Composting is fun and good for the environment. It is simple to do and anyone can learn how.
It's a natural way of decomposing organic materials into a rich soil, called compost or black gold. This natural process involves bacteria, fungi, insects, and worms to break down materials in the compost pile.
It's a natural way of decomposing organic materials into a rich soil, called compost or black gold. This natural process involves bacteria, fungi, insects, and worms to break down materials in the compost pile.
Adding compost to your garden aids in seed germination and plant growth. It improves the soil texture, breaking up clay soil, and adding water absorbing abilities to sandy soil. It also adds lots of nutrients.
Start with organic materials rich in nitrogen and carbon. Nitrogen rich materials are your greens, such as grass clippings, spent flowers and plants, raw vegetable scraps, fruit scraps, crushed eggshells, and coffee and tea grounds. Carbon materials, or browns, are leaves, twigs, sawdust, straw, hay, wood chips, cornstalks, and nutshells. Use 2-3 parts brown to 1 part green. The smaller the pieces, the faster the process.
Do not compost meat, fat, bones, fish, dairy products, plastic, or diseased plants.
Keep moisture content to about 50% (similar to a wet sponge). If the compost is too dry, it will slow down the process, and if it is too wet, it can begin to smell.
The best temperatures for decomposition are 90 degrees or above. If temperatures are cooler the process will slow down, but not stop.
Oxygen is required for all the inhabitants within the compost pile. Ventilation, and periodic turning of the pile, is needed to keep the process going.
Start with organic materials rich in nitrogen and carbon. Nitrogen rich materials are your greens, such as grass clippings, spent flowers and plants, raw vegetable scraps, fruit scraps, crushed eggshells, and coffee and tea grounds. Carbon materials, or browns, are leaves, twigs, sawdust, straw, hay, wood chips, cornstalks, and nutshells. Use 2-3 parts brown to 1 part green. The smaller the pieces, the faster the process.
Do not compost meat, fat, bones, fish, dairy products, plastic, or diseased plants.
Keep moisture content to about 50% (similar to a wet sponge). If the compost is too dry, it will slow down the process, and if it is too wet, it can begin to smell.
The best temperatures for decomposition are 90 degrees or above. If temperatures are cooler the process will slow down, but not stop.
Oxygen is required for all the inhabitants within the compost pile. Ventilation, and periodic turning of the pile, is needed to keep the process going.
Fresh Compost
By Miss Lady Bug
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