DIY Composting

[FreshHappyEggs]

This might be a dumb question, but I have never composted before. Is it a bad idea to compost weeds? Will the weed seeds get planted in my garden?
I am wanting to start a compost pile. So far I have tons of leaves still on the ground from last fall, a bucket of chicken poop and last years dead annual flowers. And weeds of course. Oh and there will be plenty of coffee grounds. What else do I need to get it started?

 

[wyoDreamer]

Composting weeds should be fine. You will want to make sure your pile gets hot, then it will kill the weed seeds. You should be able to dig into the center of the compost pile and feel the warmth. I actually have a long thermometer made for testing the temperature at the center of the compost pile.
On a cold morning, you can see teh steam coming off of it.

 

[FreshHappyEggs]

Composting weeds should be fine.  You will want to make sure your pile gets hot, then it will kill the weed seeds.  You should be able to dig into the center of the compost pile and feel the warmth.  I actually have a long thermometer made for testing the temperature at the center of the compost pile.
On a cold morning, you can see teh steam coming off of it.

Great, thank you!

 

[Liberty Nursery]

I love composting threads. The entire reason why I bought chickens was so I could compost their manure for my nursery. So far it looks like chicken feed and bedding material are a lot cheaper than buying soil. More than half of my bedding material I pick up for free as the city folks here just dump their yard waste on the curb.

 

[Life is Good!]

Question:
Our compost beds seem to be too cold. Materials put in last fall have not yet decomposed.

Any ideas how to get it 'hotter'?

Thanks!

 

[acemario]

Have you tried putting a black tarp over the piles? It acts as a heat conductor and a greenhouse effect on the compost... maybe this could work!

 

[Life is Good!]

Have you tried putting a black tarp over the piles? It acts as a heat conductor and a greenhouse effect on the compost... maybe this could work!

I'm willing to give it a try. I put in bedding material, weeds and some leaves last November - added kitchen scraps daily as created...and now, end of May, it's not yet composted? We had a wet, wet winter/spring - so I know it's been watered enough (thanks God!). But it just doesn't seem 'hot' at all.

BTW, I'm not new to composting - have had piles since 1997 - some got hot, others not....I just don't understand why, when they're all together, all have the same composition in them and are all tended the same way (minimal). Curious stuff!

 

[acemario]

I'm willing to give it a try. I put in bedding material, weeds and some leaves last November - added kitchen scraps daily as created...and now, end of May, it's not yet composted? We had a wet, wet winter/spring - so I know it's been watered enough (thanks God!). But it just doesn't seem 'hot' at all.

BTW, I'm not new to composting - have had piles since 1997 - some got hot, others not....I just don't understand why, when they're all together, all have the same composition in them and are all tended the same way (minimal). Curious stuff!

Very! I guess you never know what you're going to get! gotta love mother nature.

 

[tigertusk]

I have some questions because I have never composted before.
I read one post where they used a large outdoor plastic garbage can with the bottom cut out and put directly onto ground. No turning, etc. My questions are:
I live in south Texas and so it is very hot and dry (but humid go figure) and now I am scared of the potential for FIRE. I could water it but not every day.
What about FIREANTS? Nobody addresses this, maybe it is not a widespread problem, but here, it looks like I would have millions if new nasty pets. What if I put layers of diatomaceous earth? Will that not hurt the worms? Can I mail order worms? Bait stores here are for salt water.

Anf

 

[meganluvsanimal]

how do you know how much water to add?