One Alaskans greenhouse

[heirloomgal]

Thank you so much @Alasgun @Ridgerunner . This information is very helpful in looking into a composting set up.

One last question - does a compost pile need to be in the sun? Or can it compost just as well in shade?

 

[Alasgun]

Mine only gets partial sun and does fine.

id also thank @Ridgerunner for all the science. I purposely stayed with only the mechanics as many are intimidated by all the green, brown jargon. None the less, stay with the basics, find a system your comfortable with and get some experience. It’ll be fine!

 

[digitS']

My Stealth Compost Piles are about 10" into rocky soil under wood decks in this semi-arid environment. The compost is watered every time the lawn is watered.

Since they are under decks, one could say that they are both in the shade but that shade is compounded by location. The chicken house deck is on the north side of the building. The greenhouse deck is on the west side.

Really, the chicken house deck receives only morning sun during the summer. The greenhouse deck has only a little more sunlight because the carport roof is nearby. However, there is a noticeable difference in how fast material decomposes with things going more slowly in the northern exposure.

Still, decomposition happens. It is very likely that the soil insulates the material in the winter. Everything freezes on top (the pile is above ground level by the end of the growing season.)

I'm certain that decomposition would not work out the same in different environments/soil types. However, just considering shade or sun, it probably makes only a little difference. Moisture, air and ambient warmth are more important.

One thing -- compost has real value. Despite still harboring seeds, my compost is better quality than the "compost" that can be purchased and is available here. It doesn't have to be that way but commercial standards sure seem to be low.

Steve

 

[flowerbug]

i use two kinds of composting here, worm composting for most of the food scraps and bury in the garden composting for any garden grown things along with the left-overs from canning that won't fit in the worm buckets. any other organic materials i can scrounge up too also can be used: tree trimmings, leaves, cardboard, newpapers, sod, wood chips, etc. i'm just not into making more work than i already have so the idea of piling and layering and mixing just doesn't work for me at all so instead it just gets buried and the worms and fungi can sort it out. when buried deeply enough a lot of organic materials can end up looking like peat moss and will remain in place where you put them until you want to use them.

 

[digitS']

Yes,

I also use the Compost-in-Place technique. I will point out that digging 8" of soil out of a garden bed is some  work.

The only turning that I do in the piled compost under the decks is digging enough out to the bottom so that I can bury more compostables. It takes a good long time to decompose.

Steve

 

[Ridgerunner]

One last question - does a compost pile need to be in the sun? Or can it compost just as well in shade?

Do not put one under trees. The roots grow into it unless you are constantly turning the pile. They are robbing it of nutrients and just get in the way. Don't ask how I know.

Shade or sun doesn't matter. The bugs that do the composting don't live on the surface but are down where it is still moist. Some people that keep chickens use the "Deep Litter Method" inside their coop. That's where you turn your coop floor into a compost pile and let the chickens turn it and provide greens. That's in the shade.

 

[heirloomgal]

Such great info everyone, so much more fruitful than doing internet searches. Wisdom & years of experience are so much better a resource to me!

 

[Alasgun]

The generator was set on the pad yesterday and should be operational
in a couple weeks. This long overdue upgrade will certainly bring some peace of mind going forward! Especially during the freezing months.

 

[AMKuska]

I need to get a generator. It's on my list. We've been getting more and more extreme weather, and the power gets knocked out regularly.

 

[Alasgun]

Things are moving along well in here, been eating cukes, beans & celery Since mid may! Looks like Summer squash will be another 6ft. Bush this year. Using mule tape; i tie these up with gentle tension and they grow up against the ceiling; some achieving 6ft. Grown on the ground and outside, i’ve never had a Summer squash plant be over 30 inches long and they never made branches. In here they go crazy and some will make 3-4 branches which really makes management challenging.