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TrolleyDriver's Compost Thermometer

Bin #1 - Down another 2 degrees to 92F.

Bin #3 - Rebounded 17 degrees and is back up to 132F since turning yesterday.

TrolleyDriver's Compost Thermometer

Bin #1 - 94F (down just 2F).

Bin #3 - 115F (down 17F  ... wow!). After measuring the temperature I added more leaves and kitchen scraps and I turned the tumbler 3 times. The instructions state to turn it 3 times every 3 days.

TrolleyDriver's Compost Thermometer

Bin #1 - 96F

Bin #3 - 132F

TrolleyDriver's Compost Thermometer

Bin #1 - Holding quite steady. Now at 103F which is 2F lower from yesterday.

Bin #3 - Took a big jump up from 108F before tumbling yesterday to 130F today.

TrolleyDriver's Compost Thermometer

Bin #1 - 105F (unchanged)

Bin #3 - 108F (down 2F). After taking the temp I added some kitchen scraps and turned the tumbler three times per the instructions.

TrolleyDriver's Compost Thermometer

Bin #1 - 105F

Bin #3 - 110F

TrolleyDriver's Compost Thermometer

Bin #1 (3x3x3)  - down very slightly to 108F.

Bin #3 (EnviroCycle) - up from 76F at start to 97F today. The current outside temperature is 74F.

TrolleyDriver's Compost Thermometer

Bin #1 compost looks like mine.  I used about half of it so far as top dressing/mulch.  The Red Wigglers are loving it.  They are flocking the the interface zone between the MM and the compost.  Also, the compost gets really wet when I water.

I know Jimmy Cee has a composter like #3 but I think he called it just a toy (??) as he has that great 3-section compost bin.  I can see your point about this model being hard to turn.  It's low to the ground and the finger grips are shallow.  It looks like it would be easier to just roll it around on the ground.

The used model I bought is higher with deep finger grips so I turn it using the triceps (bat wings) and my weight.  Easy on the back.  Also, it is set up in the flower bed about 5" higher still.

TrolleyDriver's Compost Thermometer

I got the EnviroCycle Compost Tumbler set up this afternoon. They recommend filling it up but I fell short since I don't have enough greens. I put in semi-dried grass clippings from the lawn mowing earlier today, coffee grounds and filters, stored kitchen scraps, today's kitchen scraps, and leaves from last Fall. I'll have to add more greens and browns and adjust the ratios over the next few days as I fill it up. I should note that I do not find it all that easy to turn. The starting temperature is at 76F which is the ambient outdoor temperature today.  I'll call this Bin #3.

Tryst with my first DIY SFG in India

I used option #3 on 2 of my beds this year. The 3-way fittings have to be specially ordered. Tomorrow I will take a photo of using plumbers tape and screws to hold the poles to the outside of the box. To make it like option #3, 2 poles placed across the tops of 2 parallel trellises and strapped tightly would create a square or rectangle.

has55's R & D Journey

Lynn Gillespie, is giving away a free download of soil building. You have to recheck your email for confirmation to get it. It's all in color. here's the email. She also ask for you answer a survey on what challenges you're having in your email. You don't have to do it, The download is really free. 
here's an example :

Soil Secret #3
MAINTAINING A LIVING SOIL
1. Never putting anything chemical on the garden or the plants.
2. Feeding the soil to keep the microbes thriving with organic compost and organic natural fertilizers.
3. Turning the soil as little as possible to prevent damage to the microbes.
4. Mulching the garden to give the microbes a cozy home and a source of food. 
Here's the email, I received.the link is within it.

Hello Friend, For some time now, many of you have had plenty of questions about our secret soil mix. It is the key to the High Performance Garden’s success!  You asked, and now it’s time to deliver. Over the past couple of months I have been writing a soil guide to help new gardeners as they create the garden of their dreams.   The soil recipes and advice contained in this PDF are priceless. For the next couple of weeks I am giving it away for free! Why would I do such a thing? Because I understand the many frustrations that came with your last gardening season, and I don’t want you to have another year like that. By putting in a little bit of time into your garden’s soil today, you will reap the rewards for decades later. I’m going on 30 years of garden success because of the soil recipe I used 30 years ago in my garden.  >> Click Here to Download the Gardener’s Guide to Perfect Soil Go on ahead and get started! I look forward to seeing how your garden flourishes!  All you need to do is click on the link below.  >> Click Here to Download the Gardener’s Guide to Perfect Soil May your garden be easy, fun, productive, and always organic! Lynn

COMPOST 101

Turan wrote:. . . Less important than making a system and following it is to adapt your available space to how fast compost is happening, you are using it, and the raw materials are accumulating.  You can sieve fairly finished compost into garbage cans/bags if you need to store it.

Turan makes a good point.  Your circumstances and needs will/can determine how you will use the 3 bins.  In my tiny yard, I store the leaves in smaller cages that can actually be moved to trim the wisteria.  For you, 2 bins to flip the cooking compost back and forth with #3 for storage for either finished compost or leaves. Depends on the time of the year for leaves maybe.  Finished compost can always be stored in containers.  Just have fun trying out your new set up.  Sanderson, green with envy

Second Year SFG in Canada

#3 Well done.

Poll: How Many Squares Do You Have?

RT, Talking about cheating, I just noticed you have two #3's!

CANADIAN REGION: What are you doing in March 2016?

#3 is the hardest.

MM lab analysis April 2015

(for comparison, see lab results from August 2011.)

I didn't spend as much money on seeds this year as I anticipated, so I thought I'd spend it on  lab tests facilitated by my Conservation District.  

TEST 1

This is a traditional soil test.  The sample was taken from the soil where I've grown nothing but corn for the last 6 years.  I've amended the native soil with a minimum of 5 way compost each year.  

Two years ago, I noticed a paling of the lower leaves late in the growing season, which I interpreted as nitrogen being depleted.  For last year's season, when I renewed the compost, I added bloodmeal.  The plants stayed greener throughout the growing season, but I didn't notice a change in harvest quality or quantity.  I decided to try it one more time, and  I added bloodmeal again when I prepped the boxes for this season.  This is the sample that I submitted.

Analysis Report for corn boxes:

Summary of the report by the Conservation District representative:

A quick look sample #3 shows that you have a very high organic matter at 25.0%.  This is well above the normal range for our local soils.   The Phosphorus (P) is at 84 ppm.  That is in the range that I like to see it.  We want it above 20 ppm but below 30 ppm.  The Potassium (K) is at 501 ppm.  That is a high level.  The K should be between 150 ppm and 200 ppm.  The Calcium is low and Magnesium is medium.  The prefect Calcium to Magnesium ratio is 7 to 1.  Your Ca to Mg ratio is 7.7 to 1.  This is very good.  Your Calcium is reflected in a higher soil pH.  With a soil pH at 6.5 the soil is right in the middle of the good range.   Plants like it best with a soil pH between 6.0 and 7.0.  The Cation Exchange Capacity is in the upper end of the range..  This means it has a very good ability to hold on to cations.  The Nitrate nitrogen is at 258 ppm.  Nitrate is water soluble so it is always low this time of the year.  258 is off the charts high.  This is much more nitrate than is needed to raise a crop.  Do not apply any additional nitrogen.  The Sulfur is also high at 76 ppm.  I want it to be between 12 and 20 ppm.  

You are not lacking in any soil nutrients.  In fact with most of the elements you have excess nutrients.  This area will grow whatever is planted on it and at this time about all you can do is attempt to farm some of these nutrients out of the ground.

Looks like I won't be adding bloodmeal next season.

TEST 2

This  sample is from the new MM I made for this season.  It is a basic test for greenhouse growing mediums.  Secondary minerals were not measured.  

Analysis Report for new MM, 2015 season:

No summary was provided by the Conservation District.

The results are comparable to those I received in 2011, with two exceptions.  The nitrogen is even lower than the marginal amount measured in the 2011 tests, and sodium is higher than optimal.  

I'm not sure what to make of the low nitrogen.  Most everything I'm currently growing is looking and behaving in what I consider a normal, healthy manner.

I suppose the high sodium is from using more than 20% manures in my compost.  It should easily flush away in my good draining TTs.

TEST 3

This sample came from my carrot box.  This is the 8^th year in a row that I've grown nothing but carrots in this box.  I've always had a good carrot harvest.  The sample was taken after amending with 7 way compost for this season.  Some squares in the box were already planted, and growth so far is normal.

Analysis Report for MM in carrot box, 2015 season:

No summary was provided by the Conservation District.

I now have multiple deep boxes to choose from, so I'll move my carrots to a different box next year.  

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The numbers are interesting, but the bottom line is whether or not I'm satisfied with my harvests.  With the exception of problems caused by leaf miners and cool, wet summers, I've always been happy with my harvests grown in MM, and will continue to amend with just 5+ compost sources.

I've tried a few controlled experiments on a small scale with the addition of azomite, fish emulsion, blood meal, or bone meal on different plants.  Other than a slight greening of the plants, I've seen no other benefits.

I'm not concluding that those amendments are without value.  However, I have re-inforced my own decision that amending with compost is the best gardening method for me because messing around with additives is too much work for this lazy gardener.  

To be fair, my experiments were probably poorly conducted because I added the additives at planting time, and that was that.  I paid no attention to, nor do I have any interest in mastering the use of them, to include:

• What to add
  
• When to add
  
• How much to add
  
• How often to add
  

Plus, sufficient advance planning to set up control plants.  

Too much work! I'm happy to leave that stuff to row gardeners.