cold weather composting?

[tricktek]

Having had success with horse manure composting / leaching this summer, I am quite curious how one might compost during colder months since I figure that I received help from the seasonal heat. I appreciate successful input to my query.

[SilvrHairDevil]

When I lived in Edmonton, it was impossible to compost because the warm season (3 months) wasn't long enough to rot the pile.

[August West]

Originally Posted by tricktek

Having had success with horse manure composting / leaching this summer, I am quite curious how one might compost during colder months since I figure that I received help from the seasonal heat. I appreciate successful input to my query.

Originally Posted by tricktek

Having had success with horse manure composting / leaching this summer, I am quite curious how one might compost during colder months since I figure that I received help from the seasonal heat. I appreciate successful input to my query.

if you're just talking about, uh, straight-up composting, you could use 'hot' methods.

there is loads on the interwebs about it if you wanna look but a lot of what i saw was pretty over-the-top.

when i've done hot composting, i generally set up an area, you prolly want at least enough room to go 3x3x3. seems that, generally, people call for something in the range of 25-30/1 carbon material vs. nitrogen. i've only ever done it 'intuitively'. i'm not really even sure if this ratio is by weight or what. it seems important though, to have a high nitrogen source. not just green plants and veg. something more like manure - any kind.

i line the area i'm going to use with sticks or some other thick (1/2" or more diameter) substance. put the sticks on the bottom and up against any side and/or back walls you have. this is for air flow - very important to have air flow. some people also poke a piece of re-bar or stick in to various points of the pile for more aeration.

i also think it's important to be able to chip your materials. fat, whole sticks just won't release their carbon as quickly as you want for hot composting. i've never done it any other way than chipping/shredding.

once you have your materials ready, just layer them in together. simple as it sounds. some carbon, then nitrogen, then carbon, nitrogen, etc. once your pile is built, you can cover it with a tarp or something. if you've built it right, it should start to heat up within 24hrs. ideally, you're looking for about 160 degrees. this allows the bacteria you're looking for to thrive while keeping the 'bad' ones out. you don't really want to be looking at any less than 140 or more than 180.

some people water their pile - i never have unless it is really dry. also, turning shouldn't be necessary that often. perhaps to bring the outside material into the middle in order to get everything composted, but you shouldn't have to do it that often. if your pile stinks real bad after a day, you probably should turn it though. also, think about mixing in some more carbon - it really shouldn't smell rancid.

okay, that's a lot of rambling, and not real specific info. also, i'm not checking it over for grammar and shit. like i said, i usually do it intuitively - which means it took me several times before i feel like i got the hang of it. but, hot composting works much, much faster than passive. and, outside temps should only marginally affect the process. you're nitrogen filled shit and nicely chipped/shredded sizes, well-mixed is how you, uh, guarantee success.

blah.

good luck

also, nice choice of sig.
tom waits is fucking outstanding!

[tricktek]

I'm only dealing with horse dookie at the present time. It is all dry and chipped/shredded so perhaps all I need is to leach it. If this is the case, then I am doing quite well. Any thoughts from a knowledgable source?

[Lazlo]

Fresh horse manure is better suited for composting, rather than dry and weathered.

[zodd]

make your self a worm bin and keep it in your house. by the end of spring you will have more poo than you can shake a stick at.

mine cost me

6 pound for the plastic containers and
10 pound for the worms.

though i live in a caravan so im not sure what to do with mine this winter. thinking about keeping it in a grean house. and hoping for the best.

[tricktek]

Originally Posted by zodd

make your self a worm bin and keep it in your house. by the end of spring you will have more poo than you can shake a stick at.

mine cost me

6 pound for the plastic containers and
10 pound for the worms.

though i live in a caravan so im not sure what to do with mine this winter. thinking about keeping it in a grean house. and hoping for the best.

6 and 10 pounds of what?

[August West]

Originally Posted by zodd

mine cost me
6 pound for the plastic containers and
10 pound for the worms.

Originally Posted by tricktek

6 and 10 pounds of what?

i should just let zodd answer
but my guess is that he/she is from somewhere in the U.K.
and you could substitute dollars or euros for pounds
?

...or pesos or whatever

[zodd]

ye august west is spot on the money. im English. I forget that most of you are Americans on here. we use grams over here, so ill have to remember that pound means something elts to you guys.

both of my wormrys cost me £16 each to set up and this was before the market crash so im guessing that that would have been roughly $14. its a great investment for any poo loving topiate.