Compost.
What is composting? Composting is the act of turning uneaten, wasted food into nutrient rich soil for your plants.
But how do you compost? You may have heard that composting is a long task that is not worth the outcome. But composting is very important to many farmers, businesses, and families. It is a free way to create soil from things that would otherwise end up in a landfill. Schools waste so much uneaten food from lunch procedures it is crazy. If schools used compost bins, we would save a lot of room in landfills.
Wanna compost? Here's how.
1. Construct or buy a bin for your compost.
-compost can be done in a pile on the ground, but that is unsanitary and could become rodent infested
-compost bins can run anywhere between $10 and $200 but if you are buying a bin you should invest in a good quality one for ease and convience
-you can buy compost bins at almost any garden supply store. Even meijer.
2. Fill your bin with a balanced mixture
-in order for a succesful bin you need equal amounts of...
-Green stuff (high in nitrogen) to activate the heat process in your compost. Perfect heat-generating materials include: young weeds (before they develop seeds); comfrey leaves; yarrow; chicken, rabbit or pigeon manure; grass cuttings; etc. Other green items that compost well include fruit and vegetables; fruit and vegetable scraps; coffee grounds and tea leaves (including tea bags - remove the staple if you wish); vegetable plant remains; plants.
-Brown stuff (high in carbon) to serve as the "fiber" for your compost. Brown stuff includes fall (autumn) leaves; dead plants and weeds; sawdust; cardboard & cardboard tubes (from foil wraps etc); old flowers (including dried floral displays, minus plastic/foam attachments); old straw and hay; and small animal bedding.
-Other items that can be composted but you may not have thought of before: paper towels; paper bags; cotton clothing (torn up); egg shells; hair (human, dog, cat etc.) Use all these items in moderation.
Other elements also vital in the composting process include...
-Air
You need air to compost. Keep your bin well aired. There is a way to compost without air but it is very difficult.
-Water
Your compost should be just about as damp as a wrung out sponge. Too much water could result in not enough air.
-Temperature
Your compost should be warm to the touch. That means that the bacteria is working. If it is air tempreture, you need to add more "green" or high in nitrogen items.
-Soil or starter compost
Although this is not vital in the process, it is very helpful for starting the process. Just a sprinkling of garden soil is good enough, but if you wish, you can buy starter compost at a garden supply store
3. Turn and mix your pile regularly
avoid adding too much green items together as they can become acidic. Just mix and turn your pile about once or twice a week.
4. WHAT NOT TO ADD
meat and meat scraps; bones; fish and fish bones; plastic or synthetic fibers; oil or fat; pet or human feces (except for manure of herbivorous creatures such as rabbits and horses); weeds that have gone to seed; diseased plants; disposable diapers (nappies); glossy paper or magazines; coal and coke ash; and cat litter. Place these items in the normal garbage collection.
5. Wait.
If all goes well, you should have a layer of compost at the bottom of your bin after a few months. You can now use this in your garden!
But how do you compost? You may have heard that composting is a long task that is not worth the outcome. But composting is very important to many farmers, businesses, and families. It is a free way to create soil from things that would otherwise end up in a landfill. Schools waste so much uneaten food from lunch procedures it is crazy. If schools used compost bins, we would save a lot of room in landfills.
Wanna compost? Here's how.
1. Construct or buy a bin for your compost.
-compost can be done in a pile on the ground, but that is unsanitary and could become rodent infested
-compost bins can run anywhere between $10 and $200 but if you are buying a bin you should invest in a good quality one for ease and convience
-you can buy compost bins at almost any garden supply store. Even meijer.
2. Fill your bin with a balanced mixture
-in order for a succesful bin you need equal amounts of...
-Green stuff (high in nitrogen) to activate the heat process in your compost. Perfect heat-generating materials include: young weeds (before they develop seeds); comfrey leaves; yarrow; chicken, rabbit or pigeon manure; grass cuttings; etc. Other green items that compost well include fruit and vegetables; fruit and vegetable scraps; coffee grounds and tea leaves (including tea bags - remove the staple if you wish); vegetable plant remains; plants.
-Brown stuff (high in carbon) to serve as the "fiber" for your compost. Brown stuff includes fall (autumn) leaves; dead plants and weeds; sawdust; cardboard & cardboard tubes (from foil wraps etc); old flowers (including dried floral displays, minus plastic/foam attachments); old straw and hay; and small animal bedding.
-Other items that can be composted but you may not have thought of before: paper towels; paper bags; cotton clothing (torn up); egg shells; hair (human, dog, cat etc.) Use all these items in moderation.
Other elements also vital in the composting process include...
-Air
You need air to compost. Keep your bin well aired. There is a way to compost without air but it is very difficult.
-Water
Your compost should be just about as damp as a wrung out sponge. Too much water could result in not enough air.
-Temperature
Your compost should be warm to the touch. That means that the bacteria is working. If it is air tempreture, you need to add more "green" or high in nitrogen items.
-Soil or starter compost
Although this is not vital in the process, it is very helpful for starting the process. Just a sprinkling of garden soil is good enough, but if you wish, you can buy starter compost at a garden supply store
3. Turn and mix your pile regularly
avoid adding too much green items together as they can become acidic. Just mix and turn your pile about once or twice a week.
4. WHAT NOT TO ADD
meat and meat scraps; bones; fish and fish bones; plastic or synthetic fibers; oil or fat; pet or human feces (except for manure of herbivorous creatures such as rabbits and horses); weeds that have gone to seed; diseased plants; disposable diapers (nappies); glossy paper or magazines; coal and coke ash; and cat litter. Place these items in the normal garbage collection.
5. Wait.
If all goes well, you should have a layer of compost at the bottom of your bin after a few months. You can now use this in your garden!