Compost

Composting might bring to mind thoughts of a pile of rotting organic matter and nothing much more to you.

Composting is simply decomposition of organic material. Bacteria, fungi, nematodes, worms, and microscopic organisms use organic matter in their own life cycle, and in the process break it down. This is naturally a slow process but there are things we can do to move it along.

quality compost will provide nutrients and humus to the soilas well as improving water holding capacity. It encourages the formation of beneficial organisms and makes the soil nutrients readily useable.

What are the basic elements of composting?

The organic waste can be placed on bare earth or mixed in with soil if on a hard non organic surface. Healthy compost piles do not attract undesirable pests and do not emit excessive odors but a location somewhat out of site and travel areas might be advisable.

Some sort of containing walls are helpful but not essential. You may require several partitions for compost at various stages from raw unprocessed to nearly ready for use.

Anything that is bio-degradeable is suitable for composting. that opens the door to most yard waste and household food wastes.

The properties of the two primary elements for a good compost include high carbon materials and high nitrogen materials. The ideal carbon to nitrogen ratio (C/N) for stimulating the composting organisms is 25:1 - 30:1. Finished compost is 14:1 - 20:1. This means little to you and I but leads to types of materials required.

High carbon materials are comparable to fiber for humans. Common examples are hay, straw, fall leaves, sawdust, pine needles. The C/N ratio varies from 500:1 for sawdust to 12:1 for alfalfa hay.

High nitrogen materials include manures, grass clippings, table scraps, cottonseed meal and soybean meal. I guess these would be the baked beans of our diet.

Other additives can fortify the micro-nutrients of the finished compost. Examples are rock dust, limestone, seaweed, rock phosphate, greensand, and wood ashes.

In natural topsoil, only about half the total volume of the soil is solid. The remainder is air and water. Our compost should be similar in make-up. Break up or chip very coarse materials like corn stalks. Particle size should be from dust-like up to 1/2 inch in size. Keep the compost pile moist but not saturated. Layer the compost with about 10 percent soil mixed into each layer.

A good functioning compost will rapidly grow microorganisms and temperature will rise rapidly. Temperatures may reach 170 degrees F over a few days or weeks. Then the temperature will drop and level off for days or weeks. Turning the pile occasionally will ensure the mix optimal for god decomposition.

Even if conditions are not ideal you will still get compost. Sometimes it just requires more time.

Making your own compost can be fun and you are contributing to the process people like to call organic gardening. Go for it!

TLC for your Houseplants

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