MAKE A DIFFERENCE - MAKE A COMPOST
WHAT IS COMPOST?
Compost is a mixture of decayed plants and other organic matter used by gardeners for enriching soil.
The definition in Webster's Dictionary is:
...a mixture that consists largely of decayed organic matter and is used for fertilizing and conditioning land.
HELP THE ENVIRONMENT!
Composting is one way of recycling. Composting happens naturally. The tree grows, drops its leaves in the fall, loses branches and sloughs off bark. This stuff falls to the forest floor and decomposes.
The roots reclaim the nutrients from the decomposed matter to grow strong and healthy.
You're just helping nature restore herself and doing what comes naturally by making your own compost pile.
GET STARTED!
You'll need a bin.
A bin can be made of recycled wood. Old wood pallets can be recycled this way. Just make a box; or fence to hold the 'stuff'.
Some people just go binless and pile the material in a corner of the garden or yard. Its a good idea to have the pile close to a water hose.
There are a variety of compose bins available on the market today to purchase. Some are small enough to keep in your kitchen and there are some who do there own stirring.
After you have a bin you can begin adding your ingredients. Think of it as a recipe you are preparing. You need the right ingredients to make it work.
The four main ingredients are:
1. green waste - lawn clippings; over ripe fruit & veggies, rind and peel off fruit; green leaves.
2. Brown-dry waste - dry leaves; branches; dry manure; old newspapers; shredded papers
3. water
4. microorganisms
Ashes from wood are okay, but not from charcoal
NO - meat or dairy
NO - diseased plants
Start with about 4 inches of dry waste. Spread evenly, making a layer. A rake is usually good for this.
The next layer add some ordinary dirt or leaf mulch from your yard. Spread evenly.
Add a thick layer green waste from items in the list above, and spread it evenly. Its okay if they are moist.
Leave it alone for about a week. After one week turn the ingredients using a pitchfork.
After you have done this procedure, you can add more ingredients, such as yard waste, kitchen waste, fruit and vegetable matter, eggshells, coffee grounds tea bags.
It's very important that you avoid any dairy products and animal products, including animal waste or diseased plants. These could cause contamination and attract unwanted varments.
Keep moist, but not wet. The green waste causes the breakdown naturally. If this doesn't seem to be happening you can purchase a compost starter at your garden center which is made up of enzymes and microorganisms to help the process.
Fertilizer is another ingredient that helps with the decomposing. The nitrogen in the fertilizer helps the compost get started.
Add only a few tablespoons to start, stir, wait a few days if there's still a problem add a few more tablespoons. MAKE SURE TO WEAR GLOVES AND A MASK WHEN WORKING WITH FERTILIZER.
Compost needs heat to work. The compost can sometimes reach temperatures higher than 150°F.
The microorganisms release heat as they break down waste creating the high temperature.
Keep turning the pile so all parts get hot enough to compose. The compost is finished with it cools off.
This process can take a little as a few weeks or as long as a year or more. It all depends on how often it is stirred and how fast the composing takes.
Try it! It's a great way to do your part in conserving the environment.
Compost is a mixture of decayed plants and other organic matter used by gardeners for enriching soil.
The definition in Webster's Dictionary is:
...a mixture that consists largely of decayed organic matter and is used for fertilizing and conditioning land.
HELP THE ENVIRONMENT!
Composting is one way of recycling. Composting happens naturally. The tree grows, drops its leaves in the fall, loses branches and sloughs off bark. This stuff falls to the forest floor and decomposes.
The roots reclaim the nutrients from the decomposed matter to grow strong and healthy.
You're just helping nature restore herself and doing what comes naturally by making your own compost pile.
GET STARTED!
You'll need a bin.
A bin can be made of recycled wood. Old wood pallets can be recycled this way. Just make a box; or fence to hold the 'stuff'.
Some people just go binless and pile the material in a corner of the garden or yard. Its a good idea to have the pile close to a water hose.
There are a variety of compose bins available on the market today to purchase. Some are small enough to keep in your kitchen and there are some who do there own stirring.
After you have a bin you can begin adding your ingredients. Think of it as a recipe you are preparing. You need the right ingredients to make it work.
The four main ingredients are:
1. green waste - lawn clippings; over ripe fruit & veggies, rind and peel off fruit; green leaves.
2. Brown-dry waste - dry leaves; branches; dry manure; old newspapers; shredded papers
3. water
4. microorganisms
Ashes from wood are okay, but not from charcoal
NO - meat or dairy
NO - diseased plants
Start with about 4 inches of dry waste. Spread evenly, making a layer. A rake is usually good for this.
The next layer add some ordinary dirt or leaf mulch from your yard. Spread evenly.
Add a thick layer green waste from items in the list above, and spread it evenly. Its okay if they are moist.
Leave it alone for about a week. After one week turn the ingredients using a pitchfork.
After you have done this procedure, you can add more ingredients, such as yard waste, kitchen waste, fruit and vegetable matter, eggshells, coffee grounds tea bags.
It's very important that you avoid any dairy products and animal products, including animal waste or diseased plants. These could cause contamination and attract unwanted varments.
Keep moist, but not wet. The green waste causes the breakdown naturally. If this doesn't seem to be happening you can purchase a compost starter at your garden center which is made up of enzymes and microorganisms to help the process.
Fertilizer is another ingredient that helps with the decomposing. The nitrogen in the fertilizer helps the compost get started.
Add only a few tablespoons to start, stir, wait a few days if there's still a problem add a few more tablespoons. MAKE SURE TO WEAR GLOVES AND A MASK WHEN WORKING WITH FERTILIZER.
Compost needs heat to work. The compost can sometimes reach temperatures higher than 150°F.
The microorganisms release heat as they break down waste creating the high temperature.
Keep turning the pile so all parts get hot enough to compose. The compost is finished with it cools off.
This process can take a little as a few weeks or as long as a year or more. It all depends on how often it is stirred and how fast the composing takes.
Try it! It's a great way to do your part in conserving the environment.
Makes YOUR Place Into a Real Garden of EdenIf you want to discover for the very first time how to feed your plants as Nature really intended. And do it without bins, tumblers, odor or TURNING ... then this is going to be the most exciting message you ever read.
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Download The First 5 Chapters Of His Ebook "Composting For Profit" For FREE...Despite living in the high Sierra Nevada desert where the annual temperature swings as much as 100 degrees, Chris Dailey, author of "Composting for Profit" consistently grows beautiful bountiful crops like clockwork year after year.
Find out How!
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Here's The Ultimate Manual For Creating & Managing Your Own Organic Food Garden
Even If You Know Nothing About Organic Gardening! by Candee71
She is a freelance writer on various subjects of interest. She divides her time between her 'day' job of 15+ years and writing.
She is a mother and a... (more)
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