There are several things to keep in mind when setting up your composting station: Sun or shade? A worm bin is best placed in the shade. The worms will not fare well in hot temperatures or during a deluge of water during a rainstorm. By placing them in the shade, they will be more protected [...]
Posts Tagged ‘Heat’
Rotline Question of the Week: Where should I position my compost bin?
Posted in "Rotline" Question of the Week, How to, tagged "Rotline", "Rotline" Question of the Week, bins, compost, compost bin location, compost bins, compost insects, Composting, Heat, home composting, moisture, sustainability, vermicompost, vermicomposting, water, water conservation, where should I put my compost bin?, worm bin, worm bins, worms on June 30, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Crock Pot Composting – make the ultimate worm food!
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged carbon, compost, Composting, crock pot composting, decomposition, food scraps, Heat, moisture, red wigglers, Temperature, vermicomposting, worm bin, worm bins, worm castings, worm food, worms on May 19, 2010 | 1 Comment »
Crock Pot Composting How to make the ultimate worm food! By: Diane Hollister, Master Composter Worms have no teeth, so they can’t consume the kitchen scraps you feed them until the scraps are broken down a bit. You can do this yourself very easily by putting your food waste in a crock pot. Here’s what [...]
Rotline Question of the Week: If it is cold outside, will my compost bin still heat up?
Posted in "Rotline" Question of the Week, tagged "Rotline" Question of the Week, compost, compost bins, Composting, decomposition, greens, Heat, hot composting, mesophiles, microorganisms, nitrogen, psychrophiles, Temperature, thermophiles on November 17, 2009 | 3 Comments »
It is a common misconception that a compost pile heats up because of the sun. Sure, if it is hot outside, the pile will be warmer than if it is cold outside, but the sun is not what causes a compost pile to hit the triple digits. The microorganisms residing inside of the compost pile [...]
“Rotline” Question of the Week: What should I do with my compost bin while I’m on vacation?
Posted in "Rotline" Question of the Week, tagged "Rotline" Question of the Week, browns, compost bin, compost bin sitter, decomposition, greens, Heat, moisture, new worm bin, red wigglers, red worms, Solana Center, vacation, vermicomposting, worms on September 17, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
With holiday season approaching, we have received a lot of questions about what to do with your compost bin while on vacation. No need to hire a compost bin sitter! If you have a backyard composting bin (Biostack, tumbler, etc.) your bin will be fine while you are away on a trip. Your bin will [...]
Rotline Question of the Week: Can you have too many greens in your compost pile?
Posted in "Rotline" Question of the Week, tagged "Rotline", "Rotline" Question of the Week, browns, carbon, carbon to nitrogen ratio, compost, compost bins, Composting, food scraps, greens, Heat, nitrogen, odor, Temperature on September 10, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Sometimes, composters find themselves lacking in browns (carbon rich materials like straw, mulch, shredded paper, etc.) and having a surplus of greens (nitrogen rich materials like kitchen scraps, coffee grounds, freshly cut grass, etc.). But is it bad to have too many greens? What happens if you have too many greens in your compost bin? [...]
“Rotline” Question of the Week: Is hay or straw best for my compost?
Posted in "Rotline" Question of the Week, tagged aeration, browns, carbon, compost, compost bins, Composting, greens, hay, Heat, Master Composters, nitrogen, soil amendments, straw, Temperature, weeds on August 4, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Hay is considered a nitrogen source, or a green, and can be added to your compost bin. Because hay often has weed seeds in it, make sure that your bin is reaching a hot temperature, 100 – 140 degrees Fahrenheit. If you are passively composting and not achieving high temperatures, you can bag the hay [...]
“Rotline” Question of the Week: Do I need a thermometer to compost?
Posted in "Rotline" Question of the Week, tagged "Rotline", carbon to nitrogen ratio, compost bins, compost piles, compost thermometers, Composting, diseased plants, Heat, microbes, moisture, pile size, Solana Center, Temperature, thermophilic bacteria on June 23, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
You can definitely compost without a thermometer, but thermometers do make composting a bit easier. Thermometers can help you know when to turn your pile, when to add more material, when to add water, and when your compost is finished. Many composters also enjoy the satisfaction of seeing just how hot their pile can get! [...]
“Rotline” Question of the Week: Where should I keep my compost bin?
Posted in "Rotline" Question of the Week, tagged bins, compost, Composting, Heat, location, moisture, shade, thermophilic bacteria on May 27, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
The best place to keep your bin is in a shaded location. There is a common misconception that the sun causes the contents inside the bin to heat up but it is actually the thermophilic bacteria creating heat as they decompose the material. Keeping your bin in shaded location will help maintain the bin’s moisture. [...]
“Rotline” Question of the Week: How hot is too hot for my worms?
Posted in "Rotline" Question of the Week, tagged compost, eisenia fetida, extreme weather, Heat, red wigglers, red worms, shade tent, Solana Center, vermicomposting, worm bins, worms on April 22, 2009 | 2 Comments »
Don’t forget about your worms during this hot weather. The ideal temperature for your red wigglers is somewhere between 55 and 77 degrees Farenheit. Some sources note that worms can survive in temperatures ranging from 40 to 80 degrees but after 85 degrees, your worms are unlikely to make it. During extreme weather make sure [...]
“Rotline” Question of the Week: Do I need to add worms to my compost bin?
Posted in "Rotline" Question of the Week, tagged "Rotline", castings, compost, compost bins, decomposition, Heat, humus, optimum conditions, organic material, Solana Center, thermophilic bacteria, worm bins, worms on March 24, 2009 | 2 Comments »
Worms are generally used in closed-system compost bins. Worm bins are used to house the worms, which will digest your materials and create castings. When using a worm bin, you will need to add worms to the bin. Compost bins are generally open-bottom bins and do not require worms. In a compost bin microbes called [...]
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