I’ve finally got my compost bin, it’s a biggie, and 2/3 filled it with the shredded paper loaded with chookie droppings from under the roost. This has been limed over time. I watered each offering as it was placed in the bin. Smells like something is dead there, and it’s quite hot. I was wondering if it was possible for the compost to self-combust?

Should I just water it with a hose syringe every 2 – 3 days? Or do I need to turn it over …. how often? It’s down in the chook yard and I would hate to see that back paddock aflame in the middle of the night or something… worry worry

I’ve used the big green Gedye compost bins for 30 odd years. They are out of favour these days. I put all sorts into them, including dog poo and oils, and other stuff Not Recommended. I’ve never had one self combust. And sometimes they have spent their summer sitting out in the 50 degree sunshine.

Turning regularly will speed up the decomposition. Hot is good, I haven’t heard of compost heaps self combusting but turning will certainly prevent that. If it smells bad then it is probably anaerobic and needs turning to provide some oxygen.

To sum up, I recommend you turn it :D

bluegreen said:

Turning regularly will speed up the decomposition. Hot is good, I haven’t heard of compost heaps self combusting but turning will certainly prevent that. If it smells bad then it is probably anaerobic and needs turning to provide some oxygen.

To sum up, I recommend you turn it :D

Yair, to be fair, aerobic is the best way to compost things. At best the bins are good for cooking problem weeds before composting.

bluegreen said:

Turning regularly will speed up the decomposition. Hot is good, I haven’t heard of compost heaps self combusting but turning will certainly prevent that. If it smells bad then it is probably anaerobic and needs turning to provide some oxygen.

To sum up, I recommend you turn it :D

Oi! It’s not even two days old, I built it on Sunday arvo…

Buffy, I do believe the external (ambient?) temperature has very little impact on compost heaps: it’s the heat within the compost materials that cause the compost process. I have had tremendously HOT compost going during the frosty winter months, and dead-dead-dead compost during summer. The latter due mostly to lack of water, but even when suitably damp, it’s been slow (cold).

So it’s not likely to reach temperatures such that the ammonia in the chook poo will ignite the shredded paper?

Dinetta said:

bluegreen said:

Turning regularly will speed up the decomposition. Hot is good, I haven’t heard of compost heaps self combusting but turning will certainly prevent that. If it smells bad then it is probably anaerobic and needs turning to provide some oxygen.

To sum up, I recommend you turn it :D

Oi! It’s not even two days old, I built it on Sunday arvo…

Buffy, I do believe the external (ambient?) temperature has very little impact on compost heaps: it’s the heat within the compost materials that cause the compost process. I have had tremendously HOT compost going during the frosty winter months, and dead-dead-dead compost during summer. The latter due mostly to lack of water, but even when suitably damp, it’s been slow (cold).

So it’s not likely to reach temperatures such that the ammonia in the chook poo will ignite the shredded paper?

I know that damp haystacks and very large composting piles (think commercial) can spontaneously combust, but I don’t think that your regular backyard compost will be big enough to be an issue.

With the right mix compost heaps can reach to 60C in 12 hours, so yours is doing what it should. Turning it after 3-5 days keeps the process going and makes sure it is evenly composted as the centre will break down faster than the edges. It will also allow any excess heat to escape.

Dinetta said:

bluegreen said:

Turning regularly will speed up the decomposition. Hot is good, I haven’t heard of compost heaps self combusting but turning will certainly prevent that. If it smells bad then it is probably anaerobic and needs turning to provide some oxygen.

To sum up, I recommend you turn it :D

Oi! It’s not even two days old, I built it on Sunday arvo…

Buffy, I do believe the external (ambient?) temperature has very little impact on compost heaps: it’s the heat within the compost materials that cause the compost process. I have had tremendously HOT compost going during the frosty winter months, and dead-dead-dead compost during summer. The latter due mostly to lack of water, but even when suitably damp, it’s been slow (cold).

So it’s not likely to reach temperatures such that the ammonia in the chook poo will ignite the shredded paper?

self combusting is actually what all compost heaps should do. They should reach temperatures like 85ºC.
This however should not make it burst into flames. Constant daily turning should keep it hot so that decomposition is evenly dispersed and rapid.

The only time I’ve ever seen a compost heap burn was when the wife threw hot coals from the fire onto the dry topping.

bluegreen said:

I know that damp haystacks and very large composting piles (think commercial) can spontaneously combust, but I don’t think that your regular backyard compost will be big enough to be an issue.

With the right mix compost heaps can reach to 60C in 12 hours, so yours is doing what it should. Turning it after 3-5 days keeps the process going and makes sure it is evenly composted as the centre will break down faster than the edges. It will also allow any excess heat to escape.

OH good, thanks BlueGreen…never turned compost in my life…think I’d better do it to this heap…

roughbarked said:

self combusting is actually what all compost heaps should do. They should reach temperatures like 85ºC.
This however should not make it burst into flames. Constant daily turning should keep it hot so that decomposition is evenly dispersed and rapid.

Daily turning? Do you reckon? I might have to buy a garden fork then…as the last one, hand-welded by my late father, was nicked…

As it is raining, I have left the lid off for the night…stuck my hand in and it is HOT! However some of the paper is still dry so it won’t go anaerobic (smelly) on me whilst I consider the garden forks at Mitre 10…forks are what you turn compost with, aren’t they? I know you can get a wind-y thing, shaped like a corkscrew, but the amount of paper would make that a difficult operation…

Dinetta said:

As it is raining, I have left the lid off for the night…stuck my hand in and it is HOT! However some of the paper is still dry so it won’t go anaerobic (smelly) on me whilst I consider the garden forks at Mitre 10…forks are what you turn compost with, aren’t they? I know you can get a wind-y thing, shaped like a corkscrew, but the amount of paper would make that a difficult operation…

I’d get a fork. Handy in the garden as well.

Dinetta said:

As it is raining, I have left the lid off for the night…stuck my hand in and it is HOT! However some of the paper is still dry so it won’t go anaerobic (smelly) on me whilst I consider the garden forks at Mitre 10…forks are what you turn compost with, aren’t they? I know you can get a wind-y thing, shaped like a corkscrew, but the amount of paper would make that a difficult operation…

Yes. A garden fork is what one turns compost with. ;) It helps aerate it. A shovel will do at a pinch though.

roughbarked said:

Dinetta said:

As it is raining, I have left the lid off for the night…stuck my hand in and it is HOT! However some of the paper is still dry so it won’t go anaerobic (smelly) on me whilst I consider the garden forks at Mitre 10…forks are what you turn compost with, aren’t they? I know you can get a wind-y thing, shaped like a corkscrew, but the amount of paper would make that a difficult operation…

Yes. A garden fork is what one turns compost with. ;) It helps aerate it. A shovel will do at a pinch though.

great thread title – i’m expecting horror tales of flames licking against the walls as the bin explodes – but no –
the compost heap should collapse in the middle tho’…. then you turn it.

justin said:

roughbarked said:

Dinetta said:

As it is raining, I have left the lid off for the night…stuck my hand in and it is HOT! However some of the paper is still dry so it won’t go anaerobic (smelly) on me whilst I consider the garden forks at Mitre 10…forks are what you turn compost with, aren’t they? I know you can get a wind-y thing, shaped like a corkscrew, but the amount of paper would make that a difficult operation…

Yes. A garden fork is what one turns compost with. ;) It helps aerate it. A shovel will do at a pinch though.

great thread title – i’m expecting horror tales of flames licking against the walls as the bin explodes – but no –
the compost heap should collapse in the middle tho’…. then you turn it.

I remember reading a story, from the GA mag I think it was, recalling how they buried the neighbour’s rooster in their compost and it exploded at some stage later!!

bluegreen said:

justin said:

roughbarked said:

Yes. A garden fork is what one turns compost with. ;) It helps aerate it. A shovel will do at a pinch though.

great thread title – i’m expecting horror tales of flames licking against the walls as the bin explodes – but no –
the compost heap should collapse in the middle tho’…. then you turn it.

I remember reading a story, from the GA mag I think it was, recalling how they buried the neighbour’s rooster in their compost and it exploded at some stage later!!

That’d be the fermented grain.

I remember when Adelaide City Council opened their first green waste depot, and they discovered by turning their compost heaps on a daily basis and watering when they were drying out, that they were able to turn green waste into a composted product within 7 -10days and this they gave back to the community.

painmaster said:

I remember when Adelaide City Council opened their first green waste depot, and they discovered by turning their compost heaps on a daily basis and watering when they were drying out, that they were able to turn green waste into a composted product within 7 -10days and this they gave back to the community.

Yep. I’ve made compost in the same time period by the same method.

painmaster said:

I remember when Adelaide City Council opened their first green waste depot, and they discovered by turning their compost heaps on a daily basis and watering when they were drying out, that they were able to turn green waste into a composted product within 7 -10days and this they gave back to the community.

I wish our Council would do the same.

pomolo said:

painmaster said:

I remember when Adelaide City Council opened their first green waste depot, and they discovered by turning their compost heaps on a daily basis and watering when they were drying out, that they were able to turn green waste into a composted product within 7 -10days and this they gave back to the community.

I wish our Council would do the same.

Ours doesn’t even have a recycling station, let alone a green materials waste…and as for council composting…what? eh? Are you speaking English?

Dinetta said:

pomolo said:

painmaster said:

I remember when Adelaide City Council opened their first green waste depot, and they discovered by turning their compost heaps on a daily basis and watering when they were drying out, that they were able to turn green waste into a composted product within 7 -10days and this they gave back to the community.

I wish our Council would do the same.

Ours doesn’t even have a recycling station, let alone a green materials waste…and as for council composting…what? eh? Are you speaking English?

Some lobbying may help.

roughbarked said:

Dinetta said:

pomolo said:

I wish our Council would do the same.

Ours doesn’t even have a recycling station, let alone a green materials waste…and as for council composting…what? eh? Are you speaking English?

Some lobbying may help.

I’m not sure, the dump is pretty open, and I theenk that after hours, after dark, a lot of the good CGI (corrugated galvanised iron) might be recycled clandestinely…wouldn’t like to spoil that…

Dinetta said:

roughbarked said:

Dinetta said:

Ours doesn’t even have a recycling station, let alone a green materials waste…and as for council composting…what? eh? Are you speaking English?

Some lobbying may help.

I’m not sure, the dump is pretty open, and I theenk that after hours, after dark, a lot of the good CGI (corrugated galvanised iron) might be recycled clandestinely…wouldn’t like to spoil that…

Yes. I miss the days when it was the free exchange supermarket.

My compost is smelling very nice now, has reduced by about a quarter or maybe just a bit more…

Dinetta said:

bluegreen said:

Turning regularly will speed up the decomposition. Hot is good, I haven’t heard of compost heaps self combusting but turning will certainly prevent that. If it smells bad then it is probably anaerobic and needs turning to provide some oxygen.

To sum up, I recommend you turn it :D

Oi! It’s not even two days old, I built it on Sunday arvo…

Buffy, I do believe the external (ambient?) temperature has very little impact on compost heaps: it’s the heat within the compost materials that cause the compost process. I have had tremendously HOT compost going during the frosty winter months, and dead-dead-dead compost during summer. The latter due mostly to lack of water, but even when suitably damp, it’s been slow (cold).

So it’s not likely to reach temperatures such that the ammonia in the chook poo will ignite the shredded paper?

From a chemical viewpoint, that doesn’t make a lot of sense.

morrie said:

From a chemical viewpoint, that doesn’t make a lot of sense.

Do tell… all input happily digested…so to speak…

Half volume this am…need to clean out under chooken roost and throw that on…I need another compost heap at this rate…

Dinetta said:

Half volume this am…need to clean out under chooken roost and throw that on…I need another compost heap at this rate…

can never have too many.

roughbarked said:

Dinetta said:

Half volume this am…need to clean out under chooken roost and throw that on…I need another compost heap at this rate…

can never have too many.

Might put in an order with Sonny Jim for those things that go under loads and are lifted by fork-lifts…I have just the spot for them: only need to figure out a cover to stop the chooks from re-arranging it…

Dinetta said:

roughbarked said:

Dinetta said:

Half volume this am…need to clean out under chooken roost and throw that on…I need another compost heap at this rate…

can never have too many.

Might put in an order with Sonny Jim for those things that go under loads and are lifted by fork-lifts…I have just the spot for them: only need to figure out a cover to stop the chooks from re-arranging it…

They are called pallets and are usually recycled many times.

roughbarked said:

They are called pallets and are usually recycled many times.

Yep, Pallets…I’m a worry…

Dinetta said:

Half volume this am…need to clean out under chooken roost and throw that on…I need another compost heap at this rate…

good work – exciting isn’t it?
have you got a fork?

Dinetta said:

roughbarked said:

Dinetta said:

Half volume this am…need to clean out under chooken roost and throw that on…I need another compost heap at this rate…

can never have too many.

Might put in an order with Sonny Jim for those things that go under loads and are lifted by fork-lifts…I have just the spot for them: only need to figure out a cover to stop the chooks from re-arranging it…

pallets?

Down to half original volume… no I don’t have a fork at present but may have one brought up to me until I can afford to buy my own…a decent jobbie would be about $100, right?

Dinetta said:

Down to half original volume… no I don’t have a fork at present but may have one brought up to me until I can afford to buy my own…a decent jobbie would be about $100, right?

Should be able to get one for a lot less than that but don’t shirk, get the strong one. A Good garden fork shouldn’t cost a lot it is more that they do make many that are too weak for any decent work. You can waste the money four times on those. So may as well spend twice as much initially.

Dinetta said:

Down to half original volume… no I don’t have a fork at present but may have one brought up to me until I can afford to buy my own…a decent jobbie would be about $100, right?

After I broke the welds on a cheap Chinese garden fork I took it back to the place of purchase. They didn’t even blink and were quite happy to let me pay a little bit more for a good one.

You should be able to pick up something half decent for a touch over $50.

Teleost said:

Dinetta said:

Down to half original volume… no I don’t have a fork at present but may have one brought up to me until I can afford to buy my own…a decent jobbie would be about $100, right?

After I broke the welds on a cheap Chinese garden fork I took it back to the place of purchase. They didn’t even blink and were quite happy to let me pay a little bit more for a good one.

You should be able to pick up something half decent for a touch over $50.

Ummm, my local Mitre10, only hardware store in town, is no competition against the giants such as Bunnings, etc, on the coast…support your local businesses out here otherwise they just shut down and then you have to travel at least an hour to buy “stuff”…

roughbarked said:

Dinetta said:

Down to half original volume… no I don’t have a fork at present but may have one brought up to me until I can afford to buy my own…a decent jobbie would be about $100, right?

Should be able to get one for a lot less than that but don’t shirk, get the strong one. A Good garden fork shouldn’t cost a lot it is more that they do make many that are too weak for any decent work. You can waste the money four times on those. So may as well spend twice as much initially.

I think the handle is the thing … if you can get a good strong handle on your forks and spades / shovels, it should last for years…I’d need to inspect where the handle is joined to the fork: a handle just shoved in would barely last 10 minutes of serious digging I reckon…

On another note, I have found that my new broom (remember that?) is in need of a screw to stop the head swirling around the handle. Otherwise it’s a dandy broom.

Dinetta said:

Down to half original volume… no I don’t have a fork at present but may have one brought up to me until I can afford to buy my own…a decent jobbie would be about $100, right?

the white metal ones are very cheap and are lasting well. so no – $30 is possible thanks to chinois

Dinetta said:

Teleost said:

Dinetta said:

Down to half original volume… no I don’t have a fork at present but may have one brought up to me until I can afford to buy my own…a decent jobbie would be about $100, right?

After I broke the welds on a cheap Chinese garden fork I took it back to the place of purchase. They didn’t even blink and were quite happy to let me pay a little bit more for a good one.

You should be able to pick up something half decent for a touch over $50.

Ummm, my local Mitre10, only hardware store in town, is no competition against the giants such as Bunnings, etc, on the coast…support your local businesses out here otherwise they just shut down and then you have to travel at least an hour to buy “stuff”…

mitre ten is fine – white metal is good

Dinetta said:

roughbarked said:

Dinetta said:

Down to half original volume… no I don’t have a fork at present but may have one brought up to me until I can afford to buy my own…a decent jobbie would be about $100, right?

Should be able to get one for a lot less than that but don’t shirk, get the strong one. A Good garden fork shouldn’t cost a lot it is more that they do make many that are too weak for any decent work. You can waste the money four times on those. So may as well spend twice as much initially.

I think the handle is the thing … if you can get a good strong handle on your forks and spades / shovels, it should last for years…I’d need to inspect where the handle is joined to the fork: a handle just shoved in would barely last 10 minutes of serious digging I reckon…

On another note, I have found that my new broom (remember that?) is in need of a screw to stop the head swirling around the handle. Otherwise it’s a dandy broom.

good
it’s hard to tell the trash from the good ones these days.

justin said:

Dinetta said:

On another note, I have found that my new broom (remember that?) is in need of a screw to stop the head swirling around the handle. Otherwise it’s a dandy broom.

good
it’s hard to tell the trash from the good ones these days.

Particularly with straw brooms it is…

Dinetta said:

Teleost said:

Dinetta said:

Down to half original volume… no I don’t have a fork at present but may have one brought up to me until I can afford to buy my own…a decent jobbie would be about $100, right?

After I broke the welds on a cheap Chinese garden fork I took it back to the place of purchase. They didn’t even blink and were quite happy to let me pay a little bit more for a good one.

You should be able to pick up something half decent for a touch over $50.

Ummm, my local Mitre10, only hardware store in town, is no competition against the giants such as Bunnings, etc, on the coast…support your local businesses out here otherwise they just shut down and then you have to travel at least an hour to buy “stuff”…

They may not be price competitive but they could well be quality competitive.

Dinetta said:

roughbarked said:

Dinetta said:

Down to half original volume… no I don’t have a fork at present but may have one brought up to me until I can afford to buy my own…a decent jobbie would be about $100, right?

Should be able to get one for a lot less than that but don’t shirk, get the strong one. A Good garden fork shouldn’t cost a lot it is more that they do make many that are too weak for any decent work. You can waste the money four times on those. So may as well spend twice as much initially.

I think the handle is the thing … if you can get a good strong handle on your forks and spades / shovels, it should last for years…I’d need to inspect where the handle is joined to the fork: a handle just shoved in would barely last 10 minutes of serious digging I reckon…

On another note, I have found that my new broom (remember that?) is in need of a screw to stop the head swirling around the handle. Otherwise it’s a dandy broom.

run a drill straight through and bang in a pin or two

roughbarked said:

Dinetta said:

Ummm, my local Mitre10, only hardware store in town, is no competition against the giants such as Bunnings, etc, on the coast…support your local businesses out here otherwise they just shut down and then you have to travel at least an hour to buy “stuff”…

They may not be price competitive but they could well be quality competitive.

My sentiments exactly…

roughbarked said:

run a drill straight through and bang in a pin or two

a bolt and nut, I think, if we can find a suitable one…

Dinetta said:

roughbarked said:

run a drill straight through and bang in a pin or two

a bolt and nut, I think, if we can find a suitable one…

Yes a nut means that you may be able to replace the bolt .. but.. best to recess the nut as if it sticks out, the bolt may cut hands or shins.

The trick with tool handles is to NOT leave them out in the weather and to soak oil into the handles once the varnish wears off.

The problem with forks is in the metallurgy.. cheap stuff breaks tines off or bends them out of alignment causing metal fatigue if attempts to straighten are employed.

roughbarked said:

Yes a nut means that you may be able to replace the bolt .. but.. best to recess the nut as if it sticks out, the bolt may cut hands or shins.

…or get stupid strands of mop stuck …

roughbarked said:

The trick with tool handles is to NOT leave them out in the weather and to soak oil into the handles once the varnish wears off.

The problem with forks is in the metallurgy.. cheap stuff breaks tines off or bends them out of alignment causing metal fatigue if attempts to straighten are employed.

There’s a moral to that, and I agree about cheap = short-lived…

Dinetta said:

roughbarked said:

The trick with tool handles is to NOT leave them out in the weather and to soak oil into the handles once the varnish wears off.

The problem with forks is in the metallurgy.. cheap stuff breaks tines off or bends them out of alignment causing metal fatigue if attempts to straighten are employed.

There’s a moral to that, and I agree about cheap = short-lived…

I have three old fork tines all in good nick. the wooden handles broke and I’ve never repaired.
they are being given away.
the advantage of the cheap white metal ones is their one-piece-ness and their lightness.
wooden handles and thick tines are too heavy to use in your old age.
keeping them relatively clean and hanging up in the shed – they have lasted five years so far.
I have a white metal spade as well.

My dad used to weld handles onto the forks and spades, etc, when the wooden ones broke.

Smells very “ammoniated” in there: I threw the scrapings from under the coop in and watered it…cleared me lungs it did LOL!

Dinetta said:

My dad used to weld handles onto the forks and spades, etc, when the wooden ones broke.

Smells very “ammoniated” in there: I threw the scrapings from under the coop in and watered it…cleared me lungs it did LOL!

Yes welded handles work longer but they are also heavier in general.

roughbarked said:

Dinetta said:

My dad used to weld handles onto the forks and spades, etc, when the wooden ones broke.

Smells very “ammoniated” in there: I threw the scrapings from under the coop in and watered it…cleared me lungs it did LOL!

Yes welded handles work longer but they are also heavier in general.

Would rather have lasting handles but then I can handle heavy weights…altho’ the crowbar on hard ground does rather take it out of me…

Dinetta said:

roughbarked said:

Dinetta said:

My dad used to weld handles onto the forks and spades, etc, when the wooden ones broke.

Smells very “ammoniated” in there: I threw the scrapings from under the coop in and watered it…cleared me lungs it did LOL!

Yes welded handles work longer but they are also heavier in general.

Would rather have lasting handles but then I can handle heavy weights…altho’ the crowbar on hard ground does rather take it out of me…

Newer materials these days make handles strong, lightweight and enduring.

roughbarked said:

Newer materials these days make handles strong, lightweight and enduring.

I believe you but how would I know what’s good and what’s not?

Dinetta said:

My dad used to weld handles onto the forks and spades, etc, when the wooden ones broke.

Smells very “ammoniated” in there: I threw the scrapings from under the coop in and watered it…cleared me lungs it did LOL!

too much nitrogen and too much moisture. Needs more carbon materials.

bluegreen said:

Dinetta said:

My dad used to weld handles onto the forks and spades, etc, when the wooden ones broke.

Smells very “ammoniated” in there: I threw the scrapings from under the coop in and watered it…cleared me lungs it did LOL!

too much nitrogen and too much moisture. Needs more carbon materials.

too much green, not enough brown. ;)

bluegreen said:

Dinetta said:

My dad used to weld handles onto the forks and spades, etc, when the wooden ones broke.

Smells very “ammoniated” in there: I threw the scrapings from under the coop in and watered it…cleared me lungs it did LOL!

too much nitrogen and too much moisture. Needs more carbon materials.

I threw some cardboard on top and watered again…to get the droppings to melt into the shredded paper that they’re resting on…have replace under the roost with more shredded paper and am planning to lime a bit more often…never seen so many flies attracted to chicken sheet as in that fowl yard…

http://www.lowes.com/Garden-Tools/Gardening-Tools/Garden-Forks/_/N-1z0yhob/pl?Ns=p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&cm_sp=LawnLandscaping-_-x|PopularCat-_-Merch|GARDEN_FORKS&cm_cr=Garden+Tools-_-Web+Activity-_-Garden+Tools+TF-_-SC_Garden+Tools_TopFlexible_Area-_-124232_6_

…bought some nice material to make a new pillow case in stead…the old one is 15 years old and the next wash might see it in threads…geez “patchwork fabric” is a right royal price…

It’s a piece of material on the top, with thin quilt wadding sewn on, then a different piece (or maybe the same if you want) to make the pillow pocket(?), all bound together with bias binding, so don’t need to worry about seam allowance…easy…after buying two other pieces of material I finally have the back I want…so I may have commenced a “stash”… the compost heap will keep but I am a piece of work about my pillow and it’s case…

That cardboard thrown on 19/4/13 has melted almost clean away…it’s hot in there…smells a bit like the old dunkie when the lid is off but I added the last week or two’s roosting droppings, watered in well…I do need a fork but plan to buy flea repellent for the dog first…back to put fresh shredded paper under the roost…

Thought I would turn my compost today, first time EVER since I started chatting on the GA thread back when it was moderately moderated by Aunty…and Miss Mod…how hard could it be, I thought? What’s everyone belly-aching about?

Well turning the compost sure works the belly muscles…but mine is sludge and stinks like the mud that’s been forever at the bottom of a stagnant creek…even the chooks would not scratch it…

So running this ideer past you-all: I’m thinking I should just spread the compost around the chook pen, let the chooks at it, and pretty much start again…also thinking of rubbing the sludge across the aviary wire of the “green pick” border, so there’s something for the clucker tucker to grow in?

Dinetta said:

Thought I would turn my compost today, first time EVER since I started chatting on the GA thread back when it was moderately moderated by Aunty…and Miss Mod…how hard could it be, I thought? What’s everyone belly-aching about?

Well turning the compost sure works the belly muscles…but mine is sludge and stinks like the mud that’s been forever at the bottom of a stagnant creek…even the chooks would not scratch it…

So running this ideer past you-all: I’m thinking I should just spread the compost around the chook pen, let the chooks at it, and pretty much start again…also thinking of rubbing the sludge across the aviary wire of the “green pick” border, so there’s something for the clucker tucker to grow in?

it stinks because it has gone anaerobic due to lack of oxygen. Turn some dry matter through it and it should sweeten up a bit, lime will help too.

bluegreen said:

it stinks because it has gone anaerobic due to lack of oxygen. Turn some dry matter through it and it should sweeten up a bit, lime will help too.

Thanks BlueGreen…there’s lime in it already as I lime the chooken droppings every couple of days, and as you’ve read elsewhere, I put shredded paper under that roost…so the fault is I haven’t turned it since I started it… mea culpa

bluegreen said:

Dinetta said:

Thought I would turn my compost today, first time EVER since I started chatting on the GA thread back when it was moderately moderated by Aunty…and Miss Mod…how hard could it be, I thought? What’s everyone belly-aching about?

Well turning the compost sure works the belly muscles…but mine is sludge and stinks like the mud that’s been forever at the bottom of a stagnant creek…even the chooks would not scratch it…

So running this ideer past you-all: I’m thinking I should just spread the compost around the chook pen, let the chooks at it, and pretty much start again…also thinking of rubbing the sludge across the aviary wire of the “green pick” border, so there’s something for the clucker tucker to grow in?

it stinks because it has gone anaerobic due to lack of oxygen. Turn some dry matter through it and it should sweeten up a bit, lime will help too.

yeah – add some straw
is this an unventilated plastic compost bin ? they tend to encourage the slimy side of smelly

justin said:

yeah – add some straw
is this an unventilated plastic compost bin ? they tend to encourage the slimy side of smelly

Straw, do you reckon? (tries to think of where she can get some cheep straw…delivered)…

Yes, this is a plastic compost bin, as big as a wheelie bin or bigger, in volume…

I think I will start a new heap and turn it more often…thanks to all for their interest…