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Published on Wednesday, May 24, 2017

The Beginner’s Guide to Composting

[EDUCATIONAL]

The Beginner’s Guide to Composting

Composting is a natural process of recycling where organic matter that can decompose is returned to the earth. Once it completely breaks down, the matter, known as compost, is used to fertilize the soil and grow more produce. While some cities and counties have large-scale composting options, many people are interested in starting their own small-scale composting piles in their own outdoor space. Read on to discover how you can start your own and why composting is so important.


Why Compost? The Benefits of Composting

The reasons for composting are numerous as compost benefits you, your plants and the environment. Here are a few benefits of starting your own compost pile:


  1. Waste reduction: By using your compost pile, you’ll be reducing the overall waste that you send to landfills.

  2. Free organic fertilizer: Once your compost pile has decomposed, you’re left with nutrient rich, organic fertilizer that you can use for your plants free of charge.

  3. Improve soil: Adding compost to your soil allows the soil to hold more water and provides more nutrients to your plants. It also helps you avoid erosion. Compost can also be used to create potting soil, to feed your lawn and to make a compost tea to condition soil.

  4. Use as mulch: Compost can be used as mulch to help suppress weeds. Simply ensure your compost is cured before laying it on top of trouble spots in your garden.

  5. Outdoor activity for the whole family: Composting isn’t for adults only. It’s a great way to get children involved in the recycling process and to spend time outdoors in nature with the family.


How to Make Your Own Compost Pile

Before you begin your compost project, it’s important to remember three things: that a compost pile needs enough oxygen, it requires adequate moisture and it must start with the right ingredients.


To begin, find a space in your backyard for your composting pile. If it helps, you can build a perimeter around your pile using straw bales. You’ll want to interlock the blocks and leave gaps between them to allow for good air flow.


To ensure your compost pile is successful and doesn’t smell, you’ll want to balance the carbon and nitrogen ratio. More carbon than nitrogen is important. Items high in carbon include shredded newspaper (black and white only), wood chips, sawdust, paper towel and small branches. Items high in nitrogen include grass clippings, kitchen scraps, manure and coffee grounds.


You’ll want to layer your compost ingredients so that you have a few inches of carbon rich ingredients followed by a few inches of nitrogen rich ingredients. Top off each layer with rock dust or another natural mineral powder as this will add nutrients to your pile.


Finally, be wary of items that should not be a part of your compost pile. Things that you should not compost include animal waste, meat, dairy, large pieces of wood, oil, plastic, waxed cardboard or colored newspaper.


Helpful Tips for Composting

The key to successful composting is keeping your compost pile happy. This essentially boils down to ensuring your pile has the right amount of oxygen, the right amount of moisture (water) and that you are starting with and adding the right ingredients.


Finding the right balance of oxygen and water is key to ensuring your compost materials are breaking down and not becoming a stinky mess. To ensure you have the right amount of water, you can use the “handy” test. Squeeze a pile of your compost - if lots of water drips out, it’s too wet; if no water drips and the pile crumbles, it’s too dry. If it’s too wet, you can add more dry materials or increase the oxygen flow. And if the pile is too dry, you can simply add some water with your hose or watering can. The moisture content for your compost pile should be about 50%.


To ensure your compost pile has a good oxygen flow, follow these three tips:

  1. Ensure you are starting with the right ingredients that have the carbon > nitrogen balance. It’s a good idea to add small sticks that create air pockets.

  2. Don’t overwater your pile. More water means less room for oxygen to flow.

  3. Turn your pile every week or two to re-introduce oxygen and prevent settling.


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