In article , ask@itshall
says...

I certainly wasn't joking when I told him he used to use sweat as an
ingredient. Unless or until he learns to add that, he won't have compost -
he'll simply have rotted vegetation. I see no problems with the rotted
vegetation approach either, but if he wants to go that way, he will need to
understand that he doesn't pile it, he spreads it and them has to a
potential weed problem unless he also learns how to use the rotted
vegetation.

Well, as serious as you may have been, it looked like you were using
humour.

I wondered why you didn't indicate that after sweating and digging
through anaerobic compost that one tends to smell a little ...rotten.

I don't know why I keep thinking this newsgroup should be fertile ground
for humour.

On Thu, 25 Feb 2010 11:53:12 +1100, "FarmI" ask@itshall be given
wrote:

"Ross McKay" wrote in message
.. .
On Thu, 25 Feb 2010 09:26:23 +1100, "FarmI" wrote:

I certainly wasn't joking when I told him he used to use sweat as an
ingredient. Unless or until he learns to add that, he won't have
compost -
he'll simply have rotted vegetation. I see no problems with the rotted
vegetation approach either, but if he wants to go that way, he will need
to
understand that he doesn't pile it, he spreads it and them has to a
potential weed problem unless he also learns how to use the rotted
vegetation.

That's not strictly true. What the "sweat" (turning) adds is oxygen, but
there are other ways of providing that, easiest of which is to alternate
the layers of vege scraps with layers of straw that trap air in the
pile.

It IS strictly true as it applies to him. He has smelly 'compost' right now
(or says he does). The only way to cure his current 'compost' problem is to
turn it. Any future compost pile is not what he asked about.

Well, he could add leaves or straw on the top which would contain the
smell.

On Thu, 25 Feb 2010 11:53:12 +1100, "FarmI" wrote:

It IS strictly true as it applies to him. He has smelly 'compost' right now
(or says he does). The only way to cure his current 'compost' problem is to
turn it. Any future compost pile is not what he asked about.

Indeed, we don't want him to learn from his mistakes, we only want him
to sweat!
--
Ross McKay, Toronto, NSW Australia
"Let the laddie play wi the knife - he'll learn"
- The Wee Book of Calvin

In article ,
wrote:

On Thu, 25 Feb 2010 11:53:12 +1100, "FarmI" ask@itshall be given
wrote:

"Ross McKay" wrote in message
.. .
On Thu, 25 Feb 2010 09:26:23 +1100, "FarmI" wrote:

I certainly wasn't joking when I told him he used to use sweat as an
ingredient. Unless or until he learns to add that, he won't have
compost -
he'll simply have rotted vegetation. I see no problems with the rotted
vegetation approach either, but if he wants to go that way, he will need
to
understand that he doesn't pile it, he spreads it and them has to a
potential weed problem unless he also learns how to use the rotted
vegetation.

That's not strictly true. What the "sweat" (turning) adds is oxygen, but
there are other ways of providing that, easiest of which is to alternate
the layers of vege scraps with layers of straw that trap air in the
pile.

It IS strictly true as it applies to him. He has smelly 'compost' right now
(or says he does). The only way to cure his current 'compost' problem is to
turn it. Any future compost pile is not what he asked about.

Well, he could add leaves or straw on the top which would contain the
smell.


Well he could add lime. But that would only open up a can of worms.
Which kind? Oh this composting thing is so daffodil .

http://compost.css.cornell.edu/physics.html

Bill

--
Garden in shade zone 5 S Jersey USA

http://www.sheep.com/sounds/baasheep1.wav

In article ,
says...


Well, he could add leaves or straw on the top which would contain the
smell.

Trying to seal it up would make the pile more anaerobic.

Eventually it all breaks down and the smell goes away but depending on
the size of the bin/pile, it can take awhile.

I can't give accurate facts and figures but I've instigated a couple of
compost heap meltdowns with too many grass clippings and I think it took
about two weeks for the stench to drop to barely noticeable.

At the time the neighbours were all on vacation or the houses were
vacant and up for sale, my wife was away and the compost bins are far
away from the house so I let it go and then incorporated the result in
the next compost heap.

On Feb 25, 12:37*pm, phorbin wrote:
In article ,
says...

Well, he could add leaves or straw on the top which would contain the
smell.

Trying to seal it up would make the pile more anaerobic.

Eventually it all breaks down and the smell goes away but depending on
the size of the bin/pile, it can take awhile.

I can't give accurate facts and figures but I've instigated a couple of
compost heap meltdowns with too many grass clippings and I think it took
about two weeks for the stench to drop to barely noticeable.

At the time the neighbours were all on vacation or the houses were
vacant and up for sale, my wife was away and the compost bins are far
away from the house so I let it go and then incorporated the result in
the next compost heap.

Well, I think the problem is that I've not only put garden trash, but
maybe too much organic rubbish,
Maybe these two kinds should be separated, and kept away from dog's
and animal's reach.
I think the best solution that many of you mention, is to use it
straight away in the soil.

"Ross McKay" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 25 Feb 2010 11:53:12 +1100, "FarmI" wrote:

It IS strictly true as it applies to him. He has smelly 'compost' right
now
(or says he does). The only way to cure his current 'compost' problem is
to
turn it. Any future compost pile is not what he asked about.

Indeed, we don't want him to learn from his mistakes, we only want him
to sweat!

But if you look at it slightly differently, then putting in the sweat now
could lead him to learn. It's usually our mistakes that make us start to
think before we act.

On Thu, 25 Feb 2010 06:37:26 -0500, phorbin
wrote:

In article ,
says...


Well, he could add leaves or straw on the top which would contain the
smell.

Trying to seal it up would make the pile more anaerobic.

Eventually it all breaks down and the smell goes away but depending on
the size of the bin/pile, it can take awhile.

I can't give accurate facts and figures but I've instigated a couple of
compost heap meltdowns with too many grass clippings and I think it took
about two weeks for the stench to drop to barely noticeable.

At the time the neighbours were all on vacation or the houses were
vacant and up for sale, my wife was away and the compost bins are far
away from the house so I let it go and then incorporated the result in
the next compost heap.

Adding leaves (and rarely straw) is actually what I do when I empty my
inside compost bucket on top of the pile. I'm a lazy composter who
only turns it once a year. The leaves cover the odor as far as my nose
can tell. Come spring I turn the whole thing over and take from the
bottom.

I used to love to use grass clippings but now I just leave them where
they fall.

Someday it's going to warm up.....

In article 782984b9-0881-4e78-8265-9b13c25f47e2
@o30g2000yqb.googlegroups.com, says...

Well, I think the problem is that I've not only put garden trash, but
maybe too much organic rubbish,
Maybe these two kinds should be separated, and kept away from dog's
and animal's reach.
I think the best solution that many of you mention, is to use it
straight away in the soil.

What do you mean by organic rubbish?

In article ,
says...


Adding leaves (and rarely straw) is actually what I do when I empty my
inside compost bucket on top of the pile. I'm a lazy composter who
only turns it once a year. The leaves cover the odor as far as my nose
can tell. Come spring I turn the whole thing over and take from the
bottom.

Which is adding brown to green.

Brown + green in relatively good proportion equals no stench to speak
of.

We do that too through snowless periods during the winter which serves
double duty by keeping the kitchen compost hidden until things heat up.

In article ,
phorbin wrote:

In article 782984b9-0881-4e78-8265-9b13c25f47e2
@o30g2000yqb.googlegroups.com, says...

Well, I think the problem is that I've not only put garden trash, but
maybe too much organic rubbish,
Maybe these two kinds should be separated, and kept away from dog's
and animal's reach.
I think the best solution that many of you mention, is to use it
straight away in the soil.

What do you mean by organic rubbish?

Probably autobiographical from someone who recommends growing tea but
who doesn't, and doesn't even know the difference from herbal teas and
tisanes. Then claims that he grows 400 olive trees, and wonders how to
make them produce fruit year round. Who owns a pizza "hut" and wants to
grow tomatoes year around for sauce.

Something definitely smells.
--
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100119/...ting_activists
http://www.democracynow.org/2010/1/19/headlines

On Feb 26, 5:12*am, phorbin wrote:
In article 782984b9-0881-4e78-8265-9b13c25f47e2
@o30g2000yqb.googlegroups.com, says...

Well, I think the problem is that I've not only put garden trash, but
maybe too much organic rubbish,
Maybe these two kinds should be separated, and kept away from dog's
and animal's reach.
*I think the best solution that many of you mention, is to use it
straight away in the soil.

What do you mean by organic rubbish?

Well food basicly, like meat vegetables, fruit, coffee.

In article f6346e84-04eb-4a58-84d8-34af7e636289
@k17g2000yqb.googlegroups.com, says...
On Feb 26, 5:12*am, phorbin wrote:
In article 782984b9-0881-4e78-8265-9b13c25f47e2
@o30g2000yqb.googlegroups.com, says...

Well, I think the problem is that I've not only put garden trash, but
maybe too much organic rubbish,
Maybe these two kinds should be separated, and kept away from dog's
and animal's reach.
*I think the best solution that many of you mention, is to use it
straight away in the soil.

What do you mean by organic rubbish?

Well food basicly, like meat vegetables, fruit, coffee.

Meat is where you're going far wrong. You've already noticed the stench.
It can and will attract scavengers, including rats (which may or may not
be a problem where you are).

These days the general rule is only vegetable matter goes into a compost
heap. If you want to process meat down to compost you use a digester.

http://www.greenusesforwaste.co.uk/m...ood-waste.html

http://www.leics.gov.uk/index/enviro...ges/food_waste
_digesters.htm

In article wldbilly-110A62.21254225022010@c-61-68-245-
199.per.connect.net.au, says...
In article ,
phorbin wrote:

In article 782984b9-0881-4e78-8265-9b13c25f47e2
@o30g2000yqb.googlegroups.com, says...

Well, I think the problem is that I've not only put garden trash, but
maybe too much organic rubbish,
Maybe these two kinds should be separated, and kept away from dog's
and animal's reach.
I think the best solution that many of you mention, is to use it
straight away in the soil.

What do you mean by organic rubbish?

Probably autobiographical from someone who recommends growing tea but
who doesn't, and doesn't even know the difference from herbal teas and
tisanes. Then claims that he grows 400 olive trees, and wonders how to
make them produce fruit year round. Who owns a pizza "hut" and wants to
grow tomatoes year around for sauce.

Something definitely smells.

Maybe, but people do get into trouble by trying to realize an idea
without understanding that there's more to know, doing any research or
having knowledgeable help.

On this account and in this instance I'm willing to give a by because
basic information is important enough to restate.

Everyone starts somewhere even if that somewhere amounts to putting your
foot in it and losing a shoe the first time you discover the barnyard.
(It's losing the shoe that make people remember the event. Who knew that
a crusty, dusty cow patty could look like dirt?)

I'll await developments.

On Thu, 25 Feb 2010 23:13:54 -0500, phorbin
wrote:

In article ,
says...


Adding leaves (and rarely straw) is actually what I do when I empty my
inside compost bucket on top of the pile. I'm a lazy composter who
only turns it once a year. The leaves cover the odor as far as my nose
can tell. Come spring I turn the whole thing over and take from the
bottom.

Which is adding brown to green.

Brown + green in relatively good proportion equals no stench to speak
of.

Yup.

We do that too through snowless periods during the winter which serves
double duty by keeping the kitchen compost hidden until things heat up.

I guess I do sort of turn it in the warmer months by covering the
kitchen by products with the unfinished compost.

I'm looking forward to be able to do more than converse about
gardening...