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PostPosted: Tue Dec 23, 2003 12:17 pm 
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Joined: Mon Sep 01, 2003 2:57 pm
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Location: Saginaw (NW Fort Worth), Texas
I am wondering if I have too much brown and not enough green stuff in this compost pile. It has been cooking now for about six (?) weeks - started with about 12 bags of mulched leaves and grass clippings and added to that a total of 18 gallons of used coffee grounds. I have been turning it every two weeks and burying our kitchen scraps in it every four days or so. I added about a cup of compost innoculant with compost microbes and about two cups of horticultural corn meal about two weeks ago to try to get this pile cooking because I couldn't even get it up to 100 degrees. It stays somewhat damp - I try to water it every three days. Sounds all good but now here is my question - why can't I get this pile over 130 degrees.

I have just blended the left over Halloween hard candies with some leftover honey and hot water and I plan on pouring this on the pile once it cools down a little. My girls used to drink Nesquik strawberry milk but have all of the sudden developed an aversion to it so I am thinking perhaps about putting the poweder in this liquid mix - do ya'll think it would be okay?

Hope everyone is having a great week!
Christina


OH, just remember another question. These coffee grounds that I get from the coffee shop sometimes do not get put into the pile for a couple days or so and by then they have a fungus of some sort growing on top of it. Do ya'll think that this fungus is good or bad. I cannot find any data on this subject.


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PostPosted: Tue Dec 23, 2003 1:23 pm 
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Location: Lavon,Texas
Sounds like you are doing everything. Mine has cooled down as well. I have trouble in the winter keeping the temperature above 100F as well. I don't add as much green, grass clippings, in the winter, but I add dried molasses. When the temperature freezes, it takes longer to heat up. I don't water mine as much, in the winter as I should. I just keep it going until Spring. With all the coffee grounds, you should have some really good compost in the spring.

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Converting one person at a time to Organics, the only way to go!! [ ME ]


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PostPosted: Mon Dec 29, 2003 6:01 pm 
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Location: Gainesville Tx
My compost has cooled down too w/ the cooler temps. I hope the seeds from the grass clippings don't cause me a problen when i use the compost in the spring.


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PostPosted: Mon Dec 29, 2003 8:28 pm 
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Location: Lavon,Texas
I turned my compost yesterday afternoon, but don't think it will get past 100F until spring. Mine consists of about 95% grass. The bottom 12 inches where decomposing good but the rest was not. I layed it with a lot of molasses and shredded junk mail along with water. I checked the stack today and there was heat coming out, but not like summer. We need some of the soldier flies that Chuck Franke uses. They make compost real fast. He says he can't feed them enough each day. Hungry little critters!

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Converting one person at a time to Organics, the only way to go!! [ ME ]


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PostPosted: Sat Jan 03, 2004 10:27 am 
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Location: Gainesville Tx
I have a confession to make on the soilder flies. When I saw them I freaked and ran and got the raid. now when i turn my pile i always come across the dead ones. I guess it was about 2 days after I killed them I read how beneficial they are. I was so mad at myself!!!


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PostPosted: Sat Jan 03, 2004 4:19 pm 
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Debby,
Guess we will have to have a wake and funeral for all your dead solider flies. Sorry to hear you freaked when you saw them. They are very beneficial in the compost. Remember that "Raid" is NOT part of the organic process. Please do not use this bad chemical again. There is an organic alternative for every chemical, plus organic is better for everyones health. If all your solider flies have died, maybe Chuck Franke will donate some of his to your compost pile.

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Converting one person at a time to Organics, the only way to go!! [ ME ]


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