Re: Composting pastures was Re: Soil Equilibrium

From: Steve Diver (steved@NCATARK.UARK.EDU)
Date: Mon Jan 06 2003 - 12:57:38 EST


The first question depends on many factors: where you live,
how much rainfall, when do the rains come, soil type, forage
type, cow density, grazing system, nutrient management plan,
etc.

But if you asked me for a rough guide, I'd say 2-3 or
3-5 tons per acre, for pasture soils.

Cropland soils are another story altogether.

One thing that matters is your compost spreader
vs the manure spreader. You have to look around
and pay some $$ to get a fully-equipped and calibrated
compost spreader.

A compost spreader will uniformly apply rates lower than
5 tons per acre. That is hard to do with a manure spreader.

The age of compost depends on the composter,
the composting method, the compost pile, and
unknown factors like weather.

Fast compost that is intensively managed in a windrow comes
in at 6-8 weeks. The typical windrow compost that is turned
a few strategic times comes in at 3 months or longer. The
low-input static pile comes in at 6 months to 1 year.

Each compost pile would be effective. Each one has its own
temperature curves and microbial phases, but each one results
in finished compost. Well, that's what you hope for.

Steve Diver


Allan Balliett wrote:

> Steve -
>
> What is the application rate that you would suggest for composting pasture?
>
> How 'aged' of compost would you expect to be the most effective?
>
> -Allan

.



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