11/2008 11:00:35 AM

anything else???????

12/11/2008 12:25:55 PM

so how much alfalfa pellets should I use for 4 2 cubic yard piles of compost?

12/11/2008 12:27:22 PM

[email protected]

Molasses bath to feed the little critters..

12/11/2008 12:46:15 PM

[email protected]

Matin, I see the main issue as having 4 2 cubic yard piles, If you had 1 8 cubic yard pile it would probably be cooking right now. The reduced sunlight, and the cold will be tough for you to get it cooking, unless you combine the piles. and do as Tom suggested.

12/11/2008 2:06:48 PM

So i should make 1 big pile and do what Tom, Rock and tina/frank said? also how much alfalfa meal would I need???
Thanks guys!

12/11/2008 2:09:28 PM

[email protected]

Martin, again everyone has an opinion, all good, Just don't add tooo much new stuff, because you'll be almost starting over, In my opinion, the mollasses and Alfalfa pellets are good additives, But what works for me, may not work for you, climate being the biggest factor.
Eddy

12/11/2008 3:00:52 PM

Pocatello ([email protected])

I like to add urea to my piles, but I have to do it under cover of darkness.

12/11/2008 3:20:06 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

adding the food is great...also a box of compost accelerator to start the colonies.

12/11/2008 3:35:53 PM

Team Munson

1 - 50# bag of pellets should do it and 10#'s of Urea for back up. You should also turn it at least 2 times a month if not once a week.

If that doesn't work ammonium nitrate and 2 yards of straight chicken manure will get it's attention.

12/11/2008 3:55:04 PM

Taber, Alberta

I use coffee grounds. It heats up pretty good if it's not too cold.

12/11/2008 7:11:57 PM

Hot West Tennessee

nitro = green , blood meal , alfalfa pellets, manure,
make sure pile is moist give it a couple days. good composting.

12/11/2008 10:56:52 PM

Nikiski, Alaska 99635

Icemans right, size matters especially in the winter. Once you have a monster pile going it will generate its climate and ecosystem. Final thing I do before winter sets in and the snow falls, is rake up as many birch, aspen and cottonwood leaves as I can. Usually I cover the whole mound with a cover of 1ft of leaves. This is done primarily for insulation and food for next summer. Once the snow covers the pile it is well insulated and ready for the long winter. I must add, this pile is 28 years old and about 8 cubic yards in size.

12/11/2008 11:51:21 PM

Deer Park, WI

FYI, the microbes needed to initiate the first stages of composting generally need about 60 degree airtemp to get rolling.

12/12/2008 6:04:56 PM

Minnesota

I have a splendidly bad idea,,,why not build a fire, get some coals going, throw on all your pile of compost, now you have a hot compost pile jump started, and at the same time your adding ash to the compost. (and the fire will go out)

12/13/2008 12:46:23 AM

Seattle, WA

Make sure you balance your carbon to nitrogen inputs, as this is what allows the organisms to get going. Google "compost calculator" and you'll get some websites taht will allow you to put your inputs in and find out what your C:N ratios are. I agree, size does make a difference in this regard, along with good aeration. You can always spray it with compost tea too as a way of adding more beneficial microbes into the mix. Make sure to get a compost thermometer, as you don't want to let it get too hot, as you'll begin losing beneficials as well (I think the temp. is 160F, but I'm doing this off the top of my head).

~Tad

12/15/2008 2:26:10 PM