Composting
is easy and the rewards are great. You can not only save money but
it’s like giving a present back to the earth as well. The majority
of household garbage is organic and compostable. Compost can be used
in several ways:
as soil amendment for gardens, lawns and houseplants; as mulch which
adds nutrients and protects the soil from eroding; and as "tea" to
ailing houseplants or young trees and seedlings. With proper amounts
of air, water and food, the microbes within the compost will do
their job quickly and effectively with relatively little help from
you.
Consider placement of the compost
pile carefully. It should be convenient to add to the pile and must
have easy access for watering, turning and removal of the compost.
Drainage must also be considered. Be sure water won’t pool around it
– compost should be kept only about as wet as a wrung-out sponge.
To ensure that there is enough air
for the microbes to work, turn the pile every week or so with a
pitchfork or shovel. This may slow the process in the center
temporarily, but you will have much better results with the entire
compost. You may want to add sticks or poke holes in the pile with a
pole to ensure that it is aerated.
"Food" for the compost (nitrogen and
carbon) comes from green and brown organic matter. The "green"
(nitrogen) is usually moist or wet materials and the "brown"
(carbon) is the source of energy for the microbes and is dry and
bulky materials which may need to be watered when added into the
compost.
|
Recommended Compost Materials |
"Brown"
(high in carbon) |
"Green"
(high in nitrogen) |
|
Corncobs |
Bread & pastas |
|
Cornstalks |
Coffee grounds & tea bags |
|
Dry weeds |
Eggshells |
|
Fallen leaves |
Fruit scraps |
|
Hay and straw |
Grain waste |
|
Nutshells (crushed) |
Grass clippings |
|
Pine Needles |
Green weeds |
|
Sawdust (not from treated wood) |
Hair (pet and human) |
|
Twigs and branches (dry) |
Manure |
|
Vegetable stalks |
Seaweed (rinsed) |
| |
Vegetable scraps |
Do not add pet or human waste,
diseased plants, meat scraps, bones, grease, fat, coal ashes from
the grill or dairy products to your compost. "When in doubt – leave
it out!"
The minimum size for a compost pile
is three cubic feet. This size will allow for the microbes to heat
up for a faster composting process. Begin with some branches and
twigs to help with airflow. Mix about six inches of brown and two to
three inches of green materials together and add a compost activator
to start the process. Cover with approximately two inches of soil to
control odors. Keep the center concave to reduce run-off. Sprinkle
with water but don’t soak.
By chopping up kitchen scraps and
woody material larger than ¼" in diameter before adding them, you
will help speed up the decomposition process. Turn and sprinkle the
pile with water once a week. When the pile is no longer hot and the
materials are dark, crumbly and smell like rich soil with no odor,
the compost is finished. The entire process takes approximately
three to six months to complete.
If your compost is healthy, you
shouldn’t have any problems with odor, flies, rodents or animals.
When adding grass clippings, mix them in thoroughly so they don’t
mat up. Too much moisture can make the compost rot rather than
decompose. If you have large quantities of clippings, you may not
want to add them all at one time. Bury food scraps 6-12" into the
center to prevent flies.
Dixieline offers these quality
products to ensure your composting is a success!
"Garden Gourmet" Composter by Scepter
– This efficient and sturdy
product is constructed from 100% recycled materials. It comes
complete with a composting and user guide and features an
easy-access lid that snaps securely shut. The sliding bottom door
makes removal of the compost easy.
"Compost Maker Plus" by Whitney Farms,
a natural organic composting activator
Shovels and Pitchforks from Ames
for turning and stirring. |
