Aging Compost

C

CornHunka

New member
I need some help from the gardeners/yard guys on this board.  I got a trailer full of compost from a local cattle farmer. I was planning on mixing it will some sand using it to top dress my yard. 

To do so, I need to spread it around at between 1/4 and 1/2 inches.   It's still in large clumps.  I have it on tarps, spread out and I've broken the bigger pieces into smaller ones.  Other than drier weather, any tips/pointers on getting 'aged' and spreadable? 

 
If you're just top dressing, then I'd use a rotating drum (a cement mixer would work) to break it up. Put some larger stones in it that you can easily pick out. (Once it's decently fine, you can apply with a drop spreader.)

I'm not sure what you mean by "aged". If it's compost, then it'll work fine. If it's manure, then you'll probably want to compost it first. Instead of composing manure, you could rototill it into the top few inches of soil, then spread it back out more evenly, and then replant.

 
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"Aged" isn't the word I should have used.  I need to cure it.  I think it's full of ammonia and other things that could harm my yard/garden.  

I did see on YouTube, that if I wet it down and cover it for two weeks, then mix it up.  Then wet it some more, and then cover it again for another 2 weeks, I'll have what I want.  

Thanks for the reply. 

 
RedDenver said:
If you're just top dressing, then I'd use a rotating drum (a cement mixer would work) to break it up. Put some larger stones in it that you can easily pick out. (Once it's decently fine, you can apply with a drop spreader.)

I'm not sure what you mean by "aged". If it's compost, then it'll work fine. If it's manure, then you'll probably want to compost it first. Instead of composing manure, you could rototill it into the top few inches of soil, then spread it back out more evenly, and then replant.
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Is it manure or actual compost?

 
CornHunka said:
"Aged" isn't the word I should have used.  I need to cure it.  I think it's full of ammonia and other things that could harm my yard/garden.  

I did see on YouTube, that if I wet it down and cover it for two weeks, then mix it up.  Then wet it some more, and then cover it again for another 2 weeks, I'll have what I want.  

Thanks for the reply. 
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If you're worried about ammonia and other things, then it's manure that hasn't been composted. It takes several months for me to compost household waste and it needs to be mixed with carbon (I use shredded paper and cardboard), but I'm not sure about a bunch of manure. Quick search found this article from OSU extension: https://extension.oregonstate.edu/news/turn-manure-compost-your-garden

 
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RedDenver said:
If you're worried about ammonia and other things, then it's manure that hasn't been composted. It takes several months for me to compost household waste and it needs to be mixed with carbon (I use shredded paper and cardboard), but I'm not sure about a bunch of manure. Quick search found this article from OSU extension: https://extension.oregonstate.edu/news/turn-manure-compost-your-garden
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As someone who has handled one hell of a lot of manure in my day, manure needs to be spread out to dry in the sun.  It then should break apart to be spread nicely.  Also, if it's pure manure, I would think you would need to be pretty careful not to burn your yard by putting too much on.

After it's dried, running a tiller over it wouldn't hurt.

 
BigRedBuster said:
As someone who has handled one hell of a lot of manure in my day, manure needs to be spread out to dry in the sun.  It then should break apart to be spread nicely.  Also, if it's pure manure, I would think you would need to be pretty careful not to burn your yard by putting too much on.

After it's dried, running a tiller over it wouldn't hurt.
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We used to scrape the neighbor's sheep pen every few years in the Fall once the garden was done. We'd fill dad's pickup, haul it over to the garden & spread it, then till it in. It'd sit under the snow all winter and be ready for planting in the Spring.

It was a pretty... shitty business.   ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

 
Half way through my 4 week compost curing.  I just got done turning it over and watering it down. There was quite a bit of heat in the middle of the pile, so that's a good thing.  I added some grass clippings and mixed that in.  Honestly, I think this method will take longer that the 2 weeks the YouTube video said, but it is breaking down. 

here's the link if anyone's interested. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpKuVh8xXXs

 
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