Basics of Making Organic Compost

Making Organic Compost Provide your plants with a full spectrum of important nutrients by creating your own organic compost. Main Components of Composting Organic Matter Includes plants, paper, and non-chemical wastes that are bio-degradale. The organic materials used should contain a mix of brown and green matter. Brown materials provide Carbon while green materials supply Nitrogen. Moisture Getting the right balance of moisture content is an important part of composting. The ideal moisture content for your compost pile should be around 40 to 60%. If the pile is too wet or too dry then the microorganisms won't be able to decompose the pile. Oxygen Composting is an aerobic process, meaning oxygen is required for the organic material to break down. Aeration techniques, such as turning, should be applied on a regular basis to ensure the whole compost pile is getting enough oxygen. Bacteria When the above components are supplied, the microorganisms get to work and decompose the organic material. The bacteria is already present when you build your compost pile so don't worry about getting them! Green Materials Brown Materials Dead Plants Fruit & Veggie Scraps Hay & Straw Dryer Lint Hair Grass Clippings Newspaper & Tissue Saw Dust Animal Manure Coffee Grounds Tea Bags Egg Shells ! Make sure the material you use do not contain any dangerous chemicals. For example, grass clippings should only be used if they have not been exposed to lawn pesticide or herbicide. Materials to Avoid Plastic Meat & Fish Dairy Products Wood (treated) Invasive Weed Colored Paper Charcoal Ashes Fat, Grease & Oil ! Meat & fish can be used in compost piles but it is generally recommended that you avoid using them as they may contain harmful pathogens. They may also attract unwanted rodents and critters to your yard. Simple Composting Methods Trench Composting Dig a ditch or hole that is around 12 inches deep.Fill the hole with four to six inches of compostable material then bury it with soil. Make sure you put in a good balance of green and brown materials. Wait for around one month before you dig up the top layer of soil. This method is great for people who want to avoid doing regular maintenance work. Bin Composting Build or purchase a bin where you can store your compost pile. The most common types are enclosed bins, rolling bins, tumblers, and worm bins. Each type comes with its own pros and cons. For example, enclosed bins require little maintenance but this also means that the composting process will take longer. Vermicomposting Make use of worms to speed up the composting process. Worms are able to ingest food scraps then turn it into compost as it passes through the body. Worm bins are easy to set up and generally do not require a lot of maintenance. Growers who do use this technique, however, should be selective about the materials that go into the worm bins. Heap Composting This method is recommended for people who do not care too much about the appearance of their garden. Identify an empty spot (preferably around the corner of the garden) then start to pile up the materials. The only tool that is really needed for this method is a pitchfork, which is needed to keep the compost pile aerated. BROUGHT TO YOU BY: ORGANIC LESSON Visit www.organiclesson.com for other useful gardening infographics! Sources http://sarasota.ifas.ufl.edu/compost-info/tutorial/can-i-compost-it.shtml http://organicgardening.about.com/od/compost/a/trenchcompost.htm http://urbanext.illinois.edu/compost/process.cfm http://compost.css.cornell.edu/worms/basics.html http://unicornbacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2011_07_26-TrenchComposting.jpg http://kindredspirits-sisters.blogspot.com/2012/02/save-money-with-salvaged-building.html http://averagepersongardening.blogspot.com/2012/02/99-vermicomposting-for-better-soil.html Ш1