composting 101

[strollingbones]

i keep reading about composting...i keep attempting to do it....i have small success but with the expansion of garden...i need larger success...carbons are no problem..nitrogen...is a bitch...all the current articles say not to use animal manure....i know you never use dog or cat litter but i thought you could use cow, chicken or horse....

so what do you use for nitrogen for your compost?

any worm farmers out there?

 

[del]

i keep reading about composting...i keep attempting to do it....i have small success but with the expansion of garden...i need larger success...carbons are no problem..nitrogen...is a bitch...all the current articles say not to use animal manure....i know you never use dog or cat litter but i thought you could use cow, chicken or horse....

so what do you use for nitrogen for your compost?

any worm farmers out there?

you can use cow, chicken and horse.
fresh chicken will burn the plants though, so you have to let it age, or mix it with peat mossand not put it close to new plants.. the key to composting is to turn the pile frequently so it breaks down faster and more evenly. clover is a great source of nitrogen as well. don't you have beehives? clover makes great honey, too.

 

[strollingbones]

new articles say no animal manure....our winter cover crop didnt do well...

 

[strollingbones]

i am thinking about worm farming lol...

 

[editec]

AGED cow manure is great.

Fresh it's too hot to use.

Kitchen garbage is also great but be sure not to use any animal waste except maybe eggshells.

If you want to speed up the process, turn you compost frequently and water it occassionally.

Add hay to it if you're using a lot of manure, too.

YOu can buy composting barrels that you can turn and they'll turn garbage into excellent compost in less than a month.

Anything that's a plant is potential compost, but be careful what weeds you put into it because some of their seeds will survive the composting and then you'll be feeding and WEEDING your gardens at the same time.

 

[del]

AGED cow manure is great.

Fresh it's too hot to use.

Kitchen garbage is also great but be sure not to use any animal waste except maybe eggshells.

If you want to speed up the process, turn you compost frequently and water it occassionally.

Add hay to it if you're using a lot of manure, too.

YOu can buy composting barrels that you can turn and they'll turn garbage into excellent compost in less than a month.

Anything that's a plant is potential compost, but be careful what weeds you put into it because some of their seeds will survive the composting and then you'll be feeding and WEEDING your gardens at the same time.

good points, especially re:weeds and seeds.

 

[alan1]

When I was a kid we used manure from chickens, goats, sheep and hogs. Mixed with plenty of plant material. Turned it frequently, and aged it for probably 2 years before using it on the garden. The worms found their own way into the compost.