Re: [compost_tea] Hot compost

From: <soilfoodweb_at_aol.com>
Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2005 16:45:39 EST

 
 

What causes heat in a compost pile?
 
So, if the pile is still hot, how can the pile not have biology still going=
  
in it?
 
Yes, at 165 for long times, some of the beneficials have likely been harme=
d.
 
 
So addition of beneficials again, when the pile gets down around 145, would=
  
be good.
 
But I just couldn't resist the lesson for folks - that heat in a compost =
 
pile requires active, living, growing, functioning bacteria and fungi.
 
But, for this compost pile, the take-home message is - too much high N add=
ed
to begin with, and the pile went anaerobic. I'd love to know the starting=
 
recipe, and can bet that the N that was added was way higher N concentrati=
on
than was believed.
 
Elaine
 
 
In a message dated 1/16/2005 7:58:43 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,
js_at_olympus.net writes:

 
Jeff, when the temperature of the compost drops to what temperature shoul=
d
he apply the ACT? And about the watering can -it would meen 40 trips to th=
e
tank for a two-gallon waterer. Do you prefer that method because of a lar=
ger
droplet?
The farmer is of the opinion that the heat (165º F) probably killed =
most if
not all of the microbes, though I think some of the beneficials survived.=
  
Any comment on this perspective?
This is a dairy farmer, very popular in the local organic community. He=
’s
been able to build some “awesome” compost. It’s im=
portant that he create the
best compost and he believes that ACT can be an important tool.
Jeff, I appreciate your help.
Thank you,
Judi





Elaine R. Ingham
Soil Foodweb Inc., Corvallis, Oregon
Soil Foodweb Inc., Port Jefferson, New York
Soil Foodweb Institute, Lismore Australia
Soil Foodweb Institute Cambridge, New Zealand
Laboratorios de Soil Foodweb, Culiacan, Mexico
Soil Foodweb Inc., Jerome, Idaho
Soil Foodweb Inc., South Africa








Received on Tue Jan 18 2005 - 00:30:38 EST

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