Based on how slow that's decomposing (but it IS decomposing), my first guess is maybe it's too dry? A good mix and some moisture might kick start things again.
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Based on how slow that's decomposing (but it IS decomposing), my first guess is maybe it's too dry? A good mix and some moisture might kick start things again.
Everything except the outer inch or so is actually damp - or was at least, at the time I opened it up. It was hot and sunny today so may have dried it out more, but it'll get soaked again in the near future. I live in a really wet area and none of my other piles have behaved like this one including another that was literally right next to it and ignored by me to the same degree, so I doubt the main issue is moisture.If you want to put the time and effort into an active compost bin, then you want to keep it at that wrung out sponge moisture level.
I'm going to scoop this one up and dump it in the forest at some point in the near future.
I live in a really wet area and none of my other piles have behaved like this one including another that was literally right next to it and ignored by me to the same degree, so I doubt the main issue is moisture.
At the risk of an absurd question, is it possible that something bad somehow ended up in that first pile that has been stopping bacteria and bugs from colonizing it? My other two piles are very lively if I dig into them whereas the first one seems determined to be dead.
I don't think it can be different phases responsible for the issues with my problem pile. One of my newer piles is quite a bit further along with more brown crumbly stuff in the middle than the problem pile has. The bugs thing is another good point though; both my other two piles have critters when I poke at them if the ambient temperatures are warm enough. One of those other two piles is using a very similar HWC-type enclosure too. However, the problem pile has no visible bugs/worms and never really had any in the past either. Most life I've seen on it was the dandelion that sprouted in the middle recently (thus prompting me to open it and find out what had changed).Looking back at your first post, I'm wondering if you are seeing these compost piles at different stages of the process. You would expect a new compost pile with a good mix of greens, carbon, and water heat up in a few days and probably kill off all the bugs due to the high heat. After it cools down, then bugs will return, unless you mix up everything once again and restart the process with additional water.
The bugs thing is another good point though; both my other two piles have critters when I poke at them if the ambient temperatures are warm enough. One of those other two piles is using a very similar HWC-type enclosure too. However, the problem pile has no visible bugs/worms and never really had any in the past either.