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PostPosted: Sun Aug 24, 2003 5:45 pm 
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Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2003 7:31 pm
Posts: 25
Location: Fredericksburg, Tx
:oops: I realize that I am a basic inexperienced dunce when it
comes to some of the concepts and ideas I keep reading about
since I have so little experience with gardening, never mind
organics. Might there be some kind and understanding soul
out there who wants to explain the basics of HOT compost?
I am still really reticent to begin with this procedure :roll:
however, I do recognize to get serious is to begin the inevitable,
creating a really great compost source. I keep reading the term "HOT'
and need to know what it's all about. Thanks amkind2life
:D


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PostPosted: Mon Aug 25, 2003 12:51 pm 
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Composting is a simple natural process, yet there are very complex biological and chemistry issues taking place behind the scenes in a compost pile to produce safe, healthy mature compost.

There are several ways to compost organic matter. You can compost by using a fancy compost bin, a compost pile, an earthworm bin, an aerated trash can, or just by sheet or trench composting by burying your "greens" and "browns" directly in your garden beds. Because there so many ways to compost these days, there is no excuse not to, whether you are a novice or an expert.

Cold composting refers to lazy, passive composting, or vermicomposting. You just pile organic matter in a pile and wait 6-12 months until its ready. Or you just feed earthworms to poop out the stuff in several months. No turning and no real physical labor. This is the classic, ancient way to do it.

Hot composting involves a balance of high nitrogen and high carbon materials, plus lots of constant aeration, in order to get beneficial aerobic bacteria and fungi growing inside the organic matter, in order to digest and break down these materials into mature compost, and ultimately humus. The waste product of heat energy is released from these aerobic microbes as they chemically break down the complex proteins and carbohydrates and other nutrients in this process. The heat energy is actually stored energy inside plant and animal wastes that got collected by the originally plants used or consumed by animals, way back when sunlight was captured by the plants from photosynthesis. (Pretty deep stuff huh?)


Hot composting is superior to cold composting because it guarantees no weed seed sprouting, no disease spreading to your garden, faster decomposition speed, and no stinky smells. You can make mature compost from a hot process in 1-2 months easily. Some experts can do in a few weeks!

Hope this helps you out a little bit.

Read all the books and websites you can on organic gardening and composting, until it starts making sense to you. Composting is like gourmet cooking, you get better at it and more creative with it, the more you do it.

Remember, composting happens with or without human intervention. As an organic gardener, all we do is speed up the natural process of decomposition, so we can get our gardens and lawns healthier faster.


Check out these articles I wrote, for more info on composting, organic gardening, and creative tea brewing:

http://faq.gardenweb.com/faq/organic/

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The entire Kingdom of God can be totally explained as an Organic Garden (Mark 4:26)
William Cureton


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PostPosted: Mon Aug 25, 2003 9:09 pm 
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Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2003 10:51 pm
Posts: 747
Location: Garland, Texas
amkind2life wrote:
Might there be some kind and understanding soul
out there who wants to explain the basics of HOT compost?


Who ya gonna call? CaptainCompostAL :D

It looks like not only did you get the "basics", but then some as well. Way to go Capn' (insert quantity two "thumbs up" emoticons here)

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PostPosted: Tue Aug 26, 2003 9:15 am 
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Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2003 7:31 pm
Posts: 25
Location: Fredericksburg, Tx
:D Whoa......or is it Good Golly Miss Molly, that's one lot
of info to digest. Thanks a bunch for all that help. Guess
I'm gonna have to get right past this nasty resistance
and start raking as pecan trees are everywhere.
Will make a point of reading little bits of your other info
at a time, as all this compost talk
overwhelms me for some strange reason.
Even my tomatoes are looking great from reaching out to
all of the kind beings on this site and your friend in SA dchall's
guidance :). Yet, nothing itimidates me like the idea of
this compost heap stuff, go figure. :roll: I love my garden
though, and shall get this moving somehow. :D
Thanks again Captain Al :wink:


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PostPosted: Wed Aug 27, 2003 7:32 am 
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Location: Odenville,Alabama
You are so welcome! Always love to help and share the knowledge!

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The entire Kingdom of God can be totally explained as an Organic Garden (Mark 4:26)
William Cureton


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PostPosted: Sat Aug 30, 2003 7:52 am 
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Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2003 7:31 pm
Posts: 25
Location: Fredericksburg, Tx
:D Well Captain a minor miracle just occured as I walked into
the other room and non other than the dirt doc himself,
yes indeed Howard was right there showing how
to create beautiful and oh so abundant compost. Within
less than 60 seconds all my fears had vanished, and
something new moved right in, inspiration that had been
germinating for some time but didn't quite get ignited with
your helpful hints. Now, after seeing the Howard guy do
his thing, and talk a bit about how easy it is, I can take your
oh so helpful hints and I am truly this time, on my way.
Right timing sure does help, or so it did in this case, as I
don't watch the S.A. news on Sat. morning, or ever really
except to see the weather from time to time.
Love this site, it's oh so helpful, and I'm oh so grateful.

:wink: amkind2life


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PostPosted: Sat Aug 30, 2003 11:40 pm 
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Location: San Antonio,TEXAS
If you get ants in your compost pile, that is normal. The ants there will be decomposing stuff. If you turn the pile regularly, they will not give you any problems at all.

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