Organic Gardening
Composting
Composting is the process by which we transform organic wastes into soil-building humus for our gardens. The method is simple when we finish using something, we can put it back where it belongs. Compost also helps control soil erosion that otherwise would wash topsoil into waterways. We can all contribute to reducing pollution, cutting down on landfills, and it will even save you money in fertilizer!
***IF IT ROTS IT WILL COMPOST***
Activators:
Leaves
Weeds
Grass cuttings
Chicken manure
Other:
Wood ash
Cardboard
Paper towels and cardboard tubes
Paper bags
Egg boxes
Fruit and vegetable scraps
Tea bags and coffee grounds
Old flowers
Old straw and hay
Young hedge clippings and soft prunings
Small animal bedding
Slow to Rot:
autumn leaves
Tough hedge clippings and woody prunings
Sawdust and wood shavings
Avoid: Meat, Fish, Newspaper, and Cooked Food
DO NOT COMPOST: Coal Ash, Cat Litter, Dog Feces, Disposable Napkins, or Glossy Magazines
The HOT Method
- Gather material, bring in manure, scraps and weeds, and be sure you have a mixture of soft and tough material.
- Chop up items using shears, a spade or shredder.
- Mix items together as much as possible.
- Fill your bin by spreading the items out to the edges and firm down gently. Alternate soft and tough items. Unless items are already wet, water well every 30-60 cm.
- Within a few days the heap will get hot, when it begins to cool, or a week or two later, turn the heap. Mix it up trying to get the outside to the inside. Add water if it is dry, or dry material if it is soggy.
- The material may get hot again, repeat step 5 until it no longer gets warm.
- Leave your heap undisturbed to finish composting…approximately 6-8 weeks, or up to a year. The material will have turned a dark brown and smell, "earthy." It is best to let it sit and, "mature," a month or two before it is used.
(References: The Rodale Guide to Composting and www.hdra.org.uk)