Composting

Wikipedia defines compost as “organic matter that has been decomposed and recycled as a fertilizer and soil amendment. Compost is a key ingredient in organic farming. At the simplest level, the process of composting simply requires making a heap of wetted organic matter (leaves, food waste) and waiting for the materials to break down into humus after a period of weeks or months.”

Compost is a great way of keeping unnecessary matter out of the landfill and is beneficial for the land in many ways, including as a soil conditioner, a fertilizer, and as a natural pesticide for soil.

I started composting last year and I did not do much research until recently on how to successfully compost so we will see if I actually have compost to use this summer or if I have just created a pile of stink in my back yard. Either way it’s out of the landfill right? With all of the recycling and composting that I do I was able to downsize my city garbage can and save $20 a year. Not only that but I am hopeful that it will improve my garden this year as well. I was surprised by how easy it was to start composting. I bought a composter, built it in half an hour, bought a cute little bucket and instead of throwing my food scraps in the garbage I put them in my bucket. Then once a week I go dump my bucket into my composter. Sounds about as easy to me as putting it in the garbage and taking the garbage to the curb. Now I will admit that sometimes I forget about the bucket and it becomes a little unsightly but I put on some gloves, give it a clean, and all is well again. It’s really not that bad, so come on and give it a try!

I know your thinking” Kara there is still now on the ground, aren’t you a little early?” but now is a great time to consider starting to compost. So here is my version of composting 101.

I got a lot of my information from a great site: http://www.compost.bc.ca/learn/howto.htm.

Ok so what can you compost?

Fruit scraps

Vegetable scraps

Rinsed egg shells

Shredded newspaper

Coffee grounds/teabags

Garden debris

Leaves/grass clippings

Dryer lint

What can you NOT compost?

Meat or bones

Dairy products

Bread

Cooked food

Weeds gone to seed

Cat and dog feces

Diseased plants

Weeds with rhizomes (e.g. morning glory)

Effective composting needs 3 things:

1 A correct carbon to nitrogen ratio

2 A correct amount of moisture

3 A correct amount of air

What is the correct carbon to nitrogen ratio?

Carbon materials tend to be dry and brown and nitrogen materials tend to be green or colorful. The correct ratio is 1:1. It is best if you can alternate you brown and green material as this helps with the moisture level.

Greens

Grass clippings

Fresh weeds and plants

Fresh animal manure (horse, chicken, cow)

Okara (tofu by-product)

Fruit and veggie scraps

Eggshells

Browns

Fallen leaves

Straw

Chopped woody debris

Newspaper

Sawdust

Shredded cardboard

Moisture    

A good compost pile should be as wet as a wrung-out sponge. If the pile is too wet, try adding more dry brown ingredients or aerating your pile. If the pile is too dry try adding water or more moisture filled ingredients like fruit scraps.

Air

Air provides micro-organisms in your compost pile with the oxygen that all living things require. It is important to ensure there is an adequate amount of air in your pile at all times. This can be done in several ways:

·         Limit the amount of moisture rich, dense foods that you use because they can weigh down the pile.

·         Put a floor of rough materials at the bottom of your compost pile to create airspace in the bottom.

·         Aerate your pile on a regular basis. An easy way to do this is with an aeration tool or simply a small shovel. Dig in and move the compost around about 5 to 10 times. Aerating your compost pile two to four times a month will help accelerate the composting process. This not only aerates the pile, it also mixes the materials, ensuring a more even decomposition.

Where do I get a composter?

Composters are sold at many stores and range from $50 - $150. You can also make composters as long as they do not let in rodents or rain, and are covered. I bought my composter at Home Depot for $60.

Where should I put my composter?

I did not know that it mattered where you put your composter until I did my research. They say that you can place your composter in the sun or shade, but if you put it in the sun it will heat up your pile and accelerate the process.

How Do I Know When My Compost is Finished?

A backyard compost bin can take from 6-12 months to compost completely.  There are a few ways that you can tell if your compost is finished:

·         Material is now dark and crumbly and there is little sign of food scraps.

·         Material has an earthy smell.

·         Volume of bin has reduced significantly.

How do I use finished compost?

Finished compost is one of the backyard gardener’s best friends. How can you use it?

·         Dig it into the top 15 cm (6.5") of soil for spring or fall planting, or use it as a mulch in the summer.

·         Screen it and use it with an equal volume of rough sand or perlite for a seedling mixture.

·         Add it to equal parts potting soil and perlite for container gardening or house plants.

·         Top dress potted plants, hanging baskets and containers.

·         Sprinkle it on the lawn as a top dressing.

So there you have it. I know I learned a lot when researching this so I hope you learned something too. I encourage everyone to start composting!

-Kara