Square Foot Gardening Forum
[table bgcolor=#000000 height=275][tr][td]
White Fuzz in Composter Toplef10White Fuzz in Composter 1zd3ho10

Hello Guest!
Welcome to the official Square Foot Gardening Forum.
There's lots to learn here by reading as a guest. However, if you become a member (it's free, ad free and spam-free) you'll have access to our large vermiculite databases, our seed exchange spreadsheets, Mel's Mix calculator, and many more members' pictures in the Gallery. Enjoy.

White Fuzz in Composter I22gcj10White Fuzz in Composter 14dhcg10

[/td][/tr][/table]

Join the forum, it's quick and easy

Square Foot Gardening Forum
[table bgcolor=#000000 height=275][tr][td]
White Fuzz in Composter Toplef10White Fuzz in Composter 1zd3ho10

Hello Guest!
Welcome to the official Square Foot Gardening Forum.
There's lots to learn here by reading as a guest. However, if you become a member (it's free, ad free and spam-free) you'll have access to our large vermiculite databases, our seed exchange spreadsheets, Mel's Mix calculator, and many more members' pictures in the Gallery. Enjoy.

White Fuzz in Composter I22gcj10White Fuzz in Composter 14dhcg10

[/td][/tr][/table]
Square Foot Gardening Forum
Would you like to react to this message? Create an account in a few clicks or log in to continue.
Search
 
 

Display results as :
 

 


Rechercher Advanced Search

Latest topics
» New to SFG and in Virgina
by sanderson Today at 1:38 am

» Bokashi
by sanderson Today at 1:08 am

» Onions. Walk on?
by sanderson Today at 12:46 am

» Compost bins: Open vs. closed
by Scorpio Rising Yesterday at 10:38 am

» Recommended store bought compost - Photos of composts
by sanderson 3/26/2024, 5:56 pm

» 6 metal trellis frames
by docachna 3/25/2024, 4:31 pm

» N & C Midwest: March and April 2024
by Scorpio Rising 3/24/2024, 3:01 pm

» What Have You Picked From Your Garden Today
by OhioGardener 3/24/2024, 1:28 pm

» Senseless Banter...
by OhioGardener 3/23/2024, 6:02 pm

» Joann's fabric bankruptcy
by neefer 3/23/2024, 12:33 am

» New gardener from Santa Fe NM
by CantersVary 3/22/2024, 7:50 pm

» Kiwi's SFG Adventure
by KiwiSFGnewbie 3/22/2024, 5:07 pm

» Heat Mat Temperature Test
by OhioGardener 3/22/2024, 2:09 pm

» Victory Garden Reboot
by Scorpio Rising 3/22/2024, 11:53 am

» Mark's first SFG
by sanderson 3/22/2024, 11:43 am

» Commercial (bagged or bulk) compost question
by Mikesgardn 3/21/2024, 7:09 pm

» Think Spring 2024
by Scorpio Rising 3/20/2024, 10:34 am

» Fire Ring / Round Raised Bed Planter
by sanderson 3/19/2024, 4:51 pm

» Galvanized Fire Ring for Rhubarb Raised Beds?
by OhioGardener 3/18/2024, 10:34 am

» Happy St. Patrick's Day
by Scorpio Rising 3/17/2024, 5:54 pm

» Happy Birthday!!
by Scorpio Rising 3/11/2024, 10:28 am

» What are you eating from your garden today?
by Scorpio Rising 3/10/2024, 8:38 pm

» Why I love Oregano in the garden.
by OhioGardener 3/10/2024, 8:16 am

» Comfrey
by OhioGardener 3/9/2024, 6:07 pm

» Sealing Barrels Flowers Struggling-Need Ideas
by Turan 3/9/2024, 3:09 pm

» Hello again from a slightly different part of Central PA!
by sanderson 3/9/2024, 1:46 pm

» Chicken manure compost
by Oopsiedaisy 3/8/2024, 7:56 pm

» Chinese Broccoli
by sanderson 3/7/2024, 10:28 pm

» Heat Mat Lifespan
by Scorpio Rising 3/7/2024, 9:33 am

» Now is The Time To Take Seed Inventory
by OhioGardener 3/6/2024, 4:36 pm

Google

Search SFG Forum

White Fuzz in Composter

3 posters

Go down

White Fuzz in Composter Empty White Fuzz in Composter

Post  Rahab222 5/13/2013, 1:45 am

I bought an 85-gallon Lifetime composter. I filled it with 80% brown and 20% greens. I barely misted the top of the leaves with water before closing the lid and have been turning the barrel every day. Today, I opened the lid and there was white, fuzzy stuff in my compost (it's been composting for about 7 days). This "white fuzz" is the same as I see in my compost bucket I keep under the kitchen sink after the greens have sat in there for a couple of days. As in the fruits and vegetables grow white fuzz. I guess it's the same as if you left something in the icebox too long and it grew "fuzz" on it. The compost looked a little too moist, so I turned it a few times and then left the lid open to give it some air while I worked in the garden.

What is this white fuzz? Is it going to go away as the items continue to compost? Will it contaminate my plants if I use this batch of compost on them (this is my first batch of compost)? I added two more shovelfuls of brown leaves, but they were also damp since we had rain a couple of days ago.

On the fourth day of this batch being mixed, I could see steam rising out of the composter. I put my hand above the compost and could feel A LOT of heat! Today I didn't feel any heat (Day 7) rising off the compost. I assume the fruits and vegetables added quite a bit of moisture and this might be why the compost is so damp? However, the white fuzz looks really nasty. What is it and what's causing it?
Rahab222
Rahab222

Posts : 95
Join date : 2013-03-28
Location : Houston TX

Back to top Go down

White Fuzz in Composter Empty Re: White Fuzz in Composter

Post  littlejo 5/13/2013, 8:33 am

Don't worry, it's natural. Some white fuzz is from the heat and stuff breaking down. If it starts to smell, add something dry/brown, otherwise, continue on.
I don't know what this fuzz is called.
Jo
littlejo
littlejo

Female Posts : 1575
Join date : 2011-05-04
Age : 70
Location : Cottageville SC 8b

Back to top Go down

White Fuzz in Composter Empty Re: White Fuzz in Composter

Post  Rahab222 5/19/2013, 12:31 am

Okay, the white fuzz is gone. I guess it's just part of the natural breakdown of the fruits and vegetables? Also, my composter is leaking compost tea beneath the composter, but the unit doesn't come with a "capture system". Am I going to find a bunch of compost tea at the bottom of the barrel after the composting is complete? I'm trying to turn the barrel several turns every day to keep everything stirred up.

Thanks for responding.
Rahab222
Rahab222

Posts : 95
Join date : 2013-03-28
Location : Houston TX

Back to top Go down

White Fuzz in Composter Empty Re: White Fuzz in Composter

Post  yolos 5/19/2013, 11:00 am

I am not sure my method of determining the right dampness works for a tumbler but it works real good for my compost bin. When I first started researching composting, what I found was most people saying the compost should feel like a damp sponge. But I could not determine how damp was damp. I later found the suggestion to get a handful of compost and squeeze it. If one drop of water came out it was perfect but if 3 drops came out it was too wet and needed turning or more browns added.

I imagine the white fuzz is just the vegetative waste decaying.
yolos
yolos

Female Posts : 4152
Join date : 2011-11-20
Age : 74
Location : Brooks, Ga Zone 7B/8A

Back to top Go down

White Fuzz in Composter Empty Re: White Fuzz in Composter

Post  Sponsored content


Sponsored content


Back to top Go down

Back to top


 
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum