Compost is a combination of fertilizer, food and mulch of everything your plants or lawn needs. Composts are used for a variety of different jobs like vegetable gardens, flower gardens, potting soil for indoor plants or for your barren lawn. These tips will help you get your compost started for next year’s gardens and lawn.
Create your Pile
You don’t have to have a bin to put your clippings in to create a compost. You can simply pile your leaves, grass and other lawn waste on in an inconspicuous pile that is convenient to your garden and your kitchen. You can opt to purchase a permanent bin or even build your own by making a compartment of slatted wood.
The Materials that Make Up a Compost
Compost materials are easy to compile. All you need is greens and browns. Greens are any garden debris such as plants that have ceased producing fruit, grass clipping or old annuals. Browns are dry leaves, table scraps less the meats oils and dairy products and old straw or hay. Do not use animal waste, diseased plants, treated plants or weeds that have began to seed. Your pile should be composed of one part green to two parts brown materials. This combination breaks down faster than even amounts. Piles that are three foot square and three foot high tend to heat up quicker and bread down faster.
The Correct Amount of Moisture
Compost needs moisture just like your garden. The moisture helps break down the elements of the pile and mix them together. Your compost should feel like a damp sponge. If your use too much moisture it can cause the compost to begin smelling. Too little moisture will not heat up the pile and it will not break down the pile at all. It should be checked at least once a week and adjusted accordingly. To decrease the moisture add more brown to the mixture. Simply add water if it is too dry.
Turning your Compost Mixture
Your pile should be turned weekly. Composts begin breaking down and decomposing from the middle and bottom out. Turning the mixture allows the top materials to become the middle and bottom helping them begin the decomposing process as well. This also prevents your pile from being compressed. This reduces the airflow and will slow down the decomposing.
Your Finished Compost
You will recognize when your compost is ready for use because it won’t heat up any longer and you will not be able to identify any of the original materials used. It will be dark brown, moist and have an earthy smell to it. This process generally takes six to twelve months if the compost is not covered. A typical, uncovered compost will decompose much slower than a covered one. However if you do not use a bin you can cover it with medium weight plastic to keep it moist and heat the pile up. This will promote faster decomposing which should be completed within a couple of months.
{ 0 comments… add one now }