|
How Composting Works
DID YOU KNOW? The average U.S. household generates 650 pounds of compostable food waste every year! These food scraps, instead of going into our landfills could be used to make compost, the best soil amendment you can give your soil.
Composting is not something that has been invented recently. It’s a natural process. Mother Nature does it all the time. Composting uses the natural process of decay to change organic wastes like grass clippings, food scraps and leaves into a valuable humus-like soil called compost. A compost pile or a bin allows for control of the four factors that affect the speed of decay: oxygen, water, food and temperature. By managing these factors, the naturally slow process of decay can progress much faster.
What makes a composting bin work? If you bring soil, leaves, food scraps, air, and water together, the micro-organisms present in the environment will be encouraged to grow and begin the process of decay. Soil is so rich in microorganisms that a single teaspoon of soil contains 100 million bacteria and 800 feet of fungal threads. No special starters are required.
Since decay occurs on the surface of the materials in the compost bin, it’s best to have small but not too fine pieces. If the material is too fine, it will restrict the flow of air.
A healthy compost contains a balance of one-quarter nitrogen rich materials such as: vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, grass clippings or manure—to three-quarters carbon rich materials such as: leaves, straw, grass clippings, shredded paper, coir fiber, wood pellets, or sawdust. In other words, ¼ green matter to ¾ brown matter.
Once the wastes are placed into the bin, the materials begin to heat and depending on the contents and the outside temperature, materials can compost in the temperature range from 55 to 140 degrees F. The higher temperatures effect the most rapid composting while killing pathogenic organisms and weed seeds. There are composters available that are insulated for composting year round such as the Jora JK125 Composter.
During the composting cycle, the contents need to be mixed approximately weekly. Spinning or tumbling composters make this job of mixing much easier and effective. A compost pile must be turned and mixed with a pitch fork, great if you want a good workout! It also should be checked for the amount of moisture. The correct amount of moisture is that of a squeezed-out sponge. Add water if required. Add dry leaves, coco fiber, sawdust, or shredded paper if it is too damp.
If all goes well, the compost will be complete in three to six weeks. After turning no longer creates a heating effect, allow two weeks for the composting process to complete. The finished compost should be a dark brown color, be crumbly, and have an earthy smell. The finished compost will be about one-third the size of its original volume.
The finished compost can be applied to the top four to six inches of soil for plantings, applied around the drip line of trees, spread as a lawn top dressing, or mixed into a potting soil. Compost reduces or eliminates the need for fertilizers. It also makes plants more disease and insect resistant naturally.
Gardener's will tell you, good compost is the best thing you can use on your vegetable and flower gardens. It is also great for the lawn. A thin layer spread over the turf will make your grass grow a stronger, thicker, healthier root system and greener more disease resistant grass.
So... if every person did their share and composted their food scraps, literally billions of pounds of waste could be kept out of landfills. Amazing!
|
