Have I crossed over the line?!?!?!?

Early-Bloomer..........that is one heck of a good start. If you just let it lay all mixed together yes it will be ready for next spring. You could help it along with a four dollar gallon of black stap molasses (liquid). Two gallons would not be to much as a booster for that pile.

If you could turn it every two or three weeks you could have it ready in three months for sure. That having been said I do not do much turning at age seventy two. It will be compost and good compost when it makes in my piles.

PS....Sorry. You can find black strap molasses any place that mixes up cattle feed.
Check the price on five and ten gallons. If you take the jugs you might be pleased to buy five gallons for two or three dollars. This price varies all over the ball park so shop a bit to find the real deal. My two and a half gallon jug was five bucks this year.

Hey Doc - thanks for the info on the molasses. I was able to purchase a 5 gallon bucket of Molasses. Wish it was cheaper, but still, not too bad at $18. Everything is relative - this is a very suburban area...
In any case, I put it to good use & it is doing double-duty as a hotbed:
I did a drench of Molasses/water over the beds where I had leaves/grass/manure/alfalfa & soil mixed together. The next day, the soil mix was warm, and the next - warmer still. We had word of a cold front coming our way, so I put the seedlings (in pots) out on the beds that had been drenched, and covered with some large cloches. The temps inside the cloches stayed at 75°F throughout the snow the past couple days. The plants look great & the exposed areas of the bed are still warm, starting down about 4". So, this works well.
Thanks again!

Thanks Doc.........I never heard of using molasses but I'm in a mostly rural area so finding it should be no trouble. Once I collect the molasses and a load of manure I'll be ready to go. I'm not sure now often I'll turn the pile--probably only 2 or 3 times since I don't really need it until next spring. I've never used many wood chips before either so I wasn't sure how long they would take to decompose.

early_bloomer

Don't overlook the native bacteria, fungi and critters in your own soil. Most of the old time compost advisements suggested using at least a little of your native soil in the compost pile. My piles are close to my garden. I just toss in a shovel full now and again when I add materals. No big deal...just some. Often I forget to say this because it is so simple we forget it.

Really interesting! What (chemically or biologically) does the molasses do? I think that the alfalfa is a nitrogen source (am I right?). Molasses used to be given as a source of iron but I think it tastes yukky. I really wish I had a shredder, I could put my chain saw to good use.
Paul

Doc.........Thanks for the reminder. I usually do add some soil to my piles but with all the other stuff going in this one it would have been easy to forget.

early_bloomer

docgripe...that's the first I've heard of adding a shovel full or two of garden soil into the compost bin. That's one of those common sence things that just makes perfect sence. Doesn't it stand to reason that it would also make the compost more compatable once introduced to the garden?

Mraider3..............Tricky question you ask. Finished compost is finished compost. It is as good as the total input when being made. However when anything rots in to humus which is what finished compost is it is all the same. You innoculate to assist the biology build the mycroherd which goes to work and makes the compost into a finished product we call compost. It is not yet done working because different or more biology players moves the humus into humic acids and still the plant can not take it up until the specialized bacteria nurtured and maintained by the plant roots makes a final conversion the plant then can use.

Adding a little soil assures you that, in the total process, your already existing good biology is included into the total process. This also gets some trace minerals, in there too, but the trace elements can not be increased. We have to add trace minerals. Black Strap Molasses has many trace minerals in very small amounts in every drop. It is also a good source of carbon.

docgripe...I follow what your saying...just thought the garden soil would add a certain amount of microbial balance which would make it more readily usable by the plants, if that makes any sense. What I'm not following is your comment regarding trace minerals/elements can not be increased. Can you explain that for me...I'm interpreting that several ways and not sure what you ment.

When you make compost or teas using your biology they increase both in number and activity to do the job making those conversions. The minerals and trace minerals do not increase in number or activity. Minerals and trace minerals have to be added from some other source.

Ya'll got to hear this one. I started two compost piles last year and had a big wooden box with holes in it out there too. When I found any kind of bark or rotting limbs and things I just threw it in the box.
No paper, grass anything, just wood.

Went out yesterday to get to some compost and while I was there I just pushed the box over. Absolutely the best compost I had. Just good black stuff. After all the time and worry about the piles and my box of wood was the best!!! Course I know it is really just mulch, but I still think it's funny!!

I have sifted back through this thread looking for some additional informaion on the Black Strap Molassas. Possibly I missed it but I would like to know a little more for my situation. I have a 60 sq ft bin of primarily horse manure and some leaves and grass. (1) At what quanity would the molassas be added with only a month to go before harvesting the compost for the garden? (2) No hard woods in this area, so would a feed store be a likely source?

Yes Feed stores or grainerys that make cattle feed. Take your own jug. The exact amounts are not rocket science. I add four ounces in a gallon or two of warm water. This gets sprayed on my piles as left overs from occasional foliar feeding and sometimes a whole gallon goes on the piles. It is as good a booster as any that money can purchase. (a whole gallon of water with molasses) You could use a hose end sprayer too but use warm water to keep your sprayer from being fouled up. Clean up is with warm water. No need for soaps and such.

Related products used in a similar manor are dehydrated kelp and cold pressed fish oil. Alaska products has a both in one product. I add these products at least once in my piles as I add material or turn the piles.

We use a cup of molasses to 2 gal of water for a soil drench to feed the microbes and worms already in the beds. The Black Strap molasses adds trace minerals. My soil tested deficient in manganese. The molasses was the recommendation to correct that.

Great advice...thanks...I'm on it.