Hi,
it seems like we are doing something wrong with our compost. About three years ago, we had a lot of grass clippings and piled them all up. Now, when we wanted to spread it as soil, it turned out to be a slimy, tar-like mass with grass still visible inside. We also used a rapid composter, but it seems to me like a complete scam.
Is there any trick to help the green material decompose faster?
it seems like we are doing something wrong with our compost. About three years ago, we had a lot of grass clippings and piled them all up. Now, when we wanted to spread it as soil, it turned out to be a slimy, tar-like mass with grass still visible inside. We also used a rapid composter, but it seems to me like a complete scam.
Is there any trick to help the green material decompose faster?
C
chand19862 May 2018 11:19A pile!
Dig up the pile. At the bottom is the new topsoil. Remove the topsoil and put it onto the garden beds. Put the rest back on top, but during this process, it gets “reshuffled,” “mixed up,” or whatever you want to call it. It starts as a pile and ends up just a pile again.
We didn’t even have the pile directly on soil, but on a paved surface. Inside a wooden frame, with a stainless steel grid underneath. This prevents too much moisture from accumulating in case of heavy rain. The wooden frame could be opened at the front for this process. It was simple and always worked perfectly.
Try planting a zucchini or cucumber directly in such a pile! You’ll be able to drown your neighbors with all the long vegetables ;-).
Dig up the pile. At the bottom is the new topsoil. Remove the topsoil and put it onto the garden beds. Put the rest back on top, but during this process, it gets “reshuffled,” “mixed up,” or whatever you want to call it. It starts as a pile and ends up just a pile again.
We didn’t even have the pile directly on soil, but on a paved surface. Inside a wooden frame, with a stainless steel grid underneath. This prevents too much moisture from accumulating in case of heavy rain. The wooden frame could be opened at the front for this process. It was simple and always worked perfectly.
Try planting a zucchini or cucumber directly in such a pile! You’ll be able to drown your neighbors with all the long vegetables ;-).
C
chand19862 May 2018 12:09And it’s still not finished.
Grass alone won’t work. But now you know. I would start the compost pile again and practice patience. If started now and enriched with worms, good humus could be available in a year.
Grass alone won’t work. But now you know. I would start the compost pile again and practice patience. If started now and enriched with worms, good humus could be available in a year.
B
Bieber08152 May 2018 13:06How much is left? Do you have other materials (like branch trimmings ...) to mix in?
C
chand19862 May 2018 13:11kaho674 schrieb:
Mmmh, we have lots of tasty worms in our garden. But I wonder if they find it amusing to be relocated into this slime?First, mix the slime with other compostable garden waste (and possibly some kitchen organic waste). Then add the worms along with some soil. That will make it work.