compost

[soserthc1]

can some of the senior farmers on here explain to me what a compost pile is and how to maintain it. i tryed once but found myself with a smelly pile of bug infested dirt slime lol thanks in advance peace soserthc1

 

[jean2]

Composting is cheap and easy to learn, but there is a little bit of an art to it that comes with practice. Breaking down waste requires the right amount of moisture, heat, soil aeration and a proper mix of materials. It is very easy to make an organic compost. Just you need three things to make an organic compost. First is a green material, which should be high in nitrogen. Any kitchen waste will do. Like coffee grounds, peelings, fruit cores, eggshells, grass clippings, leaves, Manure (barnyard animals). Second is a Brown material, which should be high in carbon. , Finally water is the key ingredient in a thriving compost pile. But make sure your compost pile have balanced water. If the water is too low it will not break down at all and if your pile is too wet, it will smell very bad and the ratios of the bacteria outweigh the good. If you don't get enough rainfall to suffice, dump a bucket over the pile once a week to keep things moving. Most important thing is to sterilize the compost and kill the weed seeds. If your pile heats up, gets moisture, and gets turned regularly, you will have a dark, wonderful compost in about one to two months time. :flower

Remember the following things should not be used for compost :mad0233:

Black walnut tree leaves or twigs (Releases substances that might be harmful to plants)
Coal or charcoal ash (Might contain substances harmful to plants)
Dairy products (e.g., butter, milk, sour cream, yogurt and eggs), Fats, grease, lard, or oils and Meat or fish bones and scraps (Create odor problems and attract pests such as rodents and flies)
Diseased or insect-ridden plants (Diseases or insects might survive and be transferred back to other plants)
Pet wastes (e.g., dog or cat feces, soiled cat litter) (Might contain parasites, bacteria, germs, pathogens, and viruses harmful to humans)
Yard trimmings treated with chemical pesticides (Might kill beneficial composting organisms)

 

[jean2]

Composting is cheap and easy to learn, but there is a little bit of an art to it that comes with practice. Breaking down waste requires the right amount of moisture, heat, soil aeration and a proper mix of materials. It is very easy to make an organic compost. Just you need three things to make an organic compost. First is a green material, which should be high in nitrogen. Any kitchen waste will do. Like coffee grounds, peelings, fruit cores, eggshells, grass clippings, leaves, Manure (barnyard animals). Second is a Brown material, which should be high in carbon. , Finally water is the key ingredient in a thriving compost pile. But make sure your compost pile have balanced water. If the water is too low it will not break down at all and if your pile is too wet, it will smell very bad and the ratios of the bacteria outweigh the good. If you don't get enough rainfall to suffice, dump a bucket over the pile once a week to keep things moving. Most important thing is to sterilize the compost and kill the weed seeds. If your pile heats up, gets moisture, and gets turned regularly, you will have a dark, wonderful compost in about one to two months time.

 

[jean2]

Do not add the following stuff into the compost

Black walnut tree leaves or twigs, Coal or Charcoal ash cause it releases substances that might be harmful to plants.

Dairy products like butter, milk, sour cream, yogurt, eggs and Fats, grease, lard, oils, Meat or fish bones and scraps, these create odor problems and attract pest such as rodents and flies.

Diseased or insect-ridden plants might survive and be transferred back to other plants

Dog, Cat feces, Soiled Cat litter might contain parasites, bacteria, germs, pathogens, and viruses harmful to humans

Yard trimmings treated with chemical pesticides might kill beneficial composting organisms.

 

[soserthc1]

thanks jean ........................can this be done in my garage as i have no back yard

 

[Frosty Buds]

thanks jean ........................can this be done in my garage as i have no back yard

Garage wont work, you need fresh air, and sunshine. If you tried it in your garage before, its no wonder why you only got a pile of moldy, smelly goop! One thing not mentioned is you want to rotate the compost pile every 2 weeks (really at first you go by how hot it is in the center of the pile, but not many people want to check the tempature).
3 basic things are required by the microorganisms that turn the trimmings into compost, they need water, air and a source of food without any of the 3, they cannot perform their job at 100% effort. Rotating the pile brings fresh oxygen in and also allows the pile to decay evenly.

 

[mrbong73]

You'd do much better looking into vermicomposting. aka worm bins.
Way more bang for your buck and you can fit a worm tray/bin anywhere. A garage would be perfect as long as it doesn't get too warm or too cold.