Quote:
Originally Posted by BC-Axeman
Big STEAMING pile!
I stick a piece of rebar in it and stir it every day and it steams from inside. Adding chicken and kitchen compost to it this weekend. Next year I will top dress the boxes with more about a month before planting. I don't want a repeat of this year even if the weather is bad again.
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Don't put no meat in there, broham.
That's the only thing you don't want. Newspaper is good for compost, too. That'll get that potassium up, as well. They say India Ink has good stuff in it for the garden, I don't remember what. I don't even know if they still use it for newsprint, either. It's still good stuff though.
You can turn that pile into your garden asap.
Warning though:
Horsepoop has TONS of weed seed in it. Try to keep it at least three inches deep if you can, and don't till. The worms will come up and till it.
If you cover the beds with black plastic from this seasons end till planting time, the worms will get lots of extra time to work that stuff.
You should also know that plants grow in the top six inches of soil, so you can add that to your strategy.
I can't remember how deep your beds are from the pics, but it'd be a good idea to poke a hole in the center of the black plastic if you decide to use it.
I'd go with landscape material like DeWitt Sunbelt and be done for good. Same stuff that's on my garden. It holds weeds out and keeps heat in. It's a bit expensive, but lasts forever.
When I plant my plants, every other year I use a 1:5 mixture of hydrated SAP and composted cow poop and throw a handful in each hole. That keeps water and food to the plants all years long.
I actually cheat and don't hydrate the SAP. I know an ounce makes a gallon of hydrated SAP, so I just calculate it against the amount of cow poop I'm using.