Three things (compost question)

[Balog]

So right now there are three things I have an over abundance of: grass clippings, wood chips, and dog pooh. I have a large front and back yard (hence the clippings) two large dogs (one is 70lbs the other is around 90 and growing) and I got 15 yards (probably more like 18 honestly) of fresh wood chips for free a while back.

I want to start a compost heap, so I've been dumping the grass in the far corner of the yard and dropping the dog pooh onto it then covering it over with more clippings. I want to do something with the chips, but I'm pretty sure heaping them up in the back yard isn't going to work. And even after using as much as I can in the landscaping I still have wayyyyyyy more than I would want to turn into compost.

So... what do I need to do? I know my dad always used horse manure when we were kids, but I'm not sure what I need to add to 1 break the clippings and chips down and 2 have the proper nutrient balance for good fertilizing.

[K Frame]

You can easily compost straight grass clippings. I've done it for years. I finally got Castle Key doing it, too.

One of the most important tricks to composting all grass quickly, and without any nasty odors, is to turn it FREQUENTLY. Bacteria can quickly go anerobic in grass, and when that happens you get nasty methan odors, strong ammonia smells, and other unpleasant things.

Castle Key is using his for his garden, but what you can do with yours?

This fall, after the grass goes dormant, screen it and then spread it evenly over your lawn.

You will be rewarded in the spring.

If you want to get really ambitious, plug aerate the hell out of your lawn, then mix the grass compost 50/50 with leaf compost and rake it into the plugs.

You will be rewarded in the spring. IN SPADES. Especially if you put a cover layer of new grass seed over top.

Do NOT compost the dog poo with the grass if you want to use it on garden plants. Dogs eat a lot of meat, horses and cows don't. It does make a difference. You could always get a doggy doolie for your dog poo. Essentially it's an in ground septic system for your dog.

As for the wood chips, use those around trees or bushes. Don't try to compost them, they will take forever to break down. Give them to friends and family. Burn them in a fire pit.


Here's a description of how to make your own dog waste septic system.

http://www.plantea.com/dog-waste-compost.htm

[AJ Dual]

Grass is a PITA because it's got too much nitrogen and it mats down so well and gets really airtight, while wood chips are high on carbon, and bacteria work really slowly on wood, fungus/mushrooms will start in on it eventually. Dropped fall leaves from broadleaf trees compost so well because they're almost the ideal mix of both.

Mikes advice to turn the grass like CRAZY is spot on. Otherwise you'll get a ton of ammonia. If you wait too long to turn it, be sure to attack the pile from the downwind side. 

In theory you could mix wood chips and grass for a better mix, but the wood chips would probably need to be ground to almost sawdust consistency to put them in sufficient contact with the grass to make the bacteria happy. And now you've got two really tight-packing media that will resist air circulation in a pile, and it means even more turning.

And I agree carnivore poop is nasty. It's also really high in nitrogen from protein metabolism, and too much nitrogen can trick some plants and grass into growing past it's carrying capacity and cause burn-out. Kind of the same effect as the really green "poop donuts" you get in the grass sometimes.

[zxcvbob]

Use the wood chips for mulch somewhere.

Mix shredded paper with the grass clippings and they will compost better.

Dog poop is just fine for compost (*your* poop is just fine for compost) if you compost it hot and you let it age for 2 years.  It's not real easy to do it right though.  If this compost pile is just for flowers and not for vegetable gardens, don't worry about it just mix the stuff in.

[vaskidmark]

Grass is a PITA because it's got too much nitrogen and it mats down so well and gets really airtight, while wood chips are high on carbon, and bacteria work really slowly on wood, fungus/mushrooms will start in on it eventually. Dropped fall leaves from broadleaf trees compost so well because they're almost the ideal mix of both.

Mikes advice to turn the grass like CRAZY is spot on. Otherwise you'll get a ton of ammonia. If you wait too long to turn it, be sure to attack the pile from the downwind side.  In theory you could mix wood chips and grass for a better mix, but the wood chips would probably need to be ground to almost sawdust consistency to put them in sufficient contact with the grass to make the bacteria happy. And now you've got two really tight-packing media that will resist air circulation in a pile, and it means even more turning.

....

Umm.  Shouldn't that be from the upwind side?  You know, the side that will not be receiving the gasses as they are released from the pile?  The side that gets the air before the ammonia and other noxious fumes enters the atrmosphere?

Just wonderin'.

Or do you have some evil revenge thing planned?  If so, please excuse any interference I might have caused.

stay safe.

[lupinus]

How fine are the wood chips?

Grass by itself can be a pain to compost and takes a lot of turning. If they are smaller/finer wood chips I'd mix them in. It might take awhile to break down completely but it will give you a better compost. Compost is, IMO, best with a equal amount of green (grass, vegetable scraps, etc) and browns (fine chips, straw, leaves, etc). If adding poo, 1/3 each greens browns and...other browns. Unless you can get a good mix going and plan to let it really compost well avoid weeds in the mix. Weed seed is tough to kill and takes a fairly "hot" (lots of greens) pile turned frequently and allowed to compost really well to kill off. Weed seeds that haven't composted properly will provide you with a lush well composted lawn of weeds. If you can't get a good mix of greens and browns it helps a lot if you allow the grass to dry a bit before adding to the pile.

Poo is a good additive but stick to the traditional likes of horse/cow/goat/sheep/rabbit grass eating little furries. Carnivores poop is quite different and composts differently, it doesn't have the same beneficial qualities of the usual poo providers, and bacteria that you don't want in your vegetables (pr possibly even on your hands from working with it). Sure, it'll compost. Your poo will compost. But there is a reason they are generally avoided.

[K Frame]

Oh, one other important thing you should know.

When you turn the grass the first couple of times, be VERY careful.

A large pile of grass (couple of bushels in an enclosed area) generates substantial quantities of heat and steam.

I've measured temperatures of 155 to 160 deg. F in the middle of a pile of all grass. That's all from bacterial action.

I've also gotten steam scalds by digging into the pile by hand.

[K Frame]

We turned Castle Key's grass compost this evening.

For a number of reasons, we've not been able to turn it since late last week.

It was quite gross. It had gone anaerobic, and had matted down into a disgusting, smelly, mess.

It will take several days and turns to sort it out, but once it is, it will be just fine and turn into some great compost.

[zxcvbob]

We turned Castle Key's grass compost this evening.

For a number of reasons, we've not been able to turn it since late last week.

It was quite gross. It had gone anaerobic, and had matted down into a disgusting, smelly, mess.

It will take several days and turns to sort it out, but once it is, it will be just fine and turn into some great compost.

Torn-up newspaper or shredded office paper really does help with that.  [nobody ever listens grumble grumble]

[RoadKingLarry]

Eh, mix it all together and let it rot.
If you want to turn it once in a while and don't let it dry out too much.
I've got 4 compost piles going aournd the garden areas in various stages of decomposition. The only organic thing I don't throw on them is meat scraps.
It will eventually rot down to compost.

[K Frame]

'Torn-up newspaper or shredded office paper really does help with that.'

So does daily turning, which I've already indicated took a back seat.

And all of the newspapers in his house are being employed in lining the box where the new puppies are living.

[charby]

So does daily turning, which I've already indicated took a back seat.

Must be some lazy folks on here. :)