Building a compost pile!

[Jumfrey13]

hah, ironic you mentioned that... as I built mine in the rain, it's actually sorta cool, because the leaves and amendments get sprinkled and evenly wet as you go..
BUT you need to tarp all compost piles, in my opinion. When finished, that is. Acts like a jacket for the thermo compost
Don't worry about wet leaves, they just start molding, and that's not a prob at all, my leaves were bagged for at least a week before using.
Gotta love that wet leaf smell.
but composting is just the stuff degrading, so bagged leaves aren't doing much different
you just accelerate it by the layering and such
--side note---
wet rained on shoes will attract your amendments if you have to stomp down your pile..
My boots got a nice crusty fish meal/shrimp meal on em...
mmmm yummy..

Do you stay away from paper that has been inked with synthetic ink? my employer throws away tons of paper all the time. I was thinking about using that for a cover layer every few layers. But it seems to me the inks would not be good. I know Down to Earth uses vegetable inks for their ammendments.

 

[greasemonkeymann]

Do you stay away from paper that has been inked with synthetic ink? my employer throws away tons of paper all the time. I was thinking about using that for a cover layer every few layers. But it seems to me the inks would not be good. I know Down to Earth uses vegetable inks for their ammendments.

I don't really use anything other than the leaves and amendments, it's strictly for my plants.
the wormbin gets paper plates and egg cartons and such, but i'm not too anal about whats in there to begin with, it all breaks down to humus, pretty much anyways

 

[Jumfrey13]

Okay. I'll follow that philosophy.

 

[MustangStudFarm]

Okay. I'll follow that philosophy.

He is the guy to listen to!!! I am still learning from him, I just need to apply the knowledge

 

[greasemonkeymann]

He is the guy to listen to!!! I am still learning from him, I just need to apply the knowledge

you guys are too kind, i'm just a hippy pot-grower
like to keep it as simple as I can, and i'll be damned if, for once, the simplest actually is the best way also.
Or at least for my preferences
compost piles create the most insane results..
I'm going to replace my digi camera and get some pics for you guys

 

[greasemonkeymann]

Okay. I'll follow that philosophy.

you can absolutely add whatever you want in the pile, only thing is it takes longer to degrade.
It all turns to humus in the end
I just like mine separate because it composts much faster that way

 

[MustangStudFarm]

I used one of my worm bin trays to collect bio-char from my fireplace ashes. I let them cool down 1st lol... It was very easy to collect them!

The soil in my area(my yard) is known to have a PH of about 6.0, so I scattered the ashes on some bare spots. Is there anything more productive that I could do with it?

 

[greasemonkeymann]

View attachment 3579320
I used one of my worm bin trays to collect bio-char from my fireplace ashes. I let them cool down 1st lol... It was very easy to collect them!
View attachment 3579322
The soil in my area(my yard) is known to have a PH of about 6.0, so I scattered the ashes on some bare spots. Is there anything more productive that I could do with it?

shit if you wanted that part of the yard to flourish, you could just scrape in some of the compost when it's done.
Those ashes are good stuff.
I've never done anything like that for a yard so I can only speculate, but i'd say it's a fair guess to say it'll only help.
I've done a two inch topdress of my finished compost on rose bushes that are waaay beyond rootbound, and they busted out a whole set of flowers/growth sites in less than 15 days.
Stuff is like magic

 

[MustangStudFarm]

they are at home depot or lowes at $5 a bag
or goto a home brewery and pic up some rice hulls....
better imo... no sharp edges like lava.
but i use both. but mainly rice

I dont know how I missed this post, but my brother works at lowes. This is for Gas BBQs/Fireplaces

http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay?partNumber=669000-46631-LVR100&langId=-1&storeId=10151&productId=999918244&catalogId=10051&cmRelshp=req&rel=nofollow&cId=PDIO1

 

[greasemonkeymann]

I dont know how I missed this post, but my brother works at lowes. This is for Gas BBQs/Fireplaces

http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay?partNumber=669000-46631-LVR100&langId=-1&storeId=10151&productId=999918244&catalogId=10051&cmRelshp=req&rel=nofollow&cId=PDIO1

looks good, i'd be concerned it may have a possible additive to protect it from heat?
Just speculating though.. you never know
Landscaping rock is usually untreated, they have that yea?

 

[Beemo]

dont think that would work.... it might...

here's the ones you need....

http://www.lowes.com/pd_92124-66882-92124___?productId=3665824&pl=1&Ntt=lava+rocks

http://www.lowes.com/pd_2568-215-337500034___?productId=50040758&pl=1&Ntt=lava+rocks

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Vigoro-0-5-cu-ft-Decorative-Stone-Red-Lava-Rock-440897/100427379

they are outside in the nursery area

 

[MustangStudFarm]

shit if you wanted that part of the yard to flourish, you could just scrape in some of the compost when it's done.
Those ashes are good stuff.
I've never done anything like that for a yard so I can only speculate, but i'd say it's a fair guess to say it'll only help.
I've done a two inch topdress of my finished compost on rose bushes that are waaay beyond rootbound, and they busted out a whole set of flowers/growth sites in less than 15 days.
Stuff is like magic

Since it is going to take a while for my compost heap, should I focus on my worm bin for now?
It will give me compost much faster than my outdoor heap... I recently ordered a 2nd, cheap, indoor worm bin. I have it full of coco, but no food yet. I did start one tray to populate the new bin. I found a section of castings, in my old bin, that were full of worm eggs!

 

[MustangStudFarm]

looks good, i'd be concerned it may have a possible additive to protect it from heat?
Just speculating though.. you never know
Landscaping rock is usually untreated, they have that yea?

Not at lowes, seasonal... I will call my landscaping store next

 

[greasemonkeymann]

Not at lowes, seasonal... I will call my landscaping store next

ahh, no shit... you'd think it's be there all the time..

 

[MustangStudFarm]

ahh, no shit... you'd think it's be there all the time..

Get this, my local store is called "City Organics" but they do not carry anything to build your own soil and they refuse to order it.. They charge $30 for FFOF and Roots, aaaahhh. This store has taken thousands of my dollars selling me hydro equip and call themselves an "Organic" store. I just realized that they do NOT want me mixing my own soil, they DO NOT sell worm bins ect... Fuck them for sure!
I found a landscaping store that carries FoxFarm, just for comparison, they sell a bag of FFOF for $20 instead of $30. Anyways, they carry the large lava rock. I own a variety of hammers lol!

 

[MustangStudFarm]

They have a Vortex brewer in the middle of the room, and they will sell you their Diluted brew!!! 5 gallons at a time

 

[greasemonkeymann]

Get this, my local store is called "City Organics" but they do not carry anything to build your own soil and they refuse to order it.. They charge $30 for FFOF and Roots, aaaahhh. This store has taken thousands of my dollars selling me hydro equip and call themselves an "Organic" store. I just realized that they do NOT want me mixing my own soil, they DO NOT sell worm bins ect... Fuck them for sure!
I found a landscaping store that carries FoxFarm, just for comparison, they sell a bag of FFOF for $20 instead of $30. Anyways, they carry the large lava rock. I own a variety of hammers lol!

fuckin-a they don't
like the saying
"catch a fish for a man, feed him for a day, teach him to fish, feed him for his lifetime"
They want you to keep buying shit...

 

[greasemonkeymann]

Get this, my local store is called "City Organics" but they do not carry anything to build your own soil and they refuse to order it.. They charge $30 for FFOF and Roots, aaaahhh. This store has taken thousands of my dollars selling me hydro equip and call themselves an "Organic" store. I just realized that they do NOT want me mixing my own soil, they DO NOT sell worm bins ect... Fuck them for sure!
I found a landscaping store that carries FoxFarm, just for comparison, they sell a bag of FFOF for $20 instead of $30. Anyways, they carry the large lava rock. I own a variety of hammers lol!

heres a good method to smash em up, get a cardboard box, get an Olympic weigh plate that's fits the box as tightly as possible, add rocks, then smash with hammer.
or another weight plate..
oh and safety glasses

 

[MustangStudFarm]

heres a good method to smash em up, get a cardboard box, get an Olympic weigh plate that's fits the box as tightly as possible, add rocks, then smash with hammer.
or another weight plate..
oh and safety glasses

That is funny, I was just shopping for a "Power Rack"! I am sure you have seen my addition, Christmas put the project on hold for a little while. I think that the bottom floor is going to be my new gym!
http://www.roguefitness.com/r6-power-rack

 

[MustangStudFarm]

It is a slow start on the shingles so far, but it will get done.

I had to do the bottom floor @ true 8' studs so that the PowerRack would fit. Between that and the floor studs, there was a 12'' gap between the levels. Next is the rabbit cage!

Most stud boards are 7'8 to allow for the footing and heading of the frame, it will end up being a 8' frame so that 4x8' panels will fit. My bottom floor is probably 8'3 now.