Black gold
I removed the compost that was done from the east bin. For the compost in the bin that was not yet finished, I moved it over into the west bin.
This bin was already about 3/4 full, before I added to it from the other side. I had been working (stirring) the compost quite a bit over the last couple of weeks and this compost has gotten very hot. One might say, the quicker to "cook" with, yet if it is too hot it kills off the beneficial microorganisms that help with the decomposition process.
The solution? Turn frequently, and it will cool down.
In the meantime, I think it's hot enough that I could make baked potatoes in it ~ lol!
Starting at square one again
You do not want to just keep adding new materials to your established pile. If you do that, the compost will never be completed, except, perhaps, on the bottom. Thus, after emptying the east bin I threw in some weeds, plant debris and kitchen material to begin a new batch of compost. These are all nitrogen sources.
You also need carbon sources. My most-used carbons are dried leaves and shredded paper. I added a bit of this paper.
How about a little coffee in the compost? These are the used grounds, saved for my husband from a coffee shop. Coffee is a nitrogen source. For more information on using coffee in the yard and garden, click here.
Throw in the coffee filters and all. Don't forget that tea and tea bags are compostable as well.
I gave it a little stir, then threw a couple of shovelfuls of almost-done compost for good measure. You can add some soil every once in awhile as well. For more specifics on composting benefits/composting how-to's, you can read my earlier post here.
Linking to Fertilizer Friday
