Hot composting with chicken bedding and garden waste

[lazy gardener]

 

[adventerousone]

Took the tarp off this morning to mix my pile and it was letting off some awesome steam ) mixed it added more chicken poo and dried leaves then recovered it ... getting rain today so hopefully the tarp will keep some of it out.

 

[vehve]

Took the tarp off this morning to mix my pile and it was letting off some awesome steam ) mixed it added more chicken poo and dried leaves then recovered it ... getting rain today so hopefully the tarp will keep some of it out.

You are now entering the addiction phase of your composting. This is the point after which your husband won't be able to change your mind in any way anymore. To feed your addiction, purchase a thermometer with which you can measure the core temperature (a meat thermometer works, or then something designed for gardening/composting). You can also stick a metal rod in the pile and feel it for the temperature. Have you done the squeeze test to see if the moisture is ok? Although if it's started cooking, it probably is.

 

[Lacy Blues]

This is a topic I am quite interested in. I haven't started to read yet but have looked at all the pics. Hopefully, it's not too labor intensive as my back cannot handle much of that.

Just wanted to subscribe for now. I'll start reading later.

 

[vehve]

This is a topic I am quite interested in. I haven't started to read yet but have looked at all the pics. Hopefully, it's not too labor intensive as my back cannot handle much of that.

Just wanted to subscribe for now. I'll start reading later.

Welcome, hopefully you'll enjoy the thread. My method is a bit labor intensive, but it would work with a lot less turning as well - it only makes it take a bit longer. If using a pitchfork is awkward for you, there are compost turning tools available as well, which I think might be a bit easier on the back.

This one is made by a Finnish company, Biolan. I'm sure there are similar models available worldwide from different manufacturers.

When pushing it down, the head folds back to go in easily, when pulling up, the hooks fold back out, pulling up matter from the bottom. You just work it up and down in the compost. I haven't tried one myself, but it should work pretty nicely.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Something like that on a shovel handle could be the way to go. Thank you. I'll check into them.

 

[gjensen]

This is a topic I am quite interested in. I haven't started to read yet but have looked at all the pics. Hopefully, it's not too labor intensive as my back cannot handle much of that.

Just wanted to subscribe for now. I'll start reading later.

I like to hot compost my poultry bedding to "clean it".

BUT, hot composting is not necessary to composting. It is only a faster way to accomplish it wit the added benefit of some killed weed seeds, and misc.

Tilling it in a season ahead is effective. Trenching it. Or just letting it compost with time, which their is nothing wrong with. As long as it is kept moist.

My point is that with physical limitations, hot composting is not necessary to enjoy the benefits that composting has to offer.

I have enjoyed hot composting for 20 years, and it can become a hobby of it's own. I actually enjoyed flipping my piles. I am concerned that with my health, I will not be able to do it as I had. That does not mean that composting is out of the picture, however.

 

[lazy gardener]

I'm pretty much a pile-it composter. also so a fair amount of trenching, and lasagna building. I do have a little compost drum affair that is supposed to turn out finished compost in 2 weeks if you spin it daily. I find that it does not work any faster, and probably not as fast as my pile-it method because it is too small.

 

[adventerousone]

I have learned so much from this posting I am looking forward to using my compost in my garden

 

[gjensen]

I'm pretty much a pile-it composter. also so a fair amount of trenching, and lasagna building. I do have a little compost drum affair that is supposed to turn out finished compost in 2 weeks if you spin it daily. I find that it does not work any faster, and probably not as fast as my pile-it method because it is too small.

I was always a pile it hot composter. As it began to cool, I would flip it with a fork. I as always too ambitious with volume to use bins.

I did not like small piles. I did not feel like they had enough thermal mass. I never had them less than 5' x 5' x 4' high. Usually they started around 6' x 6' x 5' high.