Hotbed Layering Guide With Manure Straw and Compost For Steady Heat

With a well-prepared trench and appropriate materials, you can create a hotbed to keep soil warm for seedlings. As organic material decomposes, nature’s tiny alchemists produce heat which keeps the bed at an even temperature; regularly turning compost will aerate and revitalize it so as to transfer heat from older layers into the center of the heap.

Start with a Trench

Once organic material is covered with topsoil to form a hot bed, the microbes present in its composting layer will start producing heat that keeps seedlings warm and cozy – an incredible feat accomplished using this simple process!

Start with a trench that’s 6-8 inches deep, loosen the soil at its base, line it with gravel or broken crockery to improve drainage, then fill with hedge cuttings, twigs or soft stems as a layer for good drainage. After 6 inches of manure or compost has settled in place, replace topsoil to cap off this mound-shaped trench.

Hotbed composting provides an efficient method of three-bin composting. It features layers that aerate to speed microbial activity while simultaneously serving as insulation to trap heat in the center of the pile, keeping temperatures even. When it’s time to turn over your pile, microbes move from inside out as you turn, reinvigorating every inch.

Add a Layer of Manure or Compost

As material is added to a compost pile, aerobic bacteria break down organic matter into energy which raises its temperature and promotes thermophilic bacteria that thrive and accelerates the composting process. This allows thermophilic bacteria to flourish more easily – speeding up its decay process significantly.

A garden fork should be used to turn and water the pile every two days, keeping the pile moist (squeezing a handful should produce a drop of moisture) for maximum breakdown, aeration and microorganism activity. An activator like rancid flour or liquid organic fertilizer may speed up decomposition processes faster while adding heat energy for further breakdown.

Gathering materials may require some careful consideration and effort, but in 18 days you should have enough to produce one cubic metre of rich crumbly sweet-smelling compost that will rejuvenate your garden beds! Making compost can be done solo or with friends – an enjoyable project to undertake together or at your local community garden group!

Add Insulating Material

Insulating material added to a compost pile helps maintain heat and create an environment conducive to thermophilic bacteria growth. Materials you could use include wood chips, sawdust, straw or leaves – woodchips must first be milled or planed flat prior to being added if using wood. Insulated metal sheets offer another alternative that is relatively more costly but still flat enough for long term use.

Insulating layers are key for hot composting as they prevent organic matter from decomposing anaerobically and producing methane gas, keeping moisture levels constant in your pile and encouraging aerobic bacteria to break down old material faster while also keeping temperatures high by turning your compost regularly to expose new surfaces to oxygen while turning can also aerate it and shift less-decomposed material closer to the center where more oxygen will reach it.

Keep an Eye on the Temperature

With careful planning and effort, in just 18 days you will have produced one cubic metre of rich compost to add to your garden. A hotbed (1m3) needs to be made and turned regularly (daily on Day 4, then every two days until Day 18).

As you turn, heat is redistributed between layers. It is essential to monitor that material in the centre is not too hot (40C is considered roasting while 70C can damage your hands!).

After turning, the pile must be properly watered with freshwater. You can measure its moisture by squeezing a handful and looking for one or two drops of liquid when squeezed – this helps maintain active microbes and ensure microbes stay at work in its layers. Regular turning exposes more surfaces to aerobic bacteria which break down more quickly; making the Berkely Method so effective.