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Compost, A Link

Square Foot Gardening List - http://www.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html

Patricia Santhuff <psanthuff@mindspring.com> wrote:

>The rabbit manure comes...
-- or maybe I didn't keep the pile moist enough
)quite possible),
Any thoughts, comments, suggestions?

*Check moisture content.  Aim for 70%.  +/- 5%.

>new batch of bunny manure with alfalfa has a very strong
ammonia smell, which I presume

*Why presume?  Do you have to?

>is just their urine and not the smell of a too-rich
nitrogen mix, especially since there were  no signs of
decompostion to the new stuff. Right?

*Check the Nitrogen level.  Maybe add a pinch.
A few other tricks too.  Read the entire link
I offer below.  THEN ask questions.

>On to chicken manure. Ours is mixed with pine shavings
which decompose verrrrrrry slooooooowly. ::sigh::

*Women are more acid... to kill bacteria.  (Take a hint.
So are pine. They are primary decomposers of rocks, in
ecological geological cycles, that take thousands of years
to become medowland and deciduous.) piles? Will compost starter
help speed up the decomposition of any of the
heavy pine shavings parts as I turn the old piles?

>Okay, I guess I have one more question. If you buy compost
from Home Depot (or elsewhere) is it any good?

*Guess I'll have to test it myself.

>They've GOT to sterilize it (probably in huge ovens or
soemthing) 

*Sterilize, NO!  Disinfect, yes.  Sterilize = 100%.
Composting done properly, does this.  If it goes in soil,
is adequate.  If in a house plant, sterilize is generally
better.  That doesn't mean 350F!!!

*Go to:

http://www.egroups.com/group/mycology/169.html?

...and see what Paul Stamets gave me permission to use...
Phase II is soon, and completes the cycle.
Note: Review permissin is had and further by specific permission.
The material copyright is his.

>-- doesn't that destroy much of what you want from
compost or manure in the first place?

*YES!  A significant portion, but not nearly all.  Just a lot.
And THAT depends just at what part of the cycle sterilization
occurs.  Rest easy.  They do not sterilize large bags of shi_.

*I want to emphasis, this is short composting, which is better...
Long composting, uses up more of what is in the compost,
which has useful energy for plants and fungi.  Long
composting is more common, slower,  esp for home owners.
Short saves times, alnd space for some composting companies,
but then it sits in a bag...
Bill

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