kathryn
>Do not, repeat NOT, plant into the top of a hot bed unless you are
>sure that it isn't going to get too hot.
Yes, i suspect the design of Steve's beds solved this problem
and allowed him to plant directly. He did discuss temperatures
and said there is an initial rise to about 100F followed by
a slow decline over the next few weeks.
Possibly the layered materials and size (3x3x3 feet) moderated
the temperature? The initial reaction of the audience was
a little critical of all this but i think we need to look
a little deeper.
At one point Steve showed pictures of large areas of sticky
fungus on top of the bed and areas where the plants refused
to grow. This also turned people off but then they may
have missed the point. Here is what i think he was saying:
Who cares how or why this works. It consistently
grows plants all winter. The plants are not bothered
by the fungus and a few dead plants are easily replaced.
Any disease or toxin in the compost has not created
problems (possibly bioremediation at work?).
Why not use the heat of composting in greenhouses
rather than fossil fuels? Why not sprout seeds
in the bed rather than grow lights and heated pads?
Why not use the winter time to compost and grow
plants at the same time?
The key is constructing compost piles to match our objectives.
jeff
