Composting is simple and very useful for those who want to grow a garden…
You will no longer have to worry about taking out the trash on harvest day and you will get very useful humus for your potted or garden plants.
Contents [Ocultar]
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What materials can be composted
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Methods: heap, hole or composer
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The choice of place
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The carbon/nitrogen ratio
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Moisture and spin control
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use compost
Contents
What materials can be composites
YES: Fruit and raw or cooked food scraps, tea filters, coffee grounds, paper towels, potted plants, soil, hair and feathers, wood chips, foliage and grass clippings, yard waste, ashes.
IN MODERATION: Fish, meat, animal manure (causes odors, attracts mice and insects), citrus peel (decomposes slowly, contains preservatives), foliage of certain trees such as oak, chestnut, poplar , birch, walnut (contains lignin and degrades slowly).
NO: nutshells, hazelnuts, bones (slowly decomposing), inked or laminated paper, tetrapack, dyed fabrics (contain synthetics).
In general, the more varied the materials used, the better the result.
Methods: stack, hole or composer
The chimney is the simplest system because it is well ventilated and requires space (base about 100 cm, length at least 150 cm, height 80 cm, triangular section).
The hole is aesthetically repaired but care must be taken that there is no stagnation of water, so the material must be ventilated. Otherwise, you will end up with rot and therefore with bad smells.
The composter is ideal for home composting, it does not disturb the aesthetics, it limits odors and it optimizes space. There are different sizes in the market, even with reduced costs.
The choice of location
Composting must be done in a place where it does not give, if it is well done the compost does not smell good, but certain materials can all the same cause odors. The mound benefits from shade in summer and sun in winter (which is why it is ideal to do it under a plant that loses its leaves in autumn). There should be no puddles or standing water (we recommend preparing the ground by placing stones or branches underneath). Composer rather solves the problem of location, it can be saved anywhere.
The carbon/nitrogen ratio
In the composition of the heap, a fundamental factor is the presence of carbon and nitrogen which allow the life of micro-organisms useful for decomposition. Too much nitrogen causes bad smells, while too much carbon slows down the process. An easy adjustment to cumplir is to balance the quantity of material “green” rico en nitrógeno (hierba cortada, fresco residues of garden and kitchen) and material “marrón” that mainly brings carbon (hojas secas, paja, virutas de madera, serrín, paper and cardboard).
The use of branches in the compost is very useful, precisely because they are elements that balance the proportion of carbon compared to grass and kitchen waste, which have a higher nitrogen content.
To do this, it is best to grind the branches with a garden shredder, so that the branches can be quickly composted. This tool is very useful for composting.
Moisture and spin control
The pile should not be dry, but also not with standing water. To measure the moisture in the pile, you can use the first method: just shake a bit of cloth in your hand and see how much water comes out. Ideally it should release some moisture, if it stays completely dry it is too dry, if it drips water it is too wet. If the pile is too wet, add dry material (eg straw), if it becomes too dry, it is useful to wet it.
The heap should be turned periodically to oxygenate and mix the material, this is a very simple operation that can be done with a fork, it is best to turn the heap 2-3 weeks after adding fresh material and then do it every 2/5 months depending on weather and battery size.
Use of fertilizer
Yard and garden compost is considered ready after 6/9 months, if you want good mature compost to use on potted plants better wait 9/12 months.