Re: [compost_tea] Hot compost

From: Ted Peterson <ted.peterson_at_tcsn.net>
Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2005 21:02:00 -0800

Judi:

Your farmer is absolutely correct.

1. After the pasturization process, the fecal coloforms and other pathogens=
 will be pretty much killed off. If he tests he will certainly get EPA sta=
ndards. Unfortunately, all the other bacteria/fungi are also affected.
2. So what he wants to do is create the most favorable environment for aero=
bic bacteria and fungi.
3. If he sprays tea and/or water and the moisture rises and the pile gets o=
ver 130 dF. It means that there are still loads of thermophyllic bacteria =
and food for them to work. The composting process isn't finished yet so he=
 needs to simply add moisture to about 45 - 50% and turning until he gets s=
ustained temp drops.
4. He needs to get the pile so keep sustained temps of about 90 - 100 dF wi=
th about 45% moisture. How do you know 45% moisture? Use the sqeeze tests=
 from random parts of the pile. If the sqeezed material stays clumped toge=
ther but no water drips out, that's a good approximation of 45-50% moisture=
.
5. So let's say he gets this sustained (3 or 4 days) temp in the 90 - 100 r=
ange.

Here is what I would suggest your farmer (and myself for the same situation=
) do.

1. Lower the pile size so that the maximum height is no more than 3 feet an=
d the base is no greater than 4 feet.
2. Either dig holes in the compost and dump tea into the hole or spray tea.=
 
2a. If he dumps into the holes with buckets, he will need to turn immediate=
ly
2b. If he sprays, he can spray while turning
2c. He can get an injector system made my Mazzei from his local farm supply=
 and mix the tea with water to spray. You can adjust these injectors to ge=
t about a 4:1 (water to tea) dillution ratio.
2d. He wants to keep the pile in the 45% range anyway so just tea may not b=
e enough.
3. He should need no more than ten (10) gallons of tea.
4. He will have to do this for about ten (10) days and he should turn the p=
ile every three days.

Now, while he is doing this, he can go and get some local duma from under t=
rees in his area and add it to the compost. Usually this material is parti=
ally decomposed and loaded with fungi. What you do is root around under tr=
ees and expose the top layer. You will see a white material that is all co=
nnected. It isn't powerdy but is moist grainy like and white. This is goo=
d fungi that aids in decomposition of cellulose. It is aerobic in nature, =
 You want about a 5 gallon bucket of this for every CU of compost.

The tea, combined with local funga and bacteria will create a biologically =
active compost loaded with local fauna. If you see ants and other arthropo=
ds and such in the compost, don't fret. This is a sign that you have a hea=
lthy pile with loads of bacteria/fungi.

However, compost, like everything else in this universe is subject to certa=
in immutable laws. One of those laws is entropy. If you don't constantly =
work on the compost pile, add new material and food and keep the correct mo=
isture and turning for aeration, your pile will eventually become less and =
less biologically active. You can restore this because bacteria, unless th=
ey are digested or roasted, don't die so it's not a total loss. The best p=
ractice is to work on a compost pile just like you would work on anything e=
lse that is important to you.

Ted Peterson
SOE






Received on Mon Jan 17 2005 - 00:22:43 EST

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