Compost Heated Greenhouse: Cultivating Sustainable Agriculture Innovatively
- Compost can be used as a heat source for growing seedlings on hot beds and in greenhouses.
- A compost pile can reach temperatures of 140 degrees or more during decomposition.
- The heat from the compost pile can be captured by covering hot beds with low tunnels made from hoops and plastic.
- Hot beds, warmed by decomposing manure, have been used for thousands of years by farmers and gardeners around the world.
- Building a hot bed requires time, knowledge, and resources, but it is not difficult.
- Once a hot bed is built, it can emit heat quietly, safely, and reliably for months.
- The article provides a written guide and video series on compost heating.
- The educational materials are provided free of charge, thanks to grant funding from the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry.
