Simple 18 Day Hot Compost Pile (Video 1 of 3)

[@HonestOpenPermaculture]

Learn how to make compost with your chickens in this playlist! kzbin.info/aero/PLjkG_48eh6T8pFxA1NmOg47Jcfrppx-Du

[@lisag2112]

Hey I wasn't on her side I was on your side NOT the negative Nancy's side. On the DL I was reminding her to GO to a music channel to listen to music. This channel is a garden channel. lol maybe lost in translation . @Honest Open Permaculture I appreciate your time and content. 🌱♻️✌ Lisa from Plymouth, Ma

[@HonestOpenPermaculture]

@@lisag2112 lol. Yea lost in translation. No worries!

[@violaholman8168]

@@lisag2112 )l moo ooooo[oo

[@1fanger888]

I have been making compost for decades. I`m telling you that the old carbon nitrogen thing is bunk. I have made good compost out of just about everything, as long as it was not from an animal (two exceptions: eggshells and homemade bonemeal). Leaf mould under the trees in a woodlot makes the best garden amendment in the whole world. As long as it is not in a coniferous forest. Believe it or not, just straight grass will make some of the best compost. Just leave it in the same spot for a whole season. Worms love the stuff and will produce some fine castings. A good tip would be for you to rig a piece of plywood to attach to the front of that zero turn mower and then you could move that heap around much faster. Also, make the heap in the same place for a couple of years and that spot will have excellent soil to add to your gardens or use it in container gardening. I kind of think of compost heaps as pets and usually have multiple smaller heaps rather than one big one. If you want to speed up your operation some more, add your kitchen waste. The worms will thank you.

[@DdubyoskI]

1fanger eq

[@MC-pg2ko]

Brilliant! I have 3/4 of an acre. Much of it is lawn-or rather, a lawn that has turned into meadow grass! I live in soggy rural Ireland (surrounded by livestock farming land). In the summer, the rains and warm weather conspire to turn my summer into one long marathon of weeding and mowing. I didn't know what to do with the weeds and piles of lawn clippings. This video has just given me the solution to a major headache. I can now come off the Tylenol. Thank you so much for sharing! 💕

[@pigskinfanboy]

I am so glad I found this video and your channel. I’ve recently started trying to garden, I’m a disabled veteran with limited mobility and 24/7 Oxygen, I’m trying to keep my mind and hands busy with elevated bed gardening and I honestly think I could do this by myself. Loved the no-nonsense way you explained it and how you brought us along on the journey with clips from different days in the process. Thank you.

[@jude7321]

I love it because it's so simple, just straightforward and simple. Thanks God bless y'all Jude, from Kentucky ✝️🐴🌱🇺🇸

[@dandavatsdasa8345]

Looking like you Folks are really into it! Vermiculture Manure seems the greatest hope for the most sustainable. Thank you for sharing a slew of informative videos!

[@chrisusher7144]

I rented a home once with the most beautiful grass you ever saw had a vegetable garden with egg plant and it stems and leaves the compost pile was steaming only 2 ft x 2ftx 2ft put my hand in black rich soil.I just got eggplant seeds. And now I have 5 acers of grass and timber one is a big hill all trees leaves 100 years laying there and I have horses and poo new old so I'm set I live now in south coast I Oregon near the beach. Fun video thanks 🐎🐎🤔🚜🖐️👍

[@poacher7805]

Best video on composting I've seen thank you

[@colonialroofingofnorthcaro441]

Always support North Carolinians, several generations of family further back then I know, id like to research that but love NC, alot of changes with all this progressive thinking that moves to our great state, but thats what they do, mesup thier state and move to our to do the same, but love my state, I think its the best in the country, we have history from the state, mountains and great beaches as well as the outer banks, supporting each other is what makes us such a great state. God bless brother, and God bless America

[@HonestOpenPermaculture]

I hear what you're saying and I understand it, but you also have to realize without progressive thinking there'd still be slaves. I'm all for standing for what you believe in but keep an open mind. You may learn something.

[@colonialroofingofnorthcaro441]

@@HonestOpenPermaculture theres a difference between progressive thinking and regressive thinking, seeing what going on all over the country right now, those are supposed to be the progressive thinkers, but its not, it's identity politics and group think mentality, so progress is one thing, I'm not talking about that. Unfortunately these days you have to say it, so I'm not for racism or any of that stuff but I'm also not for government over reach and mob rule

[@dorothygrohman9529]

Very interesting, I was of the thought that grass was a green fresh or dried out. Very interesting. I may try this!

[@tinali9200]

I’m so glad someone said it. Dry grass is the same nitrogen rich product but less moisture. It is not considered a “brown”

[@jf9335]

My in-laws discarded their grass clippings in a certain spot for years and never did anything to/with it. Now I’m reaping the benefits of lovely wormy compost that was never turned, or mixed with ‘brown material’, except for a few leaves in one spot... yes some of it is a bit clayish but a lot of it is good. I think a lot of times we overthink all the science behind it.

[@HonestOpenPermaculture]

Yea. I do a slow compost and fast composting. Shoot i even compost with my chickens. Theres no "right" way to do it just different was. 😁

[@nathaniellarson8]

The difference is the whole "18 days" part.

[@tinaknutsen]

I have never made a compost pile and I am a bit intimidated by it. I read a lot of comments here and your response about using organic manure made me think about my parents farm...they have 25 acres in Idaho and have lived their 37 years. They have used a lot of chemicals to control weeds. My dad didn’t have their water tested until he got bladder cancer and a year later found that my mom had bladder cancer...they had the water tested and found arsenic and a bunch of other bad stuff. When my mom showed same symptoms and was tested the doctor recommended getting the water tested...Bladder Cancer is top of list for arsenic poisoning.They have a ton of other health problems and their skin, hair and eyes look really bad. I have shed many tears watching them suffer and in and out of the hospital. Please have your water tested, your soil tested! Also just wanted to share: If your food says organic...that means it only has to be in the soil for 3 years without any herbicides or pesticides....if it says certified organic it means 7 plus years without herbicides or pesticides. If you buy distilled water it’s not the same as Steam distilled water, which is the purest water you can get -preferably in glass jugs because if in plastic jugs it would bleach the jug and the water would have a plastic taste to it. Just a tidbit to share. I have a humongous mound of leaves that has been sitting since last fall and with Spring starting I will have lots of grass clippings, my fear is we use miracle grow on our flower beds and weed and feed on our lawn so I don’t think its safe. Really want to do a vegetable garden and want to learn to do compost. What do you recommend to start. I have very rocky soil, some clay. I live in Western Washington (The Great Pacific Northwest) zone 9 if that helps. Thank you for the video and having captions I am hearing impaired, so the captions are much appreciated.

[@FloridaGirl-]

I wouldn’t use clipping, straw or even manure from animals who ate anything that’s been sprayed with a herbicide! IT WILL ruin ur compost and disform your plants when you use it! Here’s a great vid to explain: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rXyQh5iodrGqq5Y

[@mulatokudzava7797]

Thank you, I have been thinking about how to make compost of only grass and some more grass lately and you helped me with your video a lot!

[@robertj5208]

1:55: NICE explanation of Service Area!

[@phoxpharms]

For those with less land, you absolutely CAN composte at the same rate with under a cubic yard of material. I used to compost in 30 gallon totes, roughly half a cubic yard of material and fed my garden all summer that way. My backyard in total was maybe 350sq ft, my garden fit in a 6x8 greenhouse. I think too often the "requirements" of composting scare people off or hold them back from starting. Even when I moved onto this bigger house I have now, I started composting in a 35 gallon trash can. Make 35 gallons of compost in 30 days, less if you turned and watered it better then I do. But I tend to produce too much compost for myself, so I compost a bit slower now, letting myself make 6 cubic yards of compost out the piles, plus what the chickens make in their 80sq foot area.

[@ThatGardener]

Great video. It was so satisfying to see the compost progress with time. Hard work pays off.

[@denisewilson8367]

Your compost pile of green & dry grasses is good. But animal manure will kick it up a notch & make your compost garden ready in 18 days.

[@Steeltoothees]

All these people saying this guy is doing it wrong. If it works it’s right. I’ve made good compost just with fresh cut grass.

[@HonestOpenPermaculture]

I don't sweat it. I don't mine responding, but they don't worry me. We know it will do just fine. There is a lot of Karen's in the comments 9n YouTub.

[@5ivearrows]

Calling everyone who is pointing out that this isn't a functional method of getting good compost a "Karen" is pretty lame. I can tell from looking at this pile that it has gone anaerobic, and can basically gaurantee that if you put this under a microscope you will discover a totally anaerobic microbiology. This will do your garden no good at all, and could damage it. So you can flippantly disregard everyone giving you factual information, but at the end of the day you are just giving everyone watching this video incorrect information.

[@amedhekare]

@@5ivearrows I did too but I can not say totally anaerobic

[@traceykays433]

Well done video. U don't ever have a lost of words do u. Enjoyed it. Gonna try ur method. Thanks.

[@HonestOpenPermaculture]

I like to talk about things I like to talk about what can I say. Lol

[@tiger.R.lamboy]

Thank you very much for your share (From Bangkok Thailand )

[@cheeseymccheese7249]

I have this shovel, its olds school, about 14w by 16 long it scoops on everyething. Gravel, dirt, grass, woodchips, snow, everything and it als just glides and scoops nice. I mived into this house a while back and they must have left it but i dnot think many people think about how handy a shovel like this is....i nevr use a pitch fork for my compost, hate the pitchfork...my shovel is the best yard tool i have...better than my skid steer haha

[@RandolphTheWhite1]

That's such a good idea to get your carbon source from older grass clippings

[@mark16livsey]

HOP, i used to work at recycling centre in Manchester uk. Every Monday easily 50% of what came in was domestic grass cuttings the other 50% was a mixture of all kinds of domestic gardening waste like finely shredded hedge cuttings and plant material and of course, food waste. It's normally left for 90 days being turned 3 times in that period then its taken away to be sieved into a fine compost and still, the main product uncomposted is grass. Certainly most of it has rotted like short clippings but all in all its a tough cookie

[@abdirahmanmohamud686]

Thanks for the tips and efforts to show us amazing video i appreciate

[@bennysbackyard1219]

Nice idea sir,,thanks for the tips, watching here from Philippines

[@EricMeeks101]

Hey I have an area in my yard about 15ft by 20ft that’s basically just sand (I live in central FL). I was wondering if I could just spread my fresh grass clippings ever time I mow as well as fallen dead leaves from a huge oak when they fall. I’d just be throwing it on there as material comes available. Would that work or do you have to pre-make the compost like in the video? I also heard about getting used coffee beans and throwing that on there… what do you think about that?

[@marthas3486]

I just found your video and love you are explaining it to were anyone can understand, I’m just learning this stuff thank you

[@HonestOpenPermaculture]

Thank you! I hope it helps!

[@Citystead]

Great tips on why you should move and turn it

[@HonestOpenPermaculture]

Thank you brother.

[@ebenburger111]

Bro, take all ur clippings and Bury it directly under the soil. Watch the magic. 5 times faster decomposition! This way all.that nitrogen gets trapped in the soil, and it doesnt escape into the atmosphere like ur doing it now....

[@johnsteele9433]

I’m in the ten per cent who are allergic to the biological steam that comes out of a hot pile. After three tries at turning a hot pile and having bronchitis the next day, even when wearing a painter’s mask after the first time, I’ve learned to build a big pile in a rewire cage, and letting it cook in its own time. When the pile cools down, scrape away the outer several inches, harvest the cooked compost from the middle of the pile, and rebuild the next pile with the materials from the outside of the original pile. In central Texas we need every drop of rain to go into the pile, so the rewire cage lets you make the top of the pile concave.

[@UrbanGardeningWithD.A.Hanks14]

Good info. I think I've spoken with you before on my other account; I have the redwood preserve in Stokes Co. While this is "technically" compost, it's still breaking down, so I like to let it go for a few months to continue the process cold. A word of caution about using fresh compost: Never use it on potatoes! It's so high in N that you'll get beautiful vines, but only a few edible marbles in the ground. It's great for heavy feeders like corn and Brussels sprouts though.

[@3FeathersFarmstead]

Very nice!!! We always have tons of clippings!!! Good way to use them up and put them to good use!!!

[@HonestOpenPermaculture]

Yea man it's a great way to put them to use! Thanks bro.

[@joeh4295]

I retired from the Air Force (medic) 8 years ago and bought a 38 acre small far off foreclosure in central PA. We've failed and we've succeeded. Failure isnt always failing as long as you learn from your mistakes. Keep working hard, keep learning.

[@HonestOpenPermaculture]

Thanks Joe

[@windmillacres679]

You never fail. Never. It' like Thomas Edison said, you just learned another way that didn't work.

[@joeh4295]

@@windmillacres679 ohhh we found ways that simply didn't work and then we flat out failed in a couple others. I'm not too proud to admit where we've failed and unfortunately that meant a few animals suffered or died due to our ignorance. We learned from every failure and I try to prevent us from repeating those mistakes.

[@dustinleonard2753]

from my understanding grass clippings are all nitrogen brown or green. but if its doing what you want then hey get it!!

[@orderla8877]

Hey there! Thanks for sharing. But how do you chop the cut grass? Thanks again.

[@madewirakaya4425]

Thankyou from Bali lndonesia,,🙏🙏🙏

[@IowaKim]

I have a mower similar to yours that I collect grass clippings for compost. I fashioned a piece of rubber roofing over the discharge chute so that it didn’t discharge out so far and helped me to create my clipping piles every time I mow. I then pick up my piles and take them to my compost area to work them in. I call this my poor man’s grass catcher.

[@NativeTearz]

Congrats on hitting 1000!!! NC is beautiful! Thanks for composting tips

[@HonestOpenPermaculture]

Thank you! Hope you enjoyed it!

[@NativeTearz]

@@HonestOpenPermaculture I sure did!

[@johnjude2685]

Thanks looks very simply explained. But when if it gets mold would it be ruined?

[@HonestOpenPermaculture]

No mold is a common aspect of compost breaking down. I would suggest turning it to give it air. The mold will go away. Don't use it until the mold is gone .

[@mangisda]

When i bought my house and was unaware of this composting thing, I panicked when i saw my grass pile smoking.

[@HonestOpenPermaculture]

Lol. I completely understand. When you don't know what is going on it's puzzling.

[@tbird475tjk4]

Don't pile green grass around flammable stuff cause it can catch, if it's smoking an not just steam

[@HonestOpenPermaculture]

@@tbird475tjk4 👍👍

[@TheNeuAdventure]

Awesome video! We are also in NC on a small farm learning day by day!

[@HonestOpenPermaculture]

Sweet. What part of NC? We are just north on Winston-Salem.

[@TheNeuAdventure]

Honest Open Permaculture we live about an hour east of Charlotte, not far from you at all!

[@citylotgardening6171]

Very well done video , I will try your method thanks for sharing

[@justjamessing10]

Mistakes are bound to happen. You can do the drunken compost method to finish it. Quicker return as well. I appreciate your zeal and enjoyed your video!

[@HonestOpenPermaculture]

Thank you!👍👍

[@charlesrockey5203]

Drunken compost?? How is this one made??

[@justjamessing10]

@@charlesrockey5203 there's a famous video about it on YT I can't remember the guys name. Just type in "Drunken Compost" on YT should come up.

[@hadleymanmusic]

my bad is burnin the clippings on my dirt and turnin it in. now its spring I got lotta tall grass to turn in

[@KellenChase]

Just found you. This was awesome and very informative. Thank you very much.

[@HonestOpenPermaculture]

Thanks you!

[@stestrupholm-dyrkjorden]

You not only get compost, you also save the expense of a fitness center subscription :) I turn mine less frequently, but it's still a lot of work. I kind of enjoy it as long as it's not 3-4m^3 piles.

[@ambersykora352]

I do the same thing. Just layer it, add in some squishy decaying wood and layers of fall leaves, some coffee grounds and stuff from the kitchen when I need to make it hot.

[@HonestOpenPermaculture]

Nice! I bet it works well!

[@deanrichardson450]

Can I use Bermuda grass without fear of trans planning

[@SirPablo2Pablo]

Thanks man. Brilliant demo

[@HonestOpenPermaculture]

Thank you!

[@MatanuskaHIGH]

Add wood ash to the grass clippings. More carbon. I dig out my fire pit and add it to the grass clippings as well as leaves and sticks. It will get hot. Make sure to turn it often. Another trick is to add EM1 and some Lacto bacillus. Keeps anaerobic bacteria in check.

[@HonestOpenPermaculture]

Awesome

[@charlesrockey5203]

What is EM1

[@thiagodemelo4923]

Hey man got here from Justin channel and i like your content. I think that for your channel to blow up you just need to máster the edit You seem really smart so if you study for 2 weeks you can do it. Giving the likes to help!

[@HonestOpenPermaculture]

Yeah I'm very new to editing and the technical side of all of this. I'm trying to get better but that would just come with time.

[@kitbokmikisyntem3961]

Thankyou soo much..your videos are soo helpful

[@myklive]

Totally appreciate you putting it in 1 video. Thank you.

[@relaxlove.3678]

I really love earth magic!🥰

[@joannecook6105]

At the 9 minute location on this video we saw the pile with white this shows the pile had become anaerobic which has killed off the beneficial bacteria and microorganisms. The high temperature is the right environment to grow toxic microbiology. This pile was made with 100% nitrogenous/green materials. dried grass clippings is regarded as nitrogen because it was alive when it was cut. Hay/straw is carbon because it had died and as it died the good stuff went down into the roots. It is only possible to to have anaerobic compost with this recipe. It is not healthy to put on gardens. This is not a true representation of Geoff Lawtons Berkeley method. Geoff gained his knowledge based on Elaine Ingham soil scientist and then adapted away from her methods to accommodate those of us he wanted to support. The method is being called the same but seems to be morphing. This needs to be a learning experience. Thank you

[@ourgardeningchannel3094]

Thank you so much, I thought I was dumb when it didnt, work. Thankyou!

[@samiyamaza5380]

It seems that you don"t agree with this method. Do you have a method for heat compusting in the open place?

[@joannecook6105]

samiya Maza hi Samiya, I would recommend you use KZbin to connect with Elaine Ingham, soil scientist. She has given talks and demonstrations for those of us who want that level of understanding.

[@joannecook6105]

In particular a video called “Elaine Ingham soil food web compost and compost tea”

[@samiyamaza5380]

@@joannecook6105 Thank you so much. I'm going to watch it to find the answer.

[@fordguyfordguy]

What happens if I just build a giant pile of grass clippings in the woods and never touch it other than adding to it?

[@phils6582]

If it's working for you, keep doing it, but drying the grass isn't going to change the amount of carbon or nitrogen in it. They're both near enough identical. I get the best results mixing my grass clippings with wood chip.

[@HonestOpenPermaculture]

Cool👍

[@suegendron2260]

I would tend to agree, re the nitrogen/carbon content. I think adding the dried grass is helping to keep the pile aerated, so is working in that respect.

[@knpstrr]

Important thing is it still works quite well, maybe just not as quickly as proper materials.

[@mnewt712]

Thank you

[@GardeningWithSkinnyBoyRandy]

great information.

[@MarcoPolo-yt3ew]

Hi have you heard of the history of biochar for gardening yet tell everyone you know about it. Kenny from northern Kentucky USA

[@HonestOpenPermaculture]

👍👍

[@zepguwlthistle7924]

thanks for confirming what I had thought I could do. We have 4 acres of grass to cut. So i wondered if I could use dry grass for the carbon because we don't have many weeds to dry as others have said you need. My husband will cut to throw the grass in rows. I can use the dry grass to mix with the grass. Fantastic! thank you!

[@wchayes8646]

Thanks bro. You taught me a lot and im srarrting my own compost pile this week. Awesome info. Thanks again.

[@HonestOpenPermaculture]

Awesome! Glad it helped!

[@williamlourido6040]

Hello from Puerto Rico, how far are you from Hope Mills? My son lives there.

[@HonestOpenPermaculture]

About 2 hours away

[@harveyharmon6643]

Add sugar to your water or soda pop to feed the bacteria

[@angelotorres1507]

Can you use cardboard cut up in small pieces?

[@Wee_Jimmy]

Just did my first 18 day compost only I used wire mesh

[@iikmubarakachmad3054]

please let me know,, I noticed why don't you use tarpaulin when making the compost pile to avoid the rain ,, thanks

[@nellyking5005]

thank you for sharing your knowledge!

[@HonestOpenPermaculture]

No problem

[@jordanhuguenard8315]

Oooo definitely don't start with fresh grass first, the grass will mat down and go anaerobic especially with the weight, initially try to incorporate the brown material in with the green, it doesn't have to be perfect but its better for aeration

[@california8118]

Watched the rest of the video and you answered my question

[@HonestOpenPermaculture]

Sweet! Thanks for watching!

[@california8118]

@@HonestOpenPermaculture For sure. Since I quit drinking for now, I need thingz to keep me busy and wat do you kno, gardening and thingz that come with it are one of those thingz. Thankz

[@HonestOpenPermaculture]

@@california8118 awesome. Proud of you. Keep it up!👍

[@california8118]

@@HonestOpenPermaculture I really appreciate that. And I will! Itz the best thing I could do for myself, and eventually otherz if that makez sense. Appreciation!

[@memcheck015]

thank you for this video very informative i am going to do this my self i might get it right yet. good one.

[@HonestOpenPermaculture]

Thank you

[@charlesrockey5203]

Is this kinda compost any good after winter, with the snow and freezing weather? Will I be able to use it the next spring??

[@denipar69]

Absolutely! The freeze and thaw cycles help it break down.

[@cornishbackgardenernewallo1793]

Great video really interesting 👍

[@michelle-vl3me]

human Urine is chock full of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus, which are the nutrients plants need to thrive-and the main ingredients in common mineral fertilizers.

[@demonetized6837]

And also useful if you want to make salt peter, or ammonium nitrate, in countries that have outlawed its purchase for fertilisers or curing meat. It's incredibly hard to get in most countries post 9/11 unfortunately.

[@Mrmeoggy]

Thats actually disgusting and bad for worms.

[@Mrmeoggy]

@@demonetized6837 Gross.

[@aemma_official]

Can’t it be full of medication chemicals and diseases that can transfer between humans? I think that’s why you are not allowed to use human waste in food production. 🤔

[@michelle-vl3me]

@@aemma_official to be honest, the best fertilizer is worm castings. (worm poop) not only do worms fertilize but they also airiate the soil. the best way to attract worms is with rabbit manure. just get a rabbit and you're all set. (rabbit manure is a warm fertilizer). rabbit poo + worms = magic dirt.

[@bradleyfoss8933]

Great video.

[@caseyrodriguez9733]

Love your jamz bro

[@HonestOpenPermaculture]

Thanks

[@willchoate7072]

I find a mulching fork works better for turning the stuff when you get to the finer more broken down material

[@HonestOpenPermaculture]

Thanks for the tip!👍😁

[@kurtb2879]

Dried grass is still a nitrogen. It just loses moisture/water but still retains the nitrogen.

[@user-xb1ht4py2v]

Agreed ,this flys in the face of almost very other compost building information I have seen. To call grass clippings as a "brown" simply because they are dried seems to demonstrate a total misunderstanding of the basics.

[@joequillun7790]

@@user-xb1ht4py2v Does it mean that my green maple leaves in the summer are nitrogen? :)

[@user-xb1ht4py2v]

@@joequillun7790 even though we use the terms "greens" and "browns" the color is kind of irrelevant. Everything has both carbon AND Nitrogen, but in 'greens' the nitrogen is much higher than the carbon; and the other way for 'browns'. Leaves are considered 'browns'. www.planetnatural.com/composting-101/making/c-n-ratio/

[@joequillun7790]

@@user-xb1ht4py2v That's what I wuz getting at..."sarcastically." He said his grass was nitrogen, until it turned brown, or dried out, then it became carbon. I think most of the comments here have corrected that statement. So by the OPs theory, brown leaves are carbon, but what if they're on the tree, or green on the ground? I guess they must be nitrogen. :)

[@user-xb1ht4py2v]

@@joequillun7790 He has those special 'Carbogen" leaves I guess. LMAO

[@AlasdairILoveOxford]

I have loads and loads of branches clipped off 15 years of m6 garden being left to go wild by last house owner. I just filled 6 metres squared of raised grow beds with it to layer up new raised beds. However, I still have lots left over, so my question is if I want to make loads of home made compost, what can I realistically add to this green compost to get large amount of compost decomposing? Please note that I am a single person so my kitchen scraps are pretty small to keep adding every few days. Amy tips? I have been adding lots of shredded paper and very thin layer only of grass cuttings plus some cardboard. Any suggestions please, folks??

[@ed8519]

You can add twigs if you can shred them as small as possible but they take a while to break down. I have added pines, and some dried out evergreen tree leaves to my composter, I left them sitting for a year and they were pretty dry & short before I used them. The larger sticks didnt compost. The way I was always taught was 3 to 1. 3 parts brown to 1 part green although my own pile is probably closer to 50-50 as I had loads of grass, I have topped it up with cardboard and food scraps since. I add food scraps, stale bread, coffee, fruit and potato peels, cardboard, shredded paper as they become available until my composter was close to full. I keep it wet like a rung sponge, not soaking but slightly moist, I have it positioned to get the most sun possible and I turn it regularly. I do a quick turn over of the top few layers every couple of days, I sometimes take a few spades worth out of the hatch, put them on top then turn over the layers every 2-3 days. On one of my composers so far I have taken it all out and turned it 3 times in about 25 days. Its a bit of a workout but it has composted very quickly. I already have 60%+ useable compost.

[@HonestOpenPermaculture]

My go to is grass clippings. In the fall I use my chickens and their manure as the nitrogen source. You can reach out to local horse farms or organic cow farms to see if they have manure you can get. But you wanna make sure its organic because if the horses or cows have been eating in fields that have been sprayed those herbicides will be in the manure and then be in your garden.

[@kathynix6552]

Going by this video you can add a lot more grass

[@MikeB-jn2bu]

Should I be worried about using weed clippings in place of grass clippings as far as having weeds sprouting up during growing season?

[@UrbanGardeningWithD.A.Hanks14]

As long as you reach 160 degrees, it will kill the seeds. Having a composting thermometer is very important when making hot compost.

[@danao1796]

I don't have hay, I've got a lot of grass clippings, but what can i use instead of hay for the brown?

[@HonestOpenPermaculture]

Shredded paper.

[@danao1796]

Oh, that's too simple! lol thanks!

[@gtsinnie]

I recently moved from Colorado to Arizona and I no longer have access to grass clippings here in the desert. I'm trying to find cover crops that can withstand heat and I'm also trying to find drought-resistant grass that would be great for composting. If anyone has any information, please let me know. Thanks!

[@justinator7763]

You can piss on it ....

[@amendfuse4276]

Congrats on almost 7k!!

[@HonestOpenPermaculture]

Thank you!

[@jeremiahedwards2073]

Aren't dry grass clippings still nitrogen?

[@abradopekoledji1199]

Do you have to go c the compose erery time you turn it?over

[@kanishka.b8550]

Those both are grass clippings, how change in colour cause any change any change in Carbon and Nitrogen in it?

[@nicholasbecker3559]

Good job. Going to try.it. thanks

[@HonestOpenPermaculture]

Give it a try 😁😁

[@curtismoore4661]

5 day old grass is not a "brown" or carbon source, it is basically Hay. Hay is still a "green" or nitrogen source with a carbon/nitrogen ratio 24/1. All you're doing is burning off the nitrogen. You need to use straw. Wheat or oat straw is the dead chaff after the grains are harvested. As wheat and oats mature, the seed heads consume the nitrogen from the mature plant in order to produce viable "living" seeds. That is why straw is a "brown" because it has a carbon/nitrogen ratio of 100/1.

[@Mityob67]

Good man right here

[@HonestOpenPermaculture]

Thank you Tim! I'm as best as I can be and try to get better every day.

[@Mityob67]

@@HonestOpenPermaculture God bless you man...I'm with you!

[@jonerikmedina1662]

So what do you do if it's not the recommended temperature

[@PetalsonthePavingSlabs]

Really well explained this thank you👍

[@HonestOpenPermaculture]

👍 Thank you man!

[@samiyamaza5380]

Can we do this in hot days' conditions? I mean day temperature above 30-degree centigrade. Nights are cooler about 15-18'C

[@tlittlej]

Thank you!

[@juliafernandes6939]

I like the enthusiasm but dry grass clippings does not count as carbon, itis still nitogen. If you incorporate shredded paper, bark chips and dry shredded leaves, it works. Geoff Latham and dr Elaine Ingham explains what the necessary needed layers are. Xx

[@HonestOpenPermaculture]

Thanks

[@mountainman4410]

Having a varying amount of different mediums has its advantages. However, it is not necessary. A broken down dry leave is essentially the exact same material as a broken down dried grass clipping. It's no longer nitrogen rich once the clipping is dried, for the same reason the dried leaf is no longer nitrogen rich. I've seen and personally had great success with making soil from nothing more than fresh leaves and dried leaves. No reason it wouldn't work with grass also. Once the material has broken down, it will work very well as a soil. Just because one person does something in one way, does not mean that it's the one and only way to do it.

[@california8118]

I have no real clue either, but I heard rotating too much can kill good bacteria? Got my own pile goin on. Tips help.

[@madlynbarileau1114]

Why don't you add kitchen scraps to compost pile?

[@Amber4]

If you add less dry material you dont need to add water is my experience. So it can be simple. If you throw big peaces on the heap it will become compost but just a little bit slower.

[@BN-hy1nd]

Are we talking degrees in fahrenheit?

[@amedhekare]

I have used this method to make compost with different materials. With food waste one it is done about 30 days. And I also want to learn more about this method ? what could you recommend to me to read about this method ? best regards thanks

[@HonestOpenPermaculture]

To be honest I don't do much reading so I could give you recommendations on that. But I do have a 18 day compost video series if your interest. kzbin.info/aero/PLjkG_48eh6T8ub5sBOP0pPnYnX2jqTPPi

[@amedhekare]

Thanks for responding I have been working on my thesis that is about compost production. Well I will find out more. Have a good compost ;)

[@stevesweat25]

Hi, I’m in Grayson, GA and have a horse farm. We muck the stalls every morning and fill a regular farm size wheel barrow that is dumped into a 25 x 15 area. I use my front end loader to flip it twice a month. There is some lime and PDZ mixed in. Would this be good to mix with first layer of soil? Nothing else goes into this area.

[@Stu2366593]

Steve Sweat I would think so. Do you measure the temp of your pile? I used to use horse manure as my compost material but I stopped as I didn’t have a tractor to turn things over. Funny thing, after leaving everything in a pile for over a year, I started to use the pile (now greatly reduced) in the garden and had great results. I now mix everything (kitchen waste, grass, garden weeds, brown leaves, flower stalks etc.) into the compost piles we have and just monitor the temp to know when to turn over or add materials.

[@HonestOpenPermaculture]

It sounds like everything you're putting in there is organic and compostable so I don't see a problem with it. Just make their sure the manure is composted before you put it in the garden. And if you are using something like pig manure would have to compost it a lot longer. It sounds like I could be good stuff though and would be great to use in a field or pasture with a maneuver spreader since you have so much of it.

[@stevesweat25]

Honest Open Permaculture, someone mentioned to be careful since I do apply Grazon to kill weeds and flowers like Henbit and buttercups. The horses do eat grass that it’s been applied to as well. So, I might have an issue with their manure having a broadleaf killer in it that would be bad for vegetables. Any thoughts out there?

[@HonestOpenPermaculture]

@@stevesweat25 Use it to fertilize a orchard? Maybe the herbicide weed killer will affect the weeds around the fruit trees but not the fruit trees. 🤷‍♂️

[@SolarJim2]

In NC here also

[@HonestOpenPermaculture]

Nice what part? We are just north of Winston-Salem

[@SolarJim2]

Honest Open Permaculture near Raleigh, just outside of Fuquay. I am on the Wake & Johnston county line.