On 1/20/05 5:51 AM, in article ,
"Janet Baraclough" wrote:

The message
from rwakeford contains these words:

On Thu, 20 Jan 2005 09:33:01 GMT, Gary wrote:

The top 1/4, which would be viewed from the top opening, had not
decomposed. From the top it would look as if nothing was happening
thus the
"It's not working" comment above. The bottom 3/4 was an amazing mix
of good
black soil.

That's very comforting news and I hope my compost turns out that way too
because the top of mine just looks plain boring! I hope it's seething
underneath too.

You can speed things up at this stage, by adding some red brandling
worms.

They will multiply fast and eat lots if the conditions are right. They
prefer to eat slimy rotten plants and need soil to digest their food. To get
them to the surface to eat what is there, the surface needs to be
covered...a rubber car floor mat works wonders...or an old dinner plate. The
one with a crack in it, is perfect.

On 1/20/05 8:29 AM, in article ,
"nambucca" wrote:


Compost fears? Don't worry just keep adding your kitchen stuff and have
faith.


What compost heaps need to really get going is a few buckets of "golden
night water "!!!
Some horse manure if you can get it from local livery stables/riding schools
they are usually happy for you to take it away

Yes adding horse, pig, chicken etc. manure will help. I add just a
sprinkling (more or less) once in a awhile.

On 1/20/05 8:30 AM, in article , "Bob Hobden"
wrote:


"Mike" wrote after "Gary" wrote ...
A lady friend of mine started composting a few years ago and
complained


Do we assume from that statement, that "nothing" had been done to it in
the
intervening years? No turning? No activator?


Probably not Mike, with these plastic compost bins (usually obtained from
your local Council) there is no need to turn them. Just keep adding your
kitchen waste (not leaves and garden refuse) and it just disappears. Started
ours on the allotment over 3 years ago and it's never reached the top yet
and neither have we taken anything out. It just eats it.
Yes, you are right but I have learned to keep the top flat and cover with a
rubber mat...or a plate and add a layer of soil now and again. After a while
you will be able to lift the plate and you will see them-the worms...

Janet Baraclough wrote:
Cows' seems far weaker than poultry,
and no stronger than horse, but possibly that's because it's more
or less uncollectible when very fresh so it's always been "mature"
when I acquired it. I've certainly put cows (dried, or frozen, into a
solid state) and sheeps straight from the field onto the garden with
no problems.


Surely it is just down to the design of the beast producing the poo.

Mammals can carry lots of excess water and vegetable bulk with no penalty.
Birds need to fly so have poo which has less bulking and is more
concentrated.

pk

On 1/20/05 8:42 AM, in article , "Bob Hobden"
wrote:


Richard wrote ..
after Janet wrote:

You can speed things up at this stage, by adding some red brandling
worms.

Gosh, learn something new every day. On the subject of worms I
rotorvated and manured my vegetable garden but I have only seen one
single solitary worm in the whole patch which is a good 30X30 yards. A
bit worrying!
--

Brandlings are found in warm manure heaps.

We also had no worms when we took over our largest allotment after it hadn't
been used for 20+ years, a few years of manure and compost and it's a
different story. Even worms can't live without food.
Yes, use manure whenever possible. Manures will definitely feed the worms
and they will love you for it! I try to compost the manure I use and I keep
it covered (out of the rain).

On 1/20/05 8:54 AM, in article , "Kay"
wrote:

In article , Janet Baraclough
writes
The message
from rwakeford contains these words:

On Thu, 20 Jan 2005 09:33:01 GMT, Gary wrote:

The top 1/4, which would be viewed from the top opening, had not
decomposed. From the top it would look as if nothing was happening
thus the
"It's not working" comment above. The bottom 3/4 was an amazing mix
of good
black soil.

That's very comforting news and I hope my compost turns out that way too
because the top of mine just looks plain boring! I hope it's seething
underneath too.

You can speed things up at this stage, by adding some red brandling
worms. Buy them from a fishing bait shop (they aren't the earth=worms
you dig from soil). They will multiply fast, and break down the compost
even more.

But shouldn't there already be some in there? (I missed the start of
this thread) They breed so fast that there's no point in buying.

Good point-why buy them when you can grow your own. Buying them would be a
fast way to get them started but the conditions must be right if they are to
eat anything and multiply. Rotten (mushy) vegetation and soil (gritty sand)
is what they need to do both-eat and multiply.

On 1/20/05 9:47 AM, in article ,
"rwakeford" wrote:

On Thu, 20 Jan 2005 16:32:24 +0000 (UTC), nambucca wrote:

Is horse manure better than cows then?
If horse manure is available then it is better than cow manure...on the
other hand if cow manure is available...
Both are good.

On Fri, 21 Jan 2005 19:20:34 GMT, Gary wrote:

Do you keep your compost pile covered? I.E. Out of the rain?

Simple answer, yes. My plastic composter has a lift up lid.
--
Richard 21/01/2005 22:39:43

On Fri, 21 Jan 2005 19:16:59 GMT, Gary wrote:

Keep the top level

I do that already

and add a layer of soil now and again...

but not that as yet.


--
Richard 21/01/2005 22:42:40

In article ,
rwakeford wrote:
On Fri, 21 Jan 2005 19:20:34 GMT, Gary wrote:

Do you keep your compost pile covered? I.E. Out of the rain?

Simple answer, yes. My plastic composter has a lift up lid.

No, and it has problems with dryness even so. But it is an open heap
held in by wire mesh.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On 1/22/05 5:56 AM, in article , "Nick
Maclaren" wrote:

In article ,
rwakeford wrote:
On Fri, 21 Jan 2005 19:20:34 GMT, Gary wrote:

Do you keep your compost pile covered? I.E. Out of the rain?

Simple answer, yes. My plastic composter has a lift up lid.

No, and it has problems with dryness even so. But it is an open heap
held in by wire mesh.

Is the top flat? If it has a 'hill' the water will just run off. If the top
is flat and your pile is dry then loosening the surface may allow water to
soak in. Or your pile is really dry and no wicking action is possible and
the water will just run off.

In article ,
Gary wrote:

Do you keep your compost pile covered? I.E. Out of the rain?

Simple answer, yes. My plastic composter has a lift up lid.

No, and it has problems with dryness even so. But it is an open heap
held in by wire mesh.

Is the top flat? If it has a 'hill' the water will just run off. If the top
is flat and your pile is dry then loosening the surface may allow water to
soak in. Or your pile is really dry and no wicking action is possible and
the water will just run off.

Yup. I try to make it dished, to catch the rain :-)

This is in a place with an average of 23" of rain a year. In the
west, with double that, I might not do the same.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On 1/22/05 11:16 AM, in article , "Nick
Maclaren" wrote:

In article ,
Gary wrote:

Do you keep your compost pile covered? I.E. Out of the rain?

Simple answer, yes. My plastic composter has a lift up lid.

No, and it has problems with dryness even so. But it is an open heap
held in by wire mesh.

Is the top flat? If it has a 'hill' the water will just run off. If the top
is flat and your pile is dry then loosening the surface may allow water to
soak in. Or your pile is really dry and no wicking action is possible and
the water will just run off.

Yup. I try to make it dished, to catch the rain :-)
This is in a place with an average of 23" of rain a year. In the
west, with double that, I might not do the same.

You could try putting a rubber cover on top, in the dished part, with drain
holes in the centre. The holes let the water seep in and the cover will
prevent the moisture from evaporating. I tried using burlap but it rotted
away in a very short time; it also let the moisture evaporate. The more you
can keep the pile covered the more moisture will be retained.
Source of rubber? An old pool liner; an old car mat; a rug with a rubber
base. I like a heavy type cover so that it does not get blown off the pile.

In article , Janet Baraclough
writes

I have
to bag horse manure a mile away and transport it, slightly less
convenient.

Not by bike I hope

--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

"Mike" wrote in message
...
"Gary" wrote in message
...
A lady friend of mine started composting a few years ago and
complained


Do we assume from that statement, that "nothing" had been done to it in
the
intervening years? No turning? No activator?

I never turn mine, it's too big to worry about, but after a cuple of years
of ignoring it, it rewards me with beautiful compost.

--
alan

reply to alan(dot)holmes27(at)virgin(dot)net