Re: Compost and the cohouser | <– Date –> <– Thread –> |
From: Fred H Olson WB0YQM (fholsonmaroon.tc.umn.edu) | |
Date: Wed, 7 Dec 94 17:32 CST |
CMCCARTHY [at] CHIP.UCDAVIS.EDU Catherine Mccarthy is the author of this message but due to a listserv problem it was posted by the COHOUSING-L sysop. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >I was chatting with one of my neighbours the other day, and we were talking >about our community compost boxes, which aren't holding up as well as we >had hoped. They are made from recycled redwood fence boards, but the >redwood seems to be rotting out fairly quickly, especially in the first box >(where most of the decomposition takes place). It looks like we'll have to >replace them in a year or two. > ***Stuart, just a note on the compost bins, the redwood used in the bins is toxic to redworms - so if your are interested in having worms living in your compost bin and getting any vermiculture action, the redwood will inhibit this.>I was wondering how you folks compost, what materials you used for the >boxes, and how well they have held up? >We've also had rather a problem with flies breeding in our bins. We live >in a very hot climate, and all our houses compost food waste religiously. >This means that we have rather a high proportion of food in the compost, >especially in midsummer. Most of us just leave grass clippings on the >lawn, so we don't have that supply. The wet high-nitrogen environment >seems to lend itself to maggots. > >We have found that flyproofing the compost bins helps somewhat while it >stays tight. We have added grass clippings/leaves from outside which helps >- but we can't always get them. Turning the compost every couple of days >helps - but we don't always have the energy. > *** FLYS In terms of the flys, you are never going to get rid of them completely. The best thing to do is try and keep a lid on the bin so that they are only right around the pile and not all over the place. The other thing that is important is keeping a layer of dry/brown, carbon-rich stuff on the top such as dry leaves - this really cuts down on the fly problems. By turning the piles every few days you are already working very hard - but it sounds like your problems are stemming from too much wet, nitrogen-rich materials. A good mix is 50-65% carbon rich (dry, brown), 30-35% nitrogen rich (green, wet) with the rest being finished product/soil. More leaves is the best answer. Personally, I'd continue to grasscycle (leave the grass clippings on the ground) - it is better for your lawns. If you are adding grass clippings to get a better balance in your piles, make sure they are dry - green freshly cut grass will only exacerbate your problems. Aeration one easy way to aerate your bins is by sticking a pvc pipe with holes in it in the middle of the pile - it really does work. Also having forced aeration through the bottom of the pile by having a lattice of branches (or many people use a pallet). good luck, if you have any questions let me know Catherine McCarthy ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Catherine McCarthy ------------------ OFFICE: Division of Environmental Studies, UC Davis, Davis, CA 95616 HOME: 503 F Street, Davis, CA 95616, (916)753-8389 EMAIL: cmccarthy [at] ucdavis.edu ------ Forwarded message ends here ------ -- Fred H. Olson fholson [at] uci.com (612)588-9532 Amateur radio: WB0YQM 1221 Russell Av N, Minneapolis, MN 55411 Sysop of || Twin Cities | COHOUSING-L listserv & gopherspace: gopher.uci.com or via || Freenet | EDIN gopher in Calif * now Cohousing-WWW (see gopher for url) || 1/95 |4AI
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Compost and the cohouser Stuart Staniford-Chen, December 5 1994
- Re: Compost and the cohouser Loren Davidson, December 6 1994
- Re: Compost and the cohouser Fred H Olson WB0YQM, December 7 1994
- Re: Compost and the cohouser Fred H Olson WB0YQM, December 7 1994
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