IMO4 Smell Ammonia
From the KNF library
The library does not say why an IMO4 pile smells of ammonia, or whether to cover it with straw for two days.
Drake's IMO4 method holds the pile at 40-50°C and 60-70% moisture, and turns it for about a week. Staying under 50°C fits that (Office Hours Ep. 57, 54:31).
A soil that smells of ammonia is anaerobic. Drake's fix for that soil is lactic acid bacteria, seawater, IMO, and charcoal (Office Hours Ep. 51, 1:06:40). That advice covers soil, not a pile.
On spraying LAB: Cho's notes say LAB can neutralize ammonia gas from immature compost when it is applied (Cho, Recipe, p. 53). The soil foundation chart lists LAB at 1:1000, 4 mL per gallon of water (Cho's Solutions, p. 14). The same chart says to apply the soil foundation before sowing a crop (Cho's Solutions, p. 14).
Sources
- 54:31 Office Hours Ep. 57 (Nov 2022) — Sea Salt Minerals, FPJ Alcohol Smell, IMO3 to IMO4 · “hold 60-70% moisture, and turn it while keeping 40-50°C for about a week”
- 1:06:40 Office Hours Ep. 51 (Oct 2022) — OHN Pour-Off Ratio, FPJ Squeezing, Maltose Recipe · “That means anaerobic conditions — apply lactic acid bacteria, seawater, IMO, and charcoal to flocculate the soil.”
- p. 53 Cho, Recipe · “can reduce damage from gas through neutralizing ammonia gas produced where the immature compost is applied”
- p. 14 Cho's Solutions · “LAB helpers 1000 4mL • In Garden bed”
Also discussed on Office Hours
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