dixiedazzle laster - welcome, and thanks for following my blog!
A week after adding 50 lbs. of dry molasses to the cold compost piles, I decided to check the core temperature before turning them. Since it was at 141 degrees, no turning was necessary. Instead, they'll be left for another week to do their thing, and should cool back down in a few days. I'm hoping they won't drop below 110 before next weekend, because i'd rather not turn them in the dark. At that time, a large bag of cheap dry dog food or alfalfa pellets will be added - which should really heat things up again. A hot pile is one that should be left alone, and the compost thermometer really comes in handy for letting you know the status of it. With a probe at 20" long, it can easily penetrate the core of a pile.
Photo below - I wanted to show you an improvement that's been made to the area where my paste tomatoes are grown. This is of course a level spot that I created on the edge of a severe slope, then backfilled with dirt to make my largest swc's sit straight. The improvements are that the spot has been increased by 1/3, and also some leftover roofing shingles laid down to keep the bottoms of the containers from getting muddy each time it rains. This will allow me to grow at least 8 large tomato plants in the area, where previously there was only room for 4.
In other news, I built 5 swc's from 18 gal. rubbermaid totes over the weekend, which will be sold to friends. At least 6 more will be constructed over the next month or so, and will be for the same purpose. EG likes building swc's....hehe.
Take care, and happy gardening!
EG
9 comments:
Well we all knew that EG was building something ;> I hope your tomatoes do well this summer.
I never thought about adding amendments to the compost pile to heat it up again. Mine is stone cold at the moment. Are you going to be growing most of your tomatoes in containers this year? Considering that I'm quickly running out of gardening space, I think I'll have to consider investing in some large pots.
That added quite a bit more capacity to that tomato planting area!
Good work on getting the compost pile actively working again. It's amazing how the addition of some nitrogen rich amendments will kick it into high gear. I need to consolidate two piles this coming weekend and do a similar "kick start" process - probably use some alfalfa pellets to heat it up.
That is so impressive. Really, you're a compost inspiration. And the tomato patch will be nice. I am planning a lot of paste tomatoes this year.
Daphne - yep, always constructing something on the weekends. Thanks for the encouragement with the tomatoes.
Thomas - about half of my tomato plants will be grown in some kind of container this year. You should try the swc's, they work great!
kitsapFG - thanks, yeah various things from the cooperative can really heat a cold pile back up!
stefaneener - Wha? Inspiration? nah.....i'm just pretty passionate about making compost, that's all. The larger area will be great, especially since doubling the number of plants this year.
That is great that the compost pile is heating up! Do you think it will be finished in time to use this season?
I am going to build a couple more SWCs out of 18 gallon rubbermaid totes. One will be used for 6 celery plants. Have you come across anything about celery in SWCs or earthboxes? I can't seem to fine any results, but I am thinking that celery will do well since it needs a lot of water.
Those long thermometers are sweet! Looks like the molasses really worked well. My compost is still frozen solid, in a month it should be workable again.
Rachel - I don't think it'll be ready in time. It's gonna kill me to have to go out and buy bagged stuff for the deeper garden. I don't know of anyone that has tried celery in swc - sorry...
Dan - The long thermometer is one of my favorite gardening tools, and definitely worth the money.
Excellent use of the old roofing shingles, to think that these will contribute to the 'table' so to speak instead of lying around or on the junk heap.
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