I'm half way through producing my second batch of hot composted mulch. Based on a couple fruit box of relatively fresh chook poo and three small bails of pea straw. Bulked up both nitrogen and carbon content to make up for mass by adding a barrow load of pigface (succulent ground cover) and a few newspapers worth of screwed up wettened paper balls in alternating layers with straw through the middle of the heap.
So far, going well. The first period was marked by very hot temperatures, up to just over 70C. Heap was steaming away in the morning and damp on top in the 'vents'. It got rained on late on Day 2, I covered with tarp on day 3, took the tarps off again for day 4, got dumped with more rain leading to day 5. That led it to cool down (I presume). So I restocked a bit of nitrogen into it and tried to get back onto schedule.
The combination of my increasing experience (and strength!) as well as the materials used (straw based as opposed to dried tangled ribbons of weeds and garden cuttings) mean it is simpler to turn, less tiresome and quicker.
Sun Dec 8 Day 11 Turn Hot
Fri Dec 6 Day 9 Turn Hot
Thu Dec 4 Day 8 Turn Warm to hot
Mon Dec 2 Day 5 Cooled down so turned with addition of chook poo
Sun Dec 1 Day 4 Hotto very hot
Wed Dec 27 Start
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