"tiger x" wrote in message
om...
"Compostman" wrote in message
...
You don't say where your live, so I have no idea what your Winter
weather is
like. And you don't say what you put in your compost pile other than
snake
oil (I mean "accellerator"), so it's pretty hard to give tips. I can
advise
not to waste your money on additives to the compost pile. Compost
happens
naturally.

My compost pile has never performed like it should; i.e. no noticeable
heat and very long breakdown periods. I have always wondered about
adding a septic tank treatment(Rid-ex or equivalent) to the pile,
since it's purpose is to break down organic solids. Since the compost
is used for flowers instead of vegetables, I do not think unwanted
bacteria would be a problem. Has anyone tried this? Any problems with
it?

I took about 3 lbs. of rabbit food (alfalfa pellets), soaked it in about
3 gals. of water, poured it on the bottom third of leaves and covered with
the rest and it was visibly steaming by the second day. This is on a compost
pile that's 10 ft. round and 5 ft. high. I think that would be safer and
cheaper than Rid-ex.