Re: a composting experiment
- To: pumpkins@mallorn.com
- Subject: Re: a composting experiment
- From: D* S* <d*@leland.stanford.edu>
- Date: Fri, 9 Jan 1998 13:28:15 -0700
Michael - thanks for those answers. I was asking "just in case" questions
in order to be prepared .. the dryer (TM) compost is doing just fine. My
meat thermometer says 110, inserted 6" into the top of the pile. That is a
good indication it is a lot hotter further down. No smell to speak of,
either.
If I am going to patent a kit, I should try to demonstrate that hot dry air
helps. Hmmm. I suppose I could turn the dryer to "fluff" and see if the
compost temperature drops using *cold* dry air. If you think about it, hot
dry air in that quantity can't be directly heating several tons of
material... it would have to be acting indirectly, by encouraging bacteria
near the vents, which raises the temperature quite locally but expands the
growing zone, encouraging more bacteria, etc.
When you suggested that a rain barrier prevents anaerobic decomposition,
did you mean that it prevents nitrogen (which the bacteria need) from
leaching away? I imagine the pile needs *some* water though, just not a
downpour.
Dan
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