Cold old compost...

Cherbear 9/23/2013, 10:38 am

I have a compost in barrels, older compost in one, and newer in another. I have checked the temperature and its only a little higher than ambient. I add kitchen greens to it (its mostly straw from a half rotted bale) but it doesn't heat up. I don't get composting, really. Also, can I add powedery mildew infected squash vines to the compost barrel?

**sanderson** 9/23/2013, 2:10 pm

Dear Cherbear, I just replied to 2Soo "Compost in the Snow" regarding composting, So I will copy, paste and edit the reply for you.

Composting does NOT depend on the weather. It is a chemical and microbial process. Once you build a large compost pile, with both 'brown' and 'green' materials, you do not add any more material.

A composting thermometer is a wonderful tool to have to make sure it heats up inside.

Please read the following topic. It's lengthy but you can see how other folks manage to produce wonderful compost.

https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t9365-are-you-a-hottie?highlight=hottie

Go up to the Search box and type in compost.

I also bought a used copy online (Amazon, eBay?) of "The Complete Compost Gardening Guide" by Barbara Pleasant and Deborah L. Martin.

Best of luck.

**camprn** 9/23/2013, 2:34 pm

Here is a link to the thread...
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t16702-compost-in-the-snow#177216

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Cold old compost...

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