Re: Compost
Yes, so mixing it up is a great idea -- especially break up clumps of manure and get it distributed throughout. You need a corral to keep it in which you can make out of inexpensive garden fencing or rails (scrap wood) and stakes. The sides of the corral should "breathe". The level of this corral should be slightly raised so it will drain after a rain. And if it drains towards a garden area, all the better. A rectangle is a good shape. You will want it to be larger than the amount you are composting. You can mix your materials in it. Pile them up so that about 1/4 of the corral is not being used. A good height for the pile is 3 feet. Then once a week, rotate the material to fill the empty space and leave empty space in the other end. A pitch fork is great for this. After you "turn" it, wet it down on top if the material seems too dry. Slightly moist in the middle is good, soggy is bad.
With your ingredients, I wouldn't worry about buying compost starter. In a month or two you might want to add some alfalfa meal -- or just as good, a 1/2 gallon of scrap bits from the bottom of a bin of hay bales.
If you add more material, be careful as Natedog points out about the amount of green material. 3 parts green to 1 part brown is good and easy to eyeball.
The coffee grounds are very acidic. If you add more, I would limit it to 1/2 cup for every 4 bags (four 25-30 gallon bags) of grass clippings.
I would also take it easy with steer and cow manure. Horse manure is much better! You can add 1 part horse manure to every 1 part of clippings or other vegetative material you throw in there. Rabbit and goat or sheep poop is o.k. too.
Throw vegetable table scraps into your pile too, but never meats.
If you start having problems with rodents, throw one "place pack" (bait package the mice have to tear open) inside the corral in a corner next the pile after each time you turn it. Wild rodents are surprisingly shy eaters.
__________________
Back in business at plantsthatproduce.com
|