Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

livingontheland - Re: [Livingontheland] turning compost

livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Healthy soil and sustainable growing

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: yarrow@sfo.com
  • To: Healthy soil and sustainable growing <livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] turning compost
  • Date: Sat, 24 May 2008 22:16:07 -0700

Composted garden/kitchen waste and composted humanure (or animal parts or pet waste) are indeed managed differently.

You can turn garden/kitchen waste if you want compost faster. You build the pile all at once, it typically takes 3-7 days to reach max temperature, then you turn it, watch for the temperature spike again, and turn again.

Never turn humanure or pet waste or composted animal parts, because you don't want to breathe in any pathogens. You add it to the bin, cover it with browns, and let it be. You don't dig into the pile, just add to the top each time. After the bin is full, let it compost in peace, and wait a year before using.

I know one household that is composting humanure, and that's what they're doing. Since they also run an educational project, they have the compost tested by a friend who has access to a lab to make sure it doesn't have any pathogens.

I compost garden and kitchen waste, but I almost never find the time to turn. I get compost in about 3 months in the summer, longer in winter. I do have to sift it to get the finer-textured compost I like, and I'm always sifting out avocado pits, peach pits, and those huge 4 to 6 inch diameter broccoli stems and returning them to the bin. Since I lease space at a community garden, it's a public space and I need to make sure it looks relatively neat, so I have to use bins.


At 2:56 PM -0400 5/24/08, Kathleen wrote:
I just read an article that said to NOT turn your compost. You want it to
build up heat so as to kill all the pathogens. He's been composting
humanure, all kitchen waste (including meats and fats) for over 25 years and
has had no problems or diseases.
After it sits for a year (he's filling another bin) he uses it in his garden
as it is all compost at this point. Worms will gravitate towards it also
which also aids in the breakdown. However, sometimes it can get too hot for
the worms.






Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page