I built a mini JohnsonSu bioreactor this morning to have biologically rich compost ready for this time next year. It has an outer skin of wire mesh covered in mypex. This is placed on a pallet and downpipes with air holes drilled in them are placed over the gaps in the pallet.

Then add each layer of compostable material and regularly water it as you go. I alternated wood chip layers with grass cuttings and garden weeds.

Tomorrow I’ll remove the downpipes to leave air holes where they were in the pile to allow air flow throughout.

I’ll monitor the temperature over the coming days. It should build to above 55°C and above for at least a few days then start to fall.

When the temperature drops below 27°C I’ll add two or three hundred worms from my worm bin. Then it’s a question of keeping it watered.

#Compost #JohnsonSu #Allotment #GrowYourOwn #GYO #Gardening #Gardens #Compostodon #Allotments #SoilHealth #Soil #SoilLife #Biodiversity #Fungi

@compost Sounds good to me.

I’m 6 months into an attempt at a couple of mini #JohnsonSu bioreactors to make a fungal dominant compost. I’m led to believe it’s length of time to make this aerated compost (12 months) that’s the key by allowing the fungi to grow undisturbed. Worms were added to the bioreactors 5 months ago and have been left entirely on their own in there.

I’m halfway and it’s the coming 6 months where the fungal hyphae are supposed to really start to grow and thrive. 🤞

My #introduction as I’ve just moved instances. I hate what’s going in the world & UK but this is my refuge. #Allotment holder in the UK #Zone9a since 2005. #NoDig since 2014. #Compost enthusiast, always #PeatFree . I started my #Vermiculture #Bokashi #JohnsonSu #IMO adventures last yr.

Owner of a #BoxerDog who also helps hugely with my #MentalHealth #Anxiety . #DogsOfMastodon Scared about #Climate . #NHS defender. I don’t like governments or billionaires. Like #BazBall can’t wait for #TheAshes

@spenbroc No till growers has a good explainer of the different types of compost https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpZChqz9iiI They have a lot of good information.

How to make it does depend what you want your compost to do and what you’re able to do within your own set up. We all have different constraints but there’s a method to fit anyone.

#JohnsonSu bioreactors https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxUGk161Ly8 My bioreactors are a mini version to this.

I love making compost on my allotment. This will be good to go next year. I’ll keep filling the leaf bin for leaf mould for the year after. I’ve also got a pile of steadily increasing bokashi compost and a worm bin in the shed producing vermicast.

#Allotment #Compost #JohnsonSu @Compost #SoilHealth

@DesignedEcosystems Yes, if I had space and more material I might try #johnsonsu. It think it needs about a meter diameter for volume though and then you want more than one - no space for that in our roof garden. I need a fast turnover thermophilic phase before curing in stacked wormbins. Works well now that I've figured a functional recipe with the material at hand. And yes, the gulf between theoretical ambition and practicality always needs bridges :ablobspin:

@nicole2g @compost My two mini #JohnsonSu #Bioreactors of #Compost built and filled in August. The downpipes (removed after 24 hrs) create ventilating air holes in the compost pile.

After initially heating up between 55-65°C for several days, to kill weed seeds and pathogens, worms were added in September as soon as the pile temperature fell below 25°C.

They are regularly watered to maintain the moisture level. They will take 12 months to produce a fungal, biologically rich compost. 🤞

Reloaded the mini #JohnsonSu #Bioreactor with chopped leaves. A year from now it will yield a nice batch of #LeafMould!