More mold questions

[pkb8479]

Howdy. I'm new to composting, and one of my heaps has developed some white powdery mold in the first 3-4 inches. I'm assuming that this is due to too much green matter on top and inadequate ventilation. Any remedies, or should I just get rid of the affected material?
Thanks for any advice.

[Fito]

pkb8479 wrote: Howdy. I'm new to composting, and one of my heaps has developed some white powdery mold in the first 3-4 inches. I'm assuming that this is due to too much green matter on top and inadequate ventilation. Any remedies, or should I just get rid of the affected material?
Thanks for any advice.

If you are hot composting, you are doing things correctly. From what I understand, that white mold is dead microbes. They got that way because of how hot your pile got.

Would someone please correct me if I am wrong.

Fito

[Dchall_San_Antonio]

Compost is a place to grow molds, fungus, bacteria, yeasts, actinomycetes, and other microbes and insects. You will also see roaches, maggots, flies, mosquitoes, worms, earwigs, pillbugs, ants, etc. All are decomposers and are needed to develop the compost.

I happen to be highly susceptable to developing a fungal lung disease due to that white mold, so when I see it my immediate response is to hold my breath and beat it out of there. When I come back in, I'm armed with a handheld water sprayer to wet the mold down and try to keep it from becoming airborne. I've done pretty good for the past two years using that technique.