compost challenge

Discussion in 'Planting, growing, nurturing Plants' started by beherit, Jan 25, 2007.

  1. beherit

    beherit Junior Member

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    hey ho lets go!

    as mentioned elsewhere on this board, my better half (Jodi) has layed down the 18 day compost challenge!

    we're both using the berkely method with some slight variations between each mound and decided to keep a running commentary on our progress since it sparked a bit of interest upon mention on this board and also from curious neighbourhood onlookers! (Hi Clint!)

    we're at day four right now and just given our mounds their first turn, gotta say it was already quite steamy in the centre (approx 35-40C and climbing!)

    a quick breakdown of our piles before we get to the pics:

    HERS (Jodi Jackson)
    location : backyard, northside shaded by nextdoors garage
    • approx 1 cubic metre volume
    • 2/3 paper, ground litter & small cuttings
    • 1/3 manure (horse & cow)
    • late afternoon shade (from 6:30 AEDST)

    HIS (beherit)
    location : front yard, fully exposed
    • approx 1 cubic metre volume (fraction over)
    • 2/3 paper & mulched cyprus pine
    • 1/3 manure (horse & cow)
    • full sun

    the object of the game is to see who has the better pile at the end of 18 days (Feb.8), beauty of it is there will be no losers, only two piles of rich compost and two happy gardeners - its win/win!

    Now, we're by no means experts (prior to this we've tackled the odd dig-in compost and been utilising a rotocomposter with very average results for the past few years) So if anyone else is up for the challenge feel free to post your results here too!

    ...actually we strongly encourage any and all comers to try this method as it would be great to see photographic evidence from as many countries and climates as possible and really put this berkely theory to the test! (for instructions: https://permaculture.org.au/?page_id=22)

    Regardeners!
    -Jodi & Paul


    bear with me while i try and get the pics up - i'm a photobucket newbie!
     
  2. beherit

    beherit Junior Member

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    Jodi - Day Four (uncovered - compost NOT Jodi!)
    [​IMG]


    Jodi - Day Four (turned)
    [​IMG]


    Paul - Day Four (uncovered)
    [​IMG]


    Paul - Day Four (turned)
    [​IMG][/img]
     
  3. Veggie Boy

    Veggie Boy Junior Member

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    Shame :shock: .

    But seriously - good idea for a thread. Will look forward to seeing the results. I always get sick of turning the buggers, but your heap is not so big that it should be a problem.
     
  4. sweetpea

    sweetpea Junior Member

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    Hey, now there's a contest! So why 18 days? 8)
     
  5. Richard on Maui

    Richard on Maui Junior Member

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    18 days is the length of the time called for by the "Berkeley Method" which was developed at the University of California, Berkeley. With a diverse mixture of finely shredded materials with C:N ratio of around 30:1, and the correct moisture content, with turning at precise stages to manage oxygen levels to facilitate thermophilic, aerobic bacteria. I think you compile it; 1st turn it on day 4, 2nd turn day 8, and turn it every day after that until the 18th day, when the theory is that you have completely composted the pile.
    Great thread Jodi and Paul! Will watch with interest.
     
  6. sweetpea

    sweetpea Junior Member

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    Richard, ah, thanks, I see.

    Beherit, and what's ground litter?
     
  7. beherit

    beherit Junior Member

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    Hey Sweetpea,

    In this instance its all the stuff we raked up off the ground when clearing a space to construct some new raised beds; its basically just leaf litter, unwanted grass runners, some old straw that was mulching some recently removed trees...just litter...from the ground...ground litter! :lol:
     
  8. Mrs Parker-Bowles

    Mrs Parker-Bowles Junior Member

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    Hey Sweetpea,

    I've recently found that by running the rake over a dead patch of grass you will accumulate quite a lot of material either for mulch or compost.

    It's so dry here that it hardly makes a difference and when we're ready we'll re-plant it with a good ground cover (like lippia!) :wink:
     
  9. Richard on Maui

    Richard on Maui Junior Member

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    I bet you guys are hanging out to turn those heaps again, aren't ya? :razz:
     
  10. Mrs Parker-Bowles

    Mrs Parker-Bowles Junior Member

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    Soitenly are Rich, we soitenly are. They were already steaming when we turned them yesterday. But, for now we're just passing the time with a couple of light ice shandies. :partyman:

    You know we have this black and white stray cat that we've been trying to trap for ages. It's the last of the seven strays mind you. Anyway, I keep catching it hanging around the compost in the front yard (we've disrupted it's scratch patch). I keep telling him that I'd love to put him in there.
    Aaaww.. He's not so bad, and I do feel a bit sorry for him it's not his fault the people a couple of doors down racked off and left him behind. It's just that he's not a social cat and I don't think it will be good for our chooks having him around. He does love to rip birds to pieces.
     
  11. Richard on Maui

    Richard on Maui Junior Member

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    I can feel a compost turning coming on...
     
  12. crookie

    crookie Junior Member

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    Looking forward to seeing the next piccies! You've got me all motivated and I now have two piles composting. One is up to day 8 and one just day 3. Raked up the mowings from the council land next door, plus chook straw and kitchen scraps. Thanks for sharing your challenge!
     
  13. FREE Permaculture

    FREE Permaculture Junior Member

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    got the taste for it..
    just can't wait for it..
    I can feel a compost turning coming on. :lol:

    sorry was singing that xxxx commercial :razz:
     
  14. beherit

    beherit Junior Member

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    Ha - its definitely the weather for it!

    Day12 and i've just turned the heaps, time to head inside and retire for the day and talk compost and swales over a frosty ale!

    Crookie! welcome mate - keen to see how your heap turns out, keep us up to date and throw up a few pics in here if you can!



    Sorry its been a while between posts but the daily grind has kept us from the computer all week, during our absence there's been some great progress, a few noticeable differences have become apparent between the heaps and a few similarities too.

    Differences
    •Jodi's has shrunk a little while mine has actually grown - given that mines built on loose(ish) ground I think I've been raking up a little extra with each turn, Jodi's shrinking issues we are assuming are the result of not having exact ratios of carbon & nitrogen...

    •Moisture is more apparent in Jodi's heap, mine is quite dry in comparison.

    Similarities
    •Temperature: While Jodi's heap was lagging mine has been at a constant for the best part of 8 days now. Currently both are cruising at around the 55-60degC...nice!

    •The shredded paper in both mounds has been a good indicator of how well the mounds are progressing. As steam built up in the mound the paper became limp and transparent and looked not unlike cooked fettucini, a few turns later and the paper has broken down a treat and well is scattered throughout the mounds.

    ok the pics:
    paul's
    [​IMG]

    Jodi's
    [​IMG]

    Paul's
    [​IMG]

    Jodi's
    [​IMG]

    Jodi Detail
    [​IMG]
     
  15. ho-hum

    ho-hum New Member

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    Great competition and photos.

    Paul, you are clearly winning here which was to be expected.

    BTW, do you ever sneak out and pee on your compost heap??

    :):):):)

    floot
     
  16. sweetpea

    sweetpea Junior Member

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    Paul, I'll bet yours would pick up in temperature if you wet it down, and put a tarp over it. The sun will dry it out and slow it down, the contents should be as wet as a wrung out sponge. :)

    And I have another question, were there any greens in the starter piles? Maybe it's the photography, but it looks like 3/4 of the pile is already broken-down stuff, unless it just doesn't show. :)
     
  17. Tezza

    Tezza Junior Member

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    After 18 years of Permiedom and wasting time with compost heaps ..I stillsay their more trouble then their worth...Unless you got that much crap you got nothing better to do with it...

    I use the Natural rainforest method expoused by Bill so much,mingle that up with Fukuokas 1 straw method and whallah perfectness in one easy simple to do method of fertilizing/mulching any sized garden/property....

    Hope i spelt Fukuokas name right it sounds like a nawty word when i try to pronounce it in my head 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)



    Tezza

    Please feel free to work your buts off, Nice photos etc etc ...

    True composting is so complicated.Yet fukuokas method is based on lifes wastes not on hard work.....

    Ive never seen any compost tumblers in the amazon either :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
     
  18. Sonya

    Sonya Junior Member

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    Did you know that it is Internation Compost Week May 6-12? School gardens are being notified in preparation!!

    Cheers,
    Sonya
     
  19. sweetpea

    sweetpea Junior Member

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    Tezza, how do you combine Fukuoka and Mollison? By using just what you have around, or do you bring in some things? :)
     
  20. TropicalRose

    TropicalRose Junior Member

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    Tezza could you give me a quick overview of those methods? Sounds better for someone with back problems, I hope.

    froot, I have trained my OH to pee on the compost heap. He hates doing it in the composting Nature Loo, has to look in each time so won't go there. He he.
     

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