Making a Compost Pile

[Tricky Grama]

Making a compost pile on our acreage. Don't live there so won't be able to water it but will turn it now & then when we are there.
Have more than enuf dead trees so I'm using mostly bois d'arc stacked like you do a fence...have 10' at the back & 6' each side. Front will be open for access. Not planning on doing anything to the 'floor'-should I? It's all weeds & honeysuckle.
Neighbors are more than willing to provide horse manure. We'll have lots of green stuff-clippings, etc.
Think this will work? My pile at home does fine w/neglect. And I've never had manure for it.

Patty

[Phantomfyre]

My philosophy: Compost Happens. I'd say it'll work just fine, albeit a bit slower than a carefully tended pile. I'd leave the floor alone, depending on what the weeds are... If they're something nasty/noxious/invasive that'll grow up into the pile, I might smother them with layers of cardboard and put the pile on top.

A pile of NOTHING but manure composts just fine, without turning or anything, so no worries about the manure messing up your pile. Again, it just takes a little longer if it's not turned, moisture regulated, etc.

I don't do much of anything to my piles except add to them and remove compost. I suppose someday the Compost Police will come after me because I don't use a thermometer to ensure it gets hot enough to cook weed seeds and possible pathogens and whatnot...

[laughaha]

If it's in the sun, it will compost faster. That being said, mine is in the shade and it still composts (gotta love worms) it just takes longer.

[Forerunner]

Traditional wisdom has it that compost should be in the shade.
The sun can cook nutrient value out of the mix.

I use coarse carbonacious material such as straw, wood chips or sawdust for a base when I construct a pile. That material allows greater oxygen entrapment
deep in the pile and soaks up any excess liquids (nitrogen) that might settle out as the pile is added to. Most of our compost material is animal manure already mixed liberally with bedding such as straw, wood shavings or sawdust.
The carbon nitrogen ratio seems to be close to perfect as we never have trouble with our piles generating immediate heat.
The pile should never be dry.
Ant activity is indicative of a pile that needs to be irrigated.
The material should not be soaking wet, either.
If there is a constant seep toward the bottom of the pile, you can be sure that anaerobic activity is going on and you aren't getting a good heat. Excess liquid also drives out that crucial component, oxygen.
Once the pile begins to heat, add your weeds and grass clippings, kitchen scraps, etc. If the mix begins to seem a bit rich, just layer in a few inches of sawdust or other carbonacious material. We cover our piles with a four to six inch layer of sawdust when they are complete..... to hold in moisture and heat, and to keep the sun and wind off...as well as to trap any nitrogen that might otherwise escape into the atmosphere.
If you have excess material, which is a GOOD thing, make the pile 6-7 feet high by 10-12 feet wide at the base, and trail that dimension out as long as necessary to make a long, snaking pile. Those dimensions allow for a good mass for heating, without so much weight that there is too much heat or oxygen deprivation.
We often get in too much material to be able to afford the luxury of proper pile configuration, and just mound it as high and deep as we can with the loader. It still makes good compost, but I know we are missing out on efficient oxidization. With piles 6-7 feet high, there is plenty of mass in which to bury full sized animal carcasses and expect them to be rich, black, earthy-smelling compost within 6 months. We spread the compost and pick the dry bones out of the fields as we weed over the summer.
Then we grind the bones in an old feed hammer mill and use the bone meal for all things bone meal is good for.
We try our best to wait until the finished compost has no urea or nitrogenous odor before spreading it 4-6 inches thick, twice a year, and discing it in well.
Better to err on the side of letting the material age a little longer than to spread it before it's finished breaking down.

[Tricky Grama]

Forerunner-
Wow-what great compost info! Are you a master composter? (I'm just kinda full of bs).
The pile will be in partial shade...I'm going to bring a bag of finished compost from my pile at home & throw it in. Kinda like we gals did w/sour dough bread starter.
Was just wondering if anything is done differently if you have lots of horse manure instead of mine at home w/kitchen scraps.

Patty

[Forerunner]

Adding a portion of finished compost to a new pile is exactly like enhancing new sourdough mix with a bit of starter. It speeds up the process by introducing microbes that know what they are doing.

So long as carbon/nitrogen is close and moisture level is acceptable, compost is largely compost, regardless of the specific ingredient or quantity.
That said, the pile should be created with enough mass, likely two or three pickup loads of material, to ensure proper heating.

As for my operation, I have simply taken it upon myself to convert ab out 20 acres of timber soil, sand and clay to 18 or more inches of rich blackness....
rather like rebuilding Eden from the soil, up.
We seek out materials from abroad, and haul them in by the semiload.
Our main pile currently contains 85-100 such loads of material...
manure, sawdust, wood chips, leaves, whole carcasses, etc.
Overkill is a passion with me.

[How Do I]

As for my operation, I have simply taken it upon myself to convert ab out 20 acres of timber soil, sand and clay to 18 or more inches of rich blackness....
rather like rebuilding Eden from the soil, up.
We seek out materials from abroad, and haul them in by the semiload.
Our main pile currently contains 85-100 such loads of material...
manure, sawdust, wood chips, leaves, whole carcasses, etc.
Overkill is a passion with me.

Sounds like quite an operation you have there! We use mainly leaves, horse manure and grass clippings. Wish I could get a semi load of material to get this sandy soil in shape.

[Forerunner]

Check the local sale barns and larger horse ranches, if there are any close to your location. It's amazing what the "business-minded" are willing to part with these days.

[Tricky Grama]

The 'bin' looks "Mahvelous". Took pics (w/camera w/film...didn't have the digital) So I'll post 'em when developed.

So far I threw in bark, brush clippings, Logs so decomposed you can hardly pick 'em up w/o disintegrating, my 'compost starter' from home, and dead rat that Honey the 'reagle' killed! (she must be a rat terrier & beagle mix...)

Patty

[Tricky Grama]

I hope this is the link that shows the picture...I drug all those trees & logs & stacked 'em!

Patty

[Forerunner]

Wow !

It looks like a summer paradise down there.
We're still suffering the browns and grays of winter.

I like your moist, shady location.

[Tricky Grama]

It does look lush in that pic, bad news is that its nearly all honeysuckle. Trees haven't all leafed out yet, hoping it will get a little sun thru the trees.

Patty

[EDDIE BUCK]

Originally Posted by Tricky Grama

It does look lush in that pic, bad news is that its nearly all honeysuckle. Trees haven't all leafed out yet, hoping it will get a little sun thru the trees.

Patty

Nice shady spot. Wish I had a shady spot like that near my garden. I would start a compost pile, and I believe those two trees in the front are about the right distance apart to tie a hammock. Then I would find a long stick that I could reach my compost pile while laying in the hammock and gently stir the compost while rocking back and forth as I run different things through my mind as what I need to do next and if any of those things could wait till tomorrow because this compost is in dire need of being stirred today. Eddie

[Tricky Grama]

Originally Posted by EDDIE BUCK

Nice shady spot. Wish I had a shady spot like that near my garden. I would start a compost pile, and I believe those two trees in the front are about the right distance apart to tie a hammock. Then I would find a long stick that I could reach my compost pile while laying in the hammock and gently stir the compost while rocking back and forth as I run different things through my mind as what I need to do next and if any of those things could wait till tomorrow because this compost is in dire need of being stirred today. Eddie

You're wise beyond your years, Eddie, wise...

Patty