Viewing post #836532 by RickCorey

You are viewing a single post made by RickCorey in the thread called keeping a compost heap airy.
Image
Apr 23, 2015 6:37 PM CST
Name: Rick Corey
Everett WA 98204 (Zone 8a)
Sunset Zone 5. Koppen Csb. Eco 2f
Frugal Gardener Garden Procrastinator I helped beta test the first seed swap Plant and/or Seed Trader Seed Starter Region: Pacific Northwest
Photo Contest Winner: 2014 Avid Green Pages Reviewer Garden Ideas: Master Level Garden Sages I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! I helped plan and beta test the plant database.
I agree about NOT using Styrofoam, other plastics or rocks. Plastics can break down and let soluble chemicals leach out.

Thin twigs are great. I usually have some green stems that are stiff enough to help preserve air channels if I turn or even just "fork it" a bit.

I can also push a long-bladed trenching spade ("Sharpshooter spade"?) in all the way (around 16") and then lever the spade up and down to create gaps.

Since you keep saying "soggy", and that usually means very anaerobic, I would urge you to drape something loosely OVER the pile to make the rain run off. You don't want to wrap the heap in plastic - that would keep air out all by itself. Something more like a tent with open ends would be good.

If your rainy season will be over soon, that's another way to change it from a nasty fermenting mess to an aerobic COMPOSTING heap. Just be sure, once it gets dry enough to be CAPABLE of becoming aerobic, to poke holes or turn it once to break it up. And it has to stay damp enough in the dry season that "good" fungus species can thrive and EAT the bad, anerobic organisms that have taken over.

And, once it is draining and aerated, any water that flushes through the pile and EXITS will flush away most of the toxins.

That bin is as gorgeous as your beds! I think you made a great-looking garden even before you got the plants planted.

« Return to the thread "keeping a compost heap airy"
« Return to Ask a Question forum
« Return to the Garden.org homepage

Member Login:

( No account? Join now! )

Today's site banner is by RootedInDirt and is called "Botanical Gardens"

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.