Compost heap cover

 

My compost heap is now full and I'm starting a new one alongside it.
But how should I cover the old one while it 'matures'? I suppose the
first question to ask is "What is the purpose of covering it?". Is it
to keep it warm, or dry, or damp, or to keep weeds from growing on it,
or a combination?

I know that old carpet is frequently suggested to cover a compost
heap, but I don't have any and our local dump is so 'well organised'
by the bureaucrats and 'elfin safety' that there's no chance of
getting any there. Would heavy-duty black polythene do? Does it need
to be covered at all?

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Chris

Gardening in West Cornwall overlooking the sea.
Mild, but very exposed to salt gales

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net

 



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Turn that full compost heap into the area you are thinking of starting a new
one. Top to bottom which will already have started to rot down.
Ours was turned in  April and this afternoon we had a good poke around and
found hundreds of worms :-))
It is covered with a contraption of board and roofing felt to keep excess
rain off, so we put a watering can of water in it. It is NOT a hot compost
so the 'roof' is only to control the rain.


It only needs to be covered to control the 'wetness' of it.

And when you have turned your compost into the new area, off you go again in
the existing position :-))

Mike
The Compost KING

 



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You might like to see the following piccies
http://www.myalbum.com/Album=OQFDHPQP

Mike

 



Warm and damp I think are the best simple words, but you also need to
restrict the air flow for the later stages (anaerobic decomposition) after
the chompers have done their bit.
I use a plastic composter ( sorry four plastic composters) for that reason.
My compost from last year is still decomposing, we had a very cold winter by
our normal standards, and the compost died, hasn't done that here for years.
It started crawling with creepy things again in April!

If you get too much rain on it you will kill this process, but uncovered it
will dry out and also die, remember a compost heap is living, it needs a bit
of air, moisture and heat.
Black polythene should do nicely in a Cornish summer if you let a bit of air
in round the bottom.

Keep the salt spray off it as well!

John
At the top of the Wirral Peninsular

 


And; don't forget to put pee in it, just do not carry it downstairs,
that's a no, no.

Judith