Subject: Re: Making compost without manure?
From: Rev Chuck <cdub@-REMOVE_THIS-erols.com>
Organization: RCN Internet
Date: Tue, 01 Sep 98 15:14:26
Message-ID: <MOD$980901.15232@rec.gardens.ecosystems>
References: <MOD$980823.28179@rec.gardens.ecosystems> <MOD$980830.7068@rec.gardens.ecosystems>



No need for manure. Use grass clippings or shredded weeds. The only
difference between that and horse manure is the latter has been sent
through a horse. You can also use sprinklings of cheap, high N lawn
food, say 1/2 cup per 6" thick layer of a 3' diameter compost pile.
It borders on sacrilege, yes, but nitrogen is nitrogen regardless of
source.

Also, don't skimp on veggie wastes. They're a primo green material,
and they will get a pile cooking. You might actually have to ammend
the pile with a brown carbon. Black and white newspapers are good --
send them through a paper shredder first. They'll also sop up excess
moisture from fermenting watermelons (we know how wonderful a 25
pounder can smell), monsoon rains, etc.

Point is, most of us don't use manure because we don't want to
deal with it, and good substitutes are available. If it was alive,
if it's dead, if it's uncooked, and it wasn't an animal, it's game.
Simple as that.

John Dunay wrote:
>
> In article <MOD$980823.28179@rec.gardens.ecosystems>, "dhs" wrote:
>
> > I finally found a second hand chipper shredder (Troybilt Tomahawk, 8HP) and
> > am ready to make a compost pile. I can find easily fresh or composted horse
> > manure around, but I am reluctant to use it. It can only be delivered by 3
> > yards, loose, and would be dumped on my driveway, basically, waiting for me
> > to haul it weelbarrow by weelbarrow to the compost pile in the back. I
> > don't really want to handle the substance, and it would take for ever.
> >
> > My question is: can I make a compost pile with only green and brown
> > material from my garden? If I do, what would I loose by not using the
> > manure?
> >
> > I also would like to use some of the wood chips I make with the
> > chipper-shredder in the compost pile. They are about the sizeof 1/4 to
> > 1/8th of a corn flake... Is this possible? I don't plan to use the compost
> > before next spring.
> >
> > Thanks for your advice. Lisa in MA
>
> Ive seen wood chips this size disappear pretty quickly in a hot pile,
> Thanks Bill for the info about chips taking up Nitrogen in the soil. I
> would suggest amending the soil with composted manure, or another nitrogen
> source like blood meal or a green manure if you you dont want to play with
> the juicey stuff.
>
> The situation I'm in is that I dont have enough material to get the pile
> hot so the process is slow going, I can't wait until I have the time to
> fill my pickup with cow manure so that I can get the pile cookin ( I have
> the room to do this), Nitrogen is needed to get a hot pile. I guess its
> all in the amount you want and the time it will take.
>
> John
>
> 00000000000000000000000000000000000000
> dunay
> http://www.servtech.com/public/dunay

--
Creationism -- because the words are easier to spell.
Rev Chuck, Alt.Atheism #203, Ordained Reverend, ULC, 17 March, 1997.
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