composting
What is Composting?
Composting is a natural biochemical process of decay in which bacteria, fungi, worms, and other small organisms in the soil decompose organic matter. This breakdown of kitchen and yard waste results in a dark, earth-smelling, nutrient-rich, soil conditioner known as humus or compost.
Why Compost?
Composting is an easy way to return organic material to the soil. It conditions soil and improves plant growth. Another reason for composting is to reduce the amount of organic matter going to landfill sites. Kitchen and yard waste makes up about 33% of residential solid waste. If you compost, and also recycle newspapers, bottles and cans; it will help reduce the amount of household garbage going to landfill sites.
Compost Enclosures:
In the city, most people want a compost pile enclosed, to keep it tidy and inconspicuous. This can be as simple as wooden slats, with spaces between for air circulation, or chicken wire, supported by wooden fence posts at the corners. There are also plastic compost bins, made from recycled plastic, which are unobtrusive, tidy, and retain heat and moisture. Ideal size for a compost pile is about a metre (yard) cube. Many people have two bins side-by-side, so that they can add to one while the other full one is finishing the composting process. It should be in an area with good air circulation, and a sunny, warm spot will enable it to work faster, but is not absolutely necessary. In a cool, shady spot it will just take longer.
Starting a Compost Pile:
Start with a layer of brush cuttings from pruning, or coarse vegetable matter. Add layers of grass clippings and other fresh, green material, then layers of dry, brown material, such as sawdust, tea bags, coffee grounds or dry leaves. Manures, fertilizers, compost activators or soil will speed up decomposing assuming the pile is kept damp but not wet.
Maintaining a Compost Pile:
Composting requires good air circulation, the material must be damp but not wet, and there must be a layer of green, damp material and dry, brown material. The pile must be turned periodically to enable oxygen to reach the material in the centre. It should be covered if there is a lot of rain. If the compost pile has an unpleasant odor, then it is too wet. Be sure it has good drainage at the bottom, add more dry material, cover to protect from rain, and turn more frequently. You may also need to sprinkle it with water if the weather is hot and dry. The heat developing in the pile kills bacteria, and also indicates that decomposition is taking place. Cover kitchen wastes with soil or other material to avoid attracting pets and rodents. Plastic containers with lids prevent this problem.
What can you Compost:
Kitchen food wastes such as vegetable trimmings, fruit peels, tea bags, grass clippings, dead plants, pruning clippings and sawdust.
What You Shouldn't Use to Compost:
Meat, fat or bones. Weeds with seeds present that could germinate where you don't want them. Grass clippings that have been sprayed with weed killer.
Using the Compost:
Usually a compost pile is started in the spring, when there is a great deal of refuse to clean up. Organic matter is added until the pile contains as much as it can and still have room to turn. By fall this is a crumbly, dark, earthy soil - like material that is very useful to condition flower and vegetable beds, to use as a mulch for winter protection or moisture preservation, or improve the soil for new beds. When you have used the compost you have made, fall clean-up material can be used to start a new batch. It will decompose until the weather becomes too cold, then begin again in the spring and become the basis of the pile for the next year.