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I got a giant pallet box full of Carrot tops and culls that I plan to use for my patch, they are good because they decompose quickly over the winter time in the fields for next growing season. I don't know if I should spread it out and till it in the soil, Leave it in a big heap over the winter and decompose in a big pile, or have it chopped up into grindings and then till it in. Or am I doing it totaly wrong. Thanks for the help.

Kyle.

10/28/2004 10:10:48 AM

San Diego

Kyle, I'm not sure because you live in Ontario. bbbbrrrrr:) I'm in sunny san diego all winter. I don't think much will decompose if dug in soil that will be frozen. if your soil stays warmer, I think you can till it in fine. I think you can make a compost pile too and work on that all winter to get good compost for spring. Do a site search for composting and I think you will get some good ideas. Jimmy

10/29/2004 2:57:15 PM

Here we the freezing or Frost goes into the ground about 4ft. Depending on how cold the winter gets. I think I'm going to leave it in a pile because the center will stay hot and decompose. If spred out it won't lock in the heat and freeze.

10/29/2004 6:50:37 PM

Thornhill, Ontario, Canada

I've read that freezing temperatures actually help composting. I haven't built my composter yet, nor have I ever maintained a pile. But, I plan to make a compost tumbler and I've been reading a lot about it.

As I understand it, freezing creates ice crystals (out of the water in the plants' cells) which tend to be sharp and pointy. These crystals break the cell walls of the material to be composted. Then, once spring comes and that material heats back up, it decomposes at an excellerated rate.

Tangent: This problem with the pointy ice crystals is one reason why there is little likelihood, given current technology, that all those people in Arizona who have paid to have themselves frozen after death will be "reanimated".

10/30/2004 12:43:42 AM

Another question about next years prep. Should I till in this years Pumpkins or not. I would think it would be a good source of nutrients and its kind of natural.

10/31/2004 1:56:20 PM

Mn

Pumkins do contain lots of Nitrogen. I know a fellow grower who sets them out on his patch, so I thik you should go for it.

10/31/2004 3:14:45 PM