Trying out Hot Composting

nicolej

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first of all i apologize if this is in the wrong forum thread/section, but I decided to try a hot compost pile this month, my first trial and it has gone anerobic and by going through videos and articles online ive tried methods to fix it but wondered if anyone else has tried doing hot composting and had any tips. i think my pile may also be abit small but im not sure as people do hot container composting as well.
 

DivingTemptress

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Hi Nicole,
Hard to know how to advise without knowing what you have already done. It is always safe to keep turning the pile to increase air flow thru the pile and it should be at least 3ft x 3ft x 3ft to have enough mass to heat up. You may have added too much moisture, so let it dry out for awhile.
You can always add more leaves, shredded white paper, paper bags, etc. to get it back in balance.

Good luck and Happy Gardening !
P J, the Dirt Diva
 

nicolej

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after amending my ompost heap (seems it had way too much nitrogen and not enough carbon mixed in. I am ready to start a second pile. I have some topsoil sitting in the backyard and wondered if i could add this to my compost? i cant find anywhere online that it is a carbon or nitrogen source. Anyone have any info on that?
 

nicolej

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I have plenty of greens (huge thanks to working in a kitchen at a cafe') but struggles sometimes to get browns. I genrally go with 2 part greens to 2 parts brown. And use mostly sugar cane mulch as my brown and cardboard as its all i can really get my hands on. But i was unsure about which catagory the soil falls under
 

AndrewB

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Soil is fine to add, it won't count as either though. The carbon & nitrogen are foods for the organisms that are creating your compost.

Soil is what is left after they eat the carbon & nitrogen.

So if you have an over active pile, then adding soil will sort of buffer it & slow things down.
 
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