Best Composting Tips

[ducks4you]

I actually see some breakdown in my new composter!
I didn't think that would happen until late next month, so I am well pleased!

 

[Moon888]

what did you make your compost heap with? Got any pics? Thanks Linda

 

[ducks4you]

DD removed 20+ wheelbarrows full of used stall bedding yesterday. Now, to be Fair, I would have had, in my Prime, filled them higher than She did, but still I kept her company and thus participated in composting the results.
She dumped it all on the west side of the garage.
I should say, that when I have to leave the ponies in their stalls for up to a week, I keep throwing straw and shavings in the stalls to keep them dry.
I started the "off the pasture" 2024-2025 season with 400 bales of hay, and, since I still had straw, over 60 bales of straw, enough to be generous.
Gotta do Something with it!

 

[ducks4you]

what did you make your compost heap with? Got any pics? Thanks Linda

If you are talking about my new composter, I am following general instructions, 2 parts dry, 1 part green. Mostly I am throwing used coffee grounds, along with the paper coffee filters, but anytime I cut off onion tops, or any vegetable part that doesn't go into broth making, like lettuce that has gone slimy, it now goes into the composter and I turn it 3x, as per instructions, as well.
Can't find it on THIS laptop, but I copied an online article many years ago that might help you, since you live in a tropical climate.
This article suggested creating 5 spots for composting piles.
One is left empty. Every week you are supposed to move one pile to the right starting with the pile directly LEFT of the empty one. This aerates your compost piles and makes them break down faster.
Too much work for me!
I have been cleaning horse stalls on This property for 25 years now, and I noticed that pine shavings that are buried take at least 5 years to break down on their own.
Although the garden tiller has become a bad machine of late amongst gardeners, it does work well for aerating used stall bedding, and mine has straw, fine pine shavings, pine pellets broken down to powder, and all mixed with horse urine and horse manure. This breaks them down faster.
I have my original 12'x~30' main garden bed pretty well amended by now, and I have been dumping and later tilling used stall bedding in this bed. First year I used it it was totally clay and plants went there to die.
In 2024, the south part of the bed grew the largest tomatoes I have Ever grown, you know, the ones that you see in images on the Internet that fill your hand?
In 2022, I grew pumpkins and other squashes there, as Fall cover crops that I started by seed in July. I actually got a harvest, too.
They died down and made this bed even richer.
In 2023, my knees were getting worse, and I grew very little there.
I was only able to grow there last year, bc middle DD was visiting to help me and she put up my tomato fencing, 6 ft high and 12 ft long, secured with 6 ft high metal fencing posts. My garden seat also made it possible.
IF I could bury deep enough I would also bury used beef bones, after broth making, but I can only throw them to a landfill right now. I Might tackle and figure this one out, too...we'll see.