to late to start a pile?

Here in Chesapeake Va. I am in zone 8. The nights are getting cooler but the days still hover bettween forty and sixty. I'd love to start a piles and maybe have it ready to spread on my veggie garden in spring but am worried that it may not "compost". Am I to late?
Also I've heard that clear plastic can help to hold in heat while allowing the sun to soak in. Any help would be greatly appreciated , thanks all.

Not too late - you can start them at any time.
Do you have available materials to mix together?

NO, not to late. You don't need the plastic either. Check some of the other composting threads on here for lots of good information. Just start putting your materials together, you can add just about anything except meat and dairy products. Those have a tendency to attract critters. Veggie parings, egg shells, coffee grounds, leftover coffee, leaves, grass clippings, black and white newspaper (shredded breaks down faster) and you can probably get your hands on seaweed as well. Good luck!

If you want it for spring, best to shred the fall leaves and balance them with plenty of nitrogen. I would use plastic or another cover .

You can use plastic/tarp etc over the pile once true winter sets in. Just set it up so you can still have easy access to the pile. You want to be able to keep adding to it, even during the winter. The pile will go cold, not from the lack of sun, but from the lack of air supply which helps in the break down of the materials. It still breaks down, but more slowly. No big deal, you still get black gold at the end of the process!

Hey thanx guys, I think I will try it and see. The little boost of encouragement put me over the top. Have a great weekend.

Too late?

*Never!*

You go gurl! And keep us updated on your progress. Welcome to the wonderful world of compostoholics! LOL

Never too late, I started a pile today, and plan on having it for spring planting.I do not cover the hot piles, but do use an old carpet to cover my worm bin, thats on the cool pile.Just mix your hot pile, and when it cools, roll it over, and add some of the worm mix, and you have worms.Thanks, and good composting. Mike

Oh, wow. Love your bin, mqiq77. Nice looking black gold!

my wife said ugggg! a compost pile? why would I want that in my backyard? I then explained that it is a natural fertilizer, maybe helping to cut back on the money spent on Epsoma products. Love those products but the price is pretty high for a small bag. She may have been swayed , as I really do spend way to much on the gardens. Today a nice thirty degrees when I woke up this morning.

Thanks doccat5, my favorite pass time is talking to Paxil,(my cat), and turning the pile.We met there, and became buddies.Mike

Oh my, he's a love. We have a grey abssyian(sp) named Missy that accompanies me around the yard when I'm puttering. I let the Boston's out in their run. I have to leash them, so don't have enough hands to do what I want to do, so they go out, lay in the sun, bark back at the neighbor's minuature dobbies ( I probably should be glad I don't understand what's being said, LOL) and offer encourage to Mom as I putter around.
Mudcatslm, tell mama, she'll get more flowers with compost! And it is cheaper. I rarely have to buy fertilizer, since I compost everything. I use compost tea on my indoor plants and they do fine. You might also mention the cost between compost bins, commercial made are prettier, but a lot more expensive than some pallets or recycled wood. LOL

... *and* doing your part to unload the landfill burden. She can feel downright upright about it.

Thanks, I use everything of wasted material, I have worked hard, and through hard knocks to better the Ag. environment, and amend the soil.I have a grandson who has made quite a study of just what I have been doing all his life.He is doing extensive research in the relm of composting.I first make a hot pile, and then introduce worms, and covering the cold bin with an old shah rug, the worms devior the compost right to the top.When ask how do I keep the worms I have been raising alive, and always multipling, I use native worms, not hybirds.Yes, I started finding worms around, and put them in the pile, now I have to keep moving them from pile to pile.Oh its a great life.Mike

Mike - about the rug: does it have a backing, or are both sides fiber? Curious because we get lots of rain, and I am looking for something to allow some water in but not all.
The weight of a rug would cause it to stay in place, too. Please advise.

No backing, and the worms get all in those fibers.I don't think the rug is natural fiber, they just like to regulate the temp as much as posible.Mike

I've heard that burlap is actually a good way to get compost started, although I have no idea why. You could always throw a couple of layers of burlap over the top, Ms. Kayte....

Burlap,cardboard, most anything biodegrateable.I like the old carpet because animals won't dig, and get into the comost.Mike

Mmm - good idea.

Mike do you find it necessary to peg it down or does the weight, when wet, keep it in place?

Mike,

My small compost bin is FULL of huge worms. I believe it's time to move the finished compost, but I don't want to hurt those worms. How do you move your worms and/or your compost?

Linda

Good reading, I just shredded up a bunch of leaves yesterday w/ my mulching lawnmower. I put them in the pile and placed some organice nitrogen fertilizer on top to get it started cooking.

Dean

This old section of shag rug is heavy, and it just lays flat over the pile.when colecting compost, expose the compost with a bright set of lights, give the worms a chance to move away, then rake off from the top.The worms will go deeper to avoid the radiant light.Mike

Finished the compost bin today. Its 4x4x4 so not able to make a lot at a time. But never the less the bin looks o.k. by the garden. Will start loading tomorrow.

[quote ]My small compost bin is FULL of huge worms. I believe it's time to move the finished compost, but I don't want to hurt those worms. How do you move your worms and/or your compost? [/quote]

Gymgirl, I just fork 'em all out into wherever I want my finished compost to go--they seem happy as long as they have some good dirt to burrow into!

Its 4x4x4 so not able to make a lot at a time
Depends on your definition of a lot. Picture how many bags of mulch would pile up to that size. I'm usually amazed at how many wheelbarrrow loads it takes to move out the compost, although you always want more.

sally, that is a good point, i'm picturing all those bags stacked up that i bought this year and 4x4x4 is bigger.

I fermly believe that really there is NO set way to compost, just in the eye of the beholder.I've seen many composting methods, the end is perty much the same.The big difference is, The more air into the pile, the faster the breakdown.This can be acheived by (1)turning,(2) placing perferated 4" drain pipes,W/ holes, both horizonal, or verticle.(3)put the ingredeance in the pile, let it cool, and put worms in the pile.I can't say witch is better.Mike

I rarely "sift" my worms from my compost. I just spread worms and all. We never lack for worms, I think they have their own wormvine. And tell all their relatives about the buffet at out place. LOL

Doccat5,
I know just what you mean. I started with about 10 scrawny worms, tossing in wherever I found them in pots in the yard. Before long, I had a whole resort! I couldn't pick up a shovelfull without 20-30 huge worms in it. And I didn't want to hurt those dedicated workers!

Now, I have another question, because I think I may be leaving my compost in the pile way past the time I should be spreading it around. How do I know when it's ready?

P.S. My little pile has never gotten "hot," but it has a lot of aerobic activity going on because I water and feed on a regular schedule. Hence, "Worm World!"

I believe that a cold compost pile with worms is better than a hot pile without, that is, if I use a lot of weeds, with ready seeds, then I want it up to 140 degreese at least.Mike

You can use your compost when ever you need it, gymgirl. I use it coarse if I need it, it just keeps breaking down. Not a problem. As I use the bottom, I keep adding to the top, so it never stops. You can't goof with compost..