Many people are thinking that compost pits are the best way to make compost. It’s not the best way to make compost. There is no point to make compost using a pit. It will take a very long time, and compost will be not good. It’s better to make compost in bins or boxes with access to oxygen. Oxygen is the most important thing in the first stage of composting.
The first step to making compost would be – find a place where the sun does not shine at most of the time. The less sun, the better. If you put compost in the sun, it will dry out the compost, and that’s not okay.
The second step – find or make three boxes for composting. You can use only two boxes if you want, one for ready compost one for fresh waste which will mature.
1. One box will be filled with compost that you can already use
2. One box for fresh waste
3. One box for compost that is maturing
Best compost contains 10% soil, 20% manure, and 70% should be other waste. Remember not to use feces in the compost, because their decontamination needs more time – 2-3 years. Since not everyone has that much time to wait for compost to get ready, it is recommended not to use feces in it.
Remember – you need to mix the compost with nitrogen and carbon waste.! You can buy it here if you don’t have anything written below!
The carbon materials include:
- Bark;
- Foliage;
Straw; - Sawdust;
- Shavings;
- Paper;
- Cardboard;
- Clothes (only natural fabrics).
Nitrogen materials:
- Fresh grass and weeds (those who are not dry yet);
- Manure;
- Bird shit;
- Food waste
By the way, when you will start making compost, you will treat weeds and grass differently. For example, nettles, dandelions, yarrows, chamomile – these are plants that are excellent for compost. So you know what to do with them 🙂 Put a bag at your lawnmower and put all grass in compost.
Everything in a few steps
- Make three or two boxes.
- Start making compost by layers. Make a layer of soil, layer with grass, layer with waste, etc.
- Remember to throw grass at compost and don’t leave it on the ground.
- At the top put at least seven inches of some green grass or weeds.
- Moisten all layers.
- Buy compost bin.
- Wait 🙂
How to Start a Home Garden Compost Pile
A gardening hobby can be tedious at times, especially when the plants don’t grow and produce the way they should. Some gardeners spend hours of work plowing, tilling, planting, hoeing, fertilizing, and watering only to find the plants are half the size they should be and with little to no fruit. Getting back to the basics of composting the way nature intended is the first step any gardening hobbyist should look at.
Making Compost at Home
Composting is not only an efficient way to help plants grow it is easy and good for the environment. An alternative to chemical fertilizers, composting is a natural way to add nutrients to the soil. One of the easiest ways to start composting is to have a small garbage can in the kitchen. Before throwing away any composting materials, cut the large pieces into smaller pieces as it will be easier and faster for them to break down.
Many things can be used for compost in the kitchen. After a meal, dump any leftovers into the small garbage can that will be used for compost including fruit peelings, vegetable scraps, corn cobs, coffee grounds, tea leaves, eggshells, even newspaper, and dryer lint. When adding coffee grounds to be composted, dump the paper filter in too.
Garden Compost Pile
When anxious to begin making compost, start a garden compost pile on the ground. Begin by laying straw and small twigs on the ground. There need to be several inches of straw and twigs between the ground and the compost. This layer will aid in drainage. Do not start the compost pile in direct sunlight, near the home, or any other area that is occupied regularly.
There are two types of compost: damp and dry. Layering the compost pile will aid in a quicker breakdown time. If a layer of damp household compost has been added to the compost pile top it off with a layer of grass cuttings, leaves, pine needles, hay, straw, etc. before adding another layer of damp compost.
How to Compost
Keep the compost pile wet by watering occasionally or let the rain dampen it. The pile needs to remain damp at all times and the heat needs to be retained for composting to work properly. Keeping the pile covered with a piece of plastic will help retain the heat and moisture in the compost pile.
Oxygen is also needed for proper composting. The pile occasionally needs to be turned to allow air to penetrate the pile. If turning the compost pile seems unappealing, add layers of straw in between moist layers to allow air to flow through.
Home Composting Tips
Do not add meat to the compost pile as it could attract unwanted pests. Also, be careful when adding fruit peels to the pile as some have been sprayed with pesticides. These pesticides will soak into the compost and later into the garden plants resulting in a non-organic garden. When adding sawdust, ashes, or other fine materials it is best to sprinkle them on top of the compost pile to avoid clumping. The clumps will take longer to break down.
Using a compost pile instead of a home compost bin will begin the composting faster. While the pile is beginning to compost a small compost bin can be built or purchased. There are many different types of large or small compost bins available. Building a compost bin is another option and plans can be found by searching the internet.
