How do you revive neglected compost?

If it is moldy, spread it out in the sun for a week to kill mold spores and let it dry. Compost that is not moldy can be energized by the addition of some fertilizer. Use a time release formula and mix in gritty material if it is heavy and clumpy. You may have to manually break down any larger chunks.

gardeningknowhow.com - Can Compost Get Old – Learn About Revitalizing Compost Piles

How close to fence can I build a shed?

Maybe your shed is too close to the fence, leaving you with no room to get around it. Sounds dreadful, right? With that in mind, experts recommend...

Last updated Feb 15, 2021

Are jack studs necessary?

Local building codes require two-or-more jack studs when building an opening larger than five-feet wide. The number of jack studs used in framing...

Last updated Jun 7, 2020

Can I build my own shed?

Yes, with the right plans you can build your dream shed.

Learn More »

Promotion

Compost heaps tend to be situated out of the way in the landscape. As a result, they often get forgotten and neglected, leading to dry, moldy and just plain old material. Can you revitalize old compost? Much like a yeast dough, compost is alive with organisms, and old compost has lost much of that life. However, you can add certain components to help “juice” it back up for use in the garden.

Can Compost Get Old?

Composting is easy, but it does require a certain adherence to a 60/40 formula of green and brown material. Neglected compost can fail to break down, lose nutrients and even get moldy. Reviving old compost takes a bit of effort but can result in fairly good material for use in the garden. As the cold days of winter come to a close, you may wonder, “is my compost dead.” Compost can certainly get old. You can recognize old compost by its appearance. It will be dry, grayish and devoid of organisms that you can see, like earthworms and pillbugs.

Can You Revitalize Old Compost?

There are ways of reviving old compost, but it may still not be rich enough for seed starting or propagation due to the possible presence of insect pests or pathogens. But with careful management, it can still be an excellent additive to garden beds. Even if the compost has become inert, it is still an organic entity that will help aerate and add texture to heavy soils. If your compost has been sitting without attention for several months, it can still be brought back to life. Here are a few tips on revitalizing compost and capturing that vital resource for your plants: Mix in nitrogen sources, such as grass clippings, to jump start the cycle along with a slightly smaller amount of carbon rich organics, like dried leaf litter. Turn the pile 2 to 3 times per week and keep it moderately moist but not soggy. In a very short time, you should start seeing the visible organisms that help break down the material. In a sunny location, such a “recharged” pile will again be teeming with life and materials will be breaking down. For even faster composting, dig in your garden and harvest worms. Adding plenty of worms to the pile will cause the materials to break down even faster.

Using “Dead” Compost

If you don’t want to go to a lot of trouble and still want to use neglected compost, you can still do so provided it isn’t moldy. If it is moldy, spread it out in the sun for a week to kill mold spores and let it dry. Compost that is not moldy can be energized by the addition of some fertilizer. Use a time release formula and mix in gritty material if it is heavy and clumpy. You may have to manually break down any larger chunks. Alternatively, if you have the space, dig trenches in the garden soil and bury the compost. Over time, earthworms and other organisms in soil will break down the spent compost. It may not add a lot of nutrients, but it will certainly help with soil composition and make itself useful in that manner.

Will a pole barn increase property value?

Many homeowners find that their pole barn can add $10,000 or more to their home property value. Often, the value can be 50-80% of the cost of the...

Last updated Mar 5, 2018

What is the rough opening for a 12 foot garage door?

The rough opening's width should be three inches longer than the door, measured between the left and right edges. So, in a 12-foot wide garage...

Last updated Apr 4, 2019

Can I build my own shed?

Yes, with the right plans you can build your dream shed.

Learn More »

Promotion

What is cheaper to build with wood or steel?

Metal tends to be cheaper than wood, with an average of $19-$25 per sq ft for a steel building and $20-$35 per sq ft for a wood building. Also, using metal in your build has a lower lifetime cost due to near-zero maintenance, and it can be nearly 100% salvaged and sold if it is ever torn down.

strongbuildingsystems.com - Are Metal Buildings Cheaper Than Wood? - Strong Building Systems

When looking to begin your next building project, one of the first steps is deciding on the materials that you will use for your build. A question we hear often is, “are metal buildings cheaper than wood?”

The word “building” usually means 1,200 square feet or greater.

The short answer is that metal buildings tend to be cheaper depending on a range of factors like the building size, building codes, loads (wind, seismic, snow, etc), design, and accessories. However, the odds of a metal building being cheaper than a wood building goes up fast the larger the building in question. As with any construction project, the costs can vary greatly for metal and wood based on your needs, and the options that you can achieve with a metal building are just as diverse as with a wooden structure. In order to get a realistic budget set up for your future project, there are a few expenses to consider beyond just the materials cost. Namely, you’ll have to account for the cost of the foundation that the building will be built on, and also the cost of erecting the building.