time to start my own compost?

I'm mixing up some new MM, and I somehow got lucky enough to find more than 5 types of compost. I have

• mushroom
  
• cow
  
• yard waste compost from local dump (it's so pretty)
  
• yard and food combo compost from nursery
  
• Black Hen
  
• one bag of worm castings (I add about 4 cups to every bucket of my compost mix)
  
• rabbit droppings and other "litter" components
  
• clean mix of aged goat, llama, rabbit and possibly some chicken manure
  

So, the last two are a bit suspect to me. The rabbit droppings are very fresh, and they contain some rocks, straw, sticks, and I've even found some bits of plastic. I've carefully sifted through with the small amount I've used. Once I found the yard and food compost from the nursery, I started mixing that in in place of the rabbit stuff. Just less hassle. Plus, it's started growing white stuff on it, since it's been left in the bags in the warm garage (is that bad? I've noticed it also on my stuff from the dump because it was warm when I shoveled it into my bags, and it got a bit damp from condensation...)

The mix of aged poops was stuff I used for my spring planting, and it was full of wireworms, which I did my best to pick out when I mixed my MM. I've let my leftover bags sit in my garage, not quite sure what I should do with them. Is there anything that would salvage this, or should I toss it?

So, I have a full 5 composts, plus a bit of extra worm castings in the mix without those last two. So that's what I've been using to mix in my squares, and what's going to make up my MM for the new box I'll be building for next spring. Can I throw the rabbit stuff into a compost barrel (HOA would probably not smile on a pile in the yard), and get the "extras" (minus the rocks and plastic of course) composted down better? Would you throw in the wirewormy stuff as well? Would the heat possibly kill the worms, if they're not dead already from sitting in the bags in my garage all summer?

I'd love to get some opinions from you guys. You're always so helpful!

Thanks,
Tracy

I have been raising blue worms for 5 years.Started with my rabbit droppings plus compost from local green waste.I have 30 bins under my cages.I feed my rabbits green waste from the grocery store also the worms love coffee from the coffee shop. worms love cardboard ,burlap,anything that brakes down .keep it wet but it must drain ,if it stays wet to long it will smell brake it up with compost.untill your worms take over other bugs may bug you but have no fear they will disapear.

Sounds like you're off to a good start.

I'd take all the leftovers and clean it of rocks(anything that won't decompose) and either leave in the bags or find a suitable container, trashcan, or bin of some sort, that can be used as a composter(to hide from the HOA spies)

Sprinkle some water on your compost if dry. If it smells like dirt, then it's finished composting. If it smells like rabbit, etc poo, then some more composting will help.

just add something to it, grass, trimmings from garden/yard etc, food peelings. mix well and it should be ready by springtime.

I don't know much about the wireworms. I had some in my compost that I made? I understand they can be the larvae from a beetle. They cause problems with corn in particular. I'll have to check on this to see if there is a solution.

Does anyone on the forum know of wireworms?

Jo

Great suggestions! Jo, could I keep a trash can of stuff in my garage for my compost? Would it stink to high heaven?

Yeah, it's the click beetle. I wonder if that's why my corn didn't do so well... Hmmm.

I have looked online and there is not much to do, besides chemicals.

1 thing that can be done at planting, wait til the soil is warm, but that is not really what I want to do. another is to add molassas(dry from the feed store) to the soil furrow, as you are planting seed, corn especially, for they like corn.They evidently don't like hot weather, they will eat the seed corn, and if they miss that then they will eat the baby corn roots.

You can put compost in a plastic bag, tie it up, and sit in the hot sun to cook, which is what I'll do.



Your can prob. won't smell, but I'd get a lid for the can just in case.



Jo