No kidding. Well, i might try another way like @lotus710 says! Thanks man.
@lotus710 is not Bull shiting anyone here I can tell he’s done his homework, watch a ton of utube videos on Elaine Ingham president and CEO of the Soil food web ! She and others have help tons of people get their soil back in order after its been destroyed by monocropping methods and and herbicide/ insecticides applications all that crap is not needed and most of it’s someone’s recycled trash just getting piled in a bag for resale! Jeff Lowenfels and Gabe Brown also , Gabe has some vids that will Blow your Mind away on what great soil can do!
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If I may, I know the question is directed at @lotus710 all that needed is a cubic yard 3x3x3 foot area 1 yard for heat retention and for the pile have the ability to heat up no more than 155 degrees compost can be made in about 4 weeks when done properly! Browns and greens in the right ratios.
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I Mine is made with 3 pallets tied together to form an open front for ease of adding material. Fall leaves, garden refuse, wood chips, grass from the lawn, straw, coffee grounds, anything that cut up in the kitchen peels, rinds anything that’s about to go bad in the frig that you wouldn’t want to eat, anything that was once living and contains carbon leave out dairy and meats they attract varments mix all up and add a little soil for microbes and keep pile moist to consistency of a wrung out sponge mix aerate if you start smelling ammonia! Your biggest issues is not having enough material but if you think outside the box it’s shouldn’t be to hard!
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My compost once cooled down makes for excellent habitat for my red wigglers !
Here is some excellent worm castings!
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My resources say it can be done in a month (ingham) but I believe aging will improve it over that time!
Didn’t really say anymore than what @lotus710 had already said hope that helps @MadScientist and @HERBrastafari !
Here is a good cross section 6-8 inch deep of soil that I’v been working on the last 1.5 years this is heavy clay here in CO this whole clump would easily crumble if squeezed!
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Like @lotus710 said uncomposted wood/ sawdust actually robs soil of nitrogen when it’s breaking down !
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The best way to do a compost smaller then 3x3ft would be to make a bokashi bucket and a worm bin. You can even use cockroaches or black soldier flies. But i like my wormsXD a bokashi bucket is a 5gal bucket with holes poked in bottom and a screen to catch solids or smaller holes. Then put it in another solid bucket without holes. Place veggie and fruit scraps (can use little meat if you leave it longer but to be safe dont) in bucket. Cover this with a “bokashi” bran. (This is just LAB sprayed on wheat bran and dried) Then you leave it for around 4 weeks. After its done you take it and bury it in your worm bin and they go nuts. Takes a few months off the composting process. All this stuff can be done inside.
If you want top grade castings dont just use any fruits and veggies. Use certain ones depending on your needs. Personally i use my veggie compost for outdoor gardens and i use special compost for indoor. My compost consists of lots of organic straw, leaves, yarrow, nettle, kelp, neem, barley, alfalfa, good grass, egg shells, osyter sells, several good rock dusts, lots of ferment scraps, kombucha scobys, LAB and the leftover curd.
I have a fun approach to gardening. Something you can get your kids to do for you. And they can eat or drink it if they want. And its healthy for them. Feed it to them every day. And your animals too!
Basicly everything they sell at the hydro store is garbage and i can tell you exactly whats wrong with it and how you can do it better for cheaper. And if i see a friend going to spend money on garbage ill tell it exactly how it is.
Also this is a good easy down to the point place for composting:) http://www.timetorecycle.com/reduce/composting.asp
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No fruits and veggies because their nutrient density is not as high as (e.g.) kelp meal? I’d also imagine you’re using dry amendments for most of this list?
I’ve been considering opening up a thread on vermicomposting tips, tricks, and wizardry, so don’t mind me 
I’ve been giving mine a lot of egg shells, egg cartons, and banana peels – they seem to be happy, but can’t vouch for the quality of their poop yet.
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It would be super interesting to see a thread on vermi, please do it soon @oranje, and BTW i had to cull the Peyote Cookies, it wanted to bounce back but my space is limited and got lots of seeds so i thought, WTH!
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This thread def needs some work. It should be named “how to do better then ancient forest by general hydroponics”
I fixed it😂 ill make a thread of gardening eventually. For now i like my knowledge hidden in threadsXD
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Can someone please post pictures of the side by side that was done showing the experiment?
Seeing is believing after all.
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Idk what experiment youre speaking of. Do you mean nature doing the thing she does best? Go to a place not disturbed by man. Theres your proof:)
I would like to see this too, man-made soil for weed. Step by step.
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Theres tons of videos on youtube!
Great vid @lotus710 if only more people would be willing to compost more think of all the problems with that could be alleviated by diverting from the local landfill, I don’t think a lot of people think about this problem that plagues America either that or they just don’t care! Countries like Greenland and Japan (bokashi compost)are way ahead and I’v heard that they divert like almost 100% from their landfill waste ! At least I’ll try to do my part in my 3x3x3 area!
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The title says how to do better than a certain product. I’m looking for that proof other than an opinion. Pretty sure I have seen you make numerous remarks about GH products, so I am looking for the proof other than the fact your a hater of said company.
I am assuming you have used the product to have said experience/proof that indeed your ideas work better.
Otherwise it is of my opinion that perhaps the title should be changed to a more suited one like, building a soil, or how to make compost.
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Oh I notice it especially on my indoor plants new bright green foliage starts in about 3 days or less with castings top dressed or a nice worm tea watered in !
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