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Google
Are you a hottie?
+74
countrynaturals
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78 posters
Page 24 of 26
Page 24 of 26 • 1 ... 13 ... 23, 24, 25, 26
Re: Are you a hottie?
I had my first hottie pile, after like four attempts in the past couple years.
Was definitely nitrogen-heavy, but in the desert you don't get a lot of choices. It was over 130degF one night, was at 138degF when I woke up the next morning, and then cooled to 132 by the end of that day, so i turned it and added the last bit of greens that I had...
and it never got past 120 again.
Ah well, maybe next year. Le sigh.
Was definitely nitrogen-heavy, but in the desert you don't get a lot of choices. It was over 130degF one night, was at 138degF when I woke up the next morning, and then cooled to 132 by the end of that day, so i turned it and added the last bit of greens that I had...
and it never got past 120 again.
Ah well, maybe next year. Le sigh.
I think my sunflower plant can take me in a fair fight...it's taller than me, and it keeps giving me dirty looks.
brainchasm- Posts : 481
Join date : 2013-02-26
Age : 48
Location : Las Vegas, NV
Re: Are you a hottie?
Well bummer. Good luck next time. I typically don't turn the pile until the temp drops to near 100F or is in the neighborhood of 160F.brainchasm wrote:I had my first hottie pile, after like four attempts in the past couple years.
Was definitely nitrogen-heavy, but in the desert you don't get a lot of choices. It was over 130degF one night, was at 138degF when I woke up the next morning, and then cooled to 132 by the end of that day, so i turned it and added the last bit of greens that I had...
and it never got past 120 again.
Ah well, maybe next year. Le sigh.
43 years a gardener and going strong with SFG.
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t3574-the-end-of-july-7-weeks-until-frost
There are certain pursuits which, if not wholly poetic and true, do at least suggest a nobler and finer relation to nature than we know. The keeping of bees, for instance. ~ Henry David Thoreau
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t1306-other-gardening-books
Sage Advice
Thanks for your sage advice I turned the pile after 4 days and then again after 2 per the Berkeley instructions and I'm over anxious and slightly obsessive. I sprinkled some water on it to keep it moist when turning. I think I'll wait longer, 3-4 days before turning to see how it heats up and to let the process happen a bit longer inside the pile.
grownsunshine- Posts : 255
Join date : 2013-05-22
Location : So Cal: Zone 10a
Re: Are you a hottie?
I believe this is good thinking.grownsunshine wrote:Thanks for your sage advice I turned the pile after 4 days and then again after 2 per the Berkeley instructions and I'm over anxious and slightly obsessive. I sprinkled some water on it to keep it moist when turning. I think I'll wait longer, 3-4 days before turning to see how it heats up and to let the process happen a bit longer inside the pile.
43 years a gardener and going strong with SFG.
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t3574-the-end-of-july-7-weeks-until-frost
There are certain pursuits which, if not wholly poetic and true, do at least suggest a nobler and finer relation to nature than we know. The keeping of bees, for instance. ~ Henry David Thoreau
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t1306-other-gardening-books
Re: Are you a hottie?
If I have a pile that's not heating as well as I would like I do this. I want to get the most out of that heat as possible. I've found that when I turn cooler piles it doesn't seem to heat them up much, so it's better to let them run for a while.grownsunshine wrote:Thanks for your sage advice I turned the pile after 4 days and then again after 2 per the Berkeley instructions and I'm over anxious and slightly obsessive. I sprinkled some water on it to keep it moist when turning. I think I'll wait longer, 3-4 days before turning to see how it heats up and to let the process happen a bit longer inside the pile.
You really can't do it to wrong - it will cold compost just as well. It just takes longer, but it produces great compost all the same
Re: Are you a hottie?
BUMP!
43 years a gardener and going strong with SFG.
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t3574-the-end-of-july-7-weeks-until-frost
There are certain pursuits which, if not wholly poetic and true, do at least suggest a nobler and finer relation to nature than we know. The keeping of bees, for instance. ~ Henry David Thoreau
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t1306-other-gardening-books
Re: Are you a hottie?
On Saturday I built a compost pile in my greenhouse. This morning it is warm to the touch so it is taking off
We are getting frosts most nights now and the greenhouse is full of ripening tomatoes and peppers and 3 cucumbers. So I am hoping a hot pile in there will give it a couple more weeks.
We are getting frosts most nights now and the greenhouse is full of ripening tomatoes and peppers and 3 cucumbers. So I am hoping a hot pile in there will give it a couple more weeks.
Turan- Posts : 2616
Join date : 2012-03-29
Location : Gallatin Valley, Montana, Intermountain zone 4
Re: Are you a hottie?
Turan; Keep us posted on how that goes, I simply don't have room to do one but have thought about it if I did!
Re: Are you a hottie?
Smart idea!Turan wrote:On Saturday I built a compost pile in my greenhouse. This morning it is warm to the touch so it is taking off
We are getting frosts most nights now and the greenhouse is full of ripening tomatoes and peppers and 3 cucumbers. So I am hoping a hot pile in there will give it a couple more weeks.
grownsunshine- Posts : 255
Join date : 2013-05-22
Location : So Cal: Zone 10a
Re: Are you a hottie?
It got down to 22F last night. I did not dare go in the greenhouse to see how it was doing until the sun was up and hitting it. Besides the compost pile there is a small area electric radiator set at its lowest setting.
When I did go in it was 50 in side and about 30 outside. The compost is a little over 100 so far. There was frost damage near the doors where there are leaks and the whole interior walls/roof were coated with heavy frost. Anything hitting a wall is damaged but I had pruned most of that away this weekend any ways. The rest looks fine.
When I did go in it was 50 in side and about 30 outside. The compost is a little over 100 so far. There was frost damage near the doors where there are leaks and the whole interior walls/roof were coated with heavy frost. Anything hitting a wall is damaged but I had pruned most of that away this weekend any ways. The rest looks fine.
Turan- Posts : 2616
Join date : 2012-03-29
Location : Gallatin Valley, Montana, Intermountain zone 4
Re: Are you a hottie?
Will the compost pile moisture & ammonia gas etc released during the composting cause you condensation problems such as blight or does it not arise ?
plantoid- Posts : 4096
Join date : 2011-11-09
Age : 73
Location : At the west end of M4 in the UK
Re: Are you a hottie?
I think if blight were a problem it would of shown up before now. Have you heard of a hot box or hot bed made by putting a thick amount of stable muck in a bed and then planting above it? I have seen it done to make a warm bed for seed starting in the early spring. I figure it can work similarly at this end of the season as well.
What I wondered was if the off gasses would speed or slow fruit ripening. Among the ingredients are two 5 gallon buckets of apple pomace from cider pressing. Those apples should be giving off gasses to stimulate ripening.
What I wondered was if the off gasses would speed or slow fruit ripening. Among the ingredients are two 5 gallon buckets of apple pomace from cider pressing. Those apples should be giving off gasses to stimulate ripening.
Turan- Posts : 2616
Join date : 2012-03-29
Location : Gallatin Valley, Montana, Intermountain zone 4
Re: Are you a hottie?
Here the hot beds of old used to be a two foot deep pit with two foot high sides of a wooden frame filled with fresh manure in spring . Then covered in about 18 inches of sieved soil in mid summer when the muck had " dropped " ready for planting crops for over wintering .
Lots of crops were started without the use of the glass covers but these were soon put in place as the days shortened from the end of September .
The ammonia released in the anaerobically decomposing manure would have almost ceased by planting time , so the soil capping would hold it in , letting it turn into nitrogen in the soil capping ( I think ) which the plant roots wanted.
Your apple fruit will produce quit a lot of CO 2 , mild Malic & Acetic acid gases as it decays ( think making wine )
CO 2 which is a green house gas that may reduce the quality of winter UV but in theory absorb sun heat and retain it ( fat change when it's minus 40 oC )
The decomposition will as you already know produce heat , which will be transported out of the heap in the form of moisture laden gasses.
It seems the the released moisture has been frozen on the inside of the house . So it may make an " Igloo effect " and be slightly warmer inside than outside in the freezing temperatures than if you just had the plastic skin . Plastic /polythene are fairly effective cold conductors. At least the ice particles will have tiny pockets of insulating air in them . Any melting of the frosting inside will see it glaze over & capture the microscopic pockets of air and help make a simple slight thermal barrier . So I can see how the heat of the heap raises temps at night .
I hadn't thought of the moisture produced changing state into ice and it being taken out of the gasses given off from the heap , so it may be that blight will not be a problem after all .
Lots of crops were started without the use of the glass covers but these were soon put in place as the days shortened from the end of September .
The ammonia released in the anaerobically decomposing manure would have almost ceased by planting time , so the soil capping would hold it in , letting it turn into nitrogen in the soil capping ( I think ) which the plant roots wanted.
Your apple fruit will produce quit a lot of CO 2 , mild Malic & Acetic acid gases as it decays ( think making wine )
CO 2 which is a green house gas that may reduce the quality of winter UV but in theory absorb sun heat and retain it ( fat change when it's minus 40 oC )
The decomposition will as you already know produce heat , which will be transported out of the heap in the form of moisture laden gasses.
It seems the the released moisture has been frozen on the inside of the house . So it may make an " Igloo effect " and be slightly warmer inside than outside in the freezing temperatures than if you just had the plastic skin . Plastic /polythene are fairly effective cold conductors. At least the ice particles will have tiny pockets of insulating air in them . Any melting of the frosting inside will see it glaze over & capture the microscopic pockets of air and help make a simple slight thermal barrier . So I can see how the heat of the heap raises temps at night .
I hadn't thought of the moisture produced changing state into ice and it being taken out of the gasses given off from the heap , so it may be that blight will not be a problem after all .
plantoid- Posts : 4096
Join date : 2011-11-09
Age : 73
Location : At the west end of M4 in the UK
Re: Are you a hottie?
David I love the level of thinking you put in to this.
THe greenhouse is double walled but only a 6mm gap, so it has reasonable but not wonderful insulation. Ripe apples give off lots of ethylene gas which should push rapid ripening of other fruits, this is why one should not store apples and potatoes near each other.
At work we made a 3X 4 X 16 cage with cattle panels that we filled with barn stuffs, wetted as we filled. Once it had started heating we put trays on it filled with soil cubes seeded. We raised the trays when the compost got too hot. Covered it all with blankets and hung plastic sheets to make a greenhouse inside a greenhouse. It worked well, a bit hard to control the sprouting temperature but made a nice warm place for plants to get started. There was no problem with the gasses let off.
Blight is a huge concern here but is not a problem. We are a major seed potato growing area because our winters are so cold, it is so arid and we are isolated from other potato growing areas by mountain ranges. You can not bring in tomatoes or any such plants to this area because of the fear of blights getting to the potatoes. So I might be a bit naive about the environment in the greenhouse. All my plants were grown from seed here or at a local nursery.
Any rate. When I checked back the next day all the plants showed some signes of frost damage on the leaves. It had gotten down to 17F.... colder than it can handle. Something I have noticed is that early in the season that cold would of been ok, but now the ground is losing its latent heat stored. I bigger greenhouse could manage longer, or if had gotten that compost pile charged up and really moving earlier. Sealing up the roof vents would of helped too.
THe greenhouse is double walled but only a 6mm gap, so it has reasonable but not wonderful insulation. Ripe apples give off lots of ethylene gas which should push rapid ripening of other fruits, this is why one should not store apples and potatoes near each other.
At work we made a 3X 4 X 16 cage with cattle panels that we filled with barn stuffs, wetted as we filled. Once it had started heating we put trays on it filled with soil cubes seeded. We raised the trays when the compost got too hot. Covered it all with blankets and hung plastic sheets to make a greenhouse inside a greenhouse. It worked well, a bit hard to control the sprouting temperature but made a nice warm place for plants to get started. There was no problem with the gasses let off.
Blight is a huge concern here but is not a problem. We are a major seed potato growing area because our winters are so cold, it is so arid and we are isolated from other potato growing areas by mountain ranges. You can not bring in tomatoes or any such plants to this area because of the fear of blights getting to the potatoes. So I might be a bit naive about the environment in the greenhouse. All my plants were grown from seed here or at a local nursery.
Any rate. When I checked back the next day all the plants showed some signes of frost damage on the leaves. It had gotten down to 17F.... colder than it can handle. Something I have noticed is that early in the season that cold would of been ok, but now the ground is losing its latent heat stored. I bigger greenhouse could manage longer, or if had gotten that compost pile charged up and really moving earlier. Sealing up the roof vents would of helped too.
Turan- Posts : 2616
Join date : 2012-03-29
Location : Gallatin Valley, Montana, Intermountain zone 4
compost thermometer fir Christmas
I finally have a proper 20" compost thermometer! What a great Christmas gift for me!
The gift certificate to rareseeds.com was fantastic too!
The gift certificate to rareseeds.com was fantastic too!
dstack- Posts : 659
Join date : 2013-08-20
Age : 55
Location : South Florida (Ft. Lauderdale), Zone 10A
Re: Are you a hottie?
Yay for you! I love running out in the morning to check how the pile is doing You will really enjoy it and it's amazing how motivating those numbers are to keep working your pile!
Re: Are you a hottie?
Worms, compost thermometer and seed gift certificate. What more can a gardener want??
Re: Are you a hottie?
Seriously! What a great Christmas for the garden!sanderson wrote:Worms, compost thermometer and seed gift certificate. What more can a gardener want??
dstack- Posts : 659
Join date : 2013-08-20
Age : 55
Location : South Florida (Ft. Lauderdale), Zone 10A
A Record High Hottie!
My compost heap reached a new record high! My heap is a HOTTIE!
dstack- Posts : 659
Join date : 2013-08-20
Age : 55
Location : South Florida (Ft. Lauderdale), Zone 10A
Re: Are you a hottie?
Yay! Mine still is lower than usual with the winter. It's only getting up to about 120 right now. Oh well, it's still breaking down, just more slowly than I'm used to.
Re: Are you a hottie?
Yes, my Christmas gift. Usually my pile is around 130℉. I have four co-workers who bring me compost from their kitchens, so that's been a help in adding to the greens in the pile.
dstack- Posts : 659
Join date : 2013-08-20
Age : 55
Location : South Florida (Ft. Lauderdale), Zone 10A
Re: Are you a hottie?
120°F is hottie status.
43 years a gardener and going strong with SFG.
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t3574-the-end-of-july-7-weeks-until-frost
There are certain pursuits which, if not wholly poetic and true, do at least suggest a nobler and finer relation to nature than we know. The keeping of bees, for instance. ~ Henry David Thoreau
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t1306-other-gardening-books
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