Composting


    What is composting?

    Composting is the biological decomposition or organic matter into a product beneficial for plant growth and soil conditioning. Organic matter added to the soil as compost improves plant growth and vigor, soil structure, drainage, holds plant nutrients and releases nitrogen for plant and soil microorganisms. Composting organic matter into a soil conditioner can be enhanced by using Natural Guard® by ferti•lome® Compost Maker to speed up the composting process and insure that the finished compost will provide the proper nutrients and optimum moisture (about 50% moisture) and air that is necessary for the microorganisms to break down organic matter. The amount and proportion of these nutrients is a critical factor to the quality  of the compost material created.

    Benefits of composting

    • Provides an inexpensive yet nutrient-rich soil conditioner that will increase the growth and vigor of plants
    • Improves soil structure, drainage, and releases the nitrogen for plant and soil organisms
    • Reduces leaching of plant essential elements such as potassium, calcium and magnesium
    • Composting generates heat that can destroy weed seeds, plant pathogens and insect eggs making the finished product more disease-free than its original form
    • Improves the soil's physical characteristics , making it more workable
    • Turns water into a nutritionally rich humus for flowers, shrubs, vegetables and lawns

    A compost bin can easily be made from boards, cinder blocks, snow fence, chicken wore or even a trash can or plastic container.
       

     

    "What can I put in my compost bin?"

    via The Spruce

    There are two basic types of materials (greens and browns, i.e., nitrogen-rich and carbon-rich) to put into your bin. In general, you want about 4 times as many browns as greens.

    Greens for Your Compost Bin

    "Greens" are the nitrogen-rich additions to your compost pile. These tend to have lots of moisture, break down quickly, and provide a quick burst of heat to your pile. While we call them "greens," technically any plant matter will work here: coffee grounds, for example, are brown in color, but they're rich in nitrogen, hence, they're a "green." Here are some ideas of greens for your pile:

    1. Fruit and vegetable peels
    2. Citrus rinds
    3. Melon rinds
    4. Coffee grounds
    5. Tea leaves/tea bags
    6. Old vegetables from the crisper
    7. Houseplant trimmings
    8. Weeds that haven't gone to seed
    9. Grass clippings
    10. Fresh leaves
    11. Deadheads from flowers
    12. Dead plants (as long as they aren't diseased)
    13. Seaweed
    14. Cooked plain rice
    15. Cooked plain pasta
    16. Stale bread
    17. Corn husks
    18. Corn cobs
    19. Broccoli stalks
    20. Sod that you've removed to make new garden beds
    21. Thinninga from the vegetable garden
    22. Spent bulbs that you used for forcing indoors
    23. Holiday greenery (from wreaths and swags, for example) -- just be sure to cut the stems off of the wreath form or wires first)
    24. Old, less flavorful packaged herbs and spices
    25. Eggshells

    Browns for Your Compost Bin

    "Browns" are the carbon-rich materials in your compost that add aeration to the pile and structure to your compost. They break down more slowly, so it's a good idea to chop them up fairly small if you're able to. Here are some browns to put in your compost pile:

    1. Shredded newspaper
    2. Shredded office paper/school papers
    3. Shredded, non-glossy junk mail
    4. Torn up plain corrugated cardboard boxes (not with glossy coatings)
    5. Straw
    6. Bedding from hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits
    7. Fall leaves
    8. Chopped up twigs and small branches
    9. Pine cones
    10. Nutshells (avoid walnut shells as they can inhibit plant growth)
    11. Excelsior
    12. Raffia
    13. Used napkins
    14. Toilet paper, paper towel, or wrapping paper tubes (cardboard>
    15. Fallen bird's nests
    16. Pine needles/pine straw
    17. Paper coffee filters (used)
    18. Pressed paper egg cartons, torn into small pieces
    19. Sawdust (only from untreated wood)
    20. Brown paper shopping bags, shredded/torn
    21. Brown paper lunch bags, shredded/torn
    22. Leftover peat or coir from seed starting
    23. Coir liners for hanging baskets
    24. Wood chips
    25. Bedding from chickens
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