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Making a Compost – Secrets Revealed

Monday, August 15th, 2011

Instead of sending trash off to the landfill it can be used when making a compost pile or put it in a compost tumbler.

Tumblers will produce compost in about six to eight weeks but if your not in a hurry you can just make a pile on the ground.

Choose an out of the way spot for the compost area. Compost does not produce and odor, if it is done right. It is a bit unsightly though.

You may want to work with this ratio a bit to get what works best for you. You should try for roughly three parts carbon to one part nitrogen. Like I said this is not engraved in stone so find what works best for you.

Carbon ingredients or brown matter as it is called is dried leaves, sawdust and newspapers.

Nitrogen ingredients or green matter as it is called is kitchen scraps, herbivore manure such as chickens, horses and cows. No dog or cat droppings, to many chemicals in there droppings.

Some people collect all the materials then add them together all at once, this will produce a lot of heat in the pile and produce compost very fast.

I as a lot of people do add material about once a week. Stack it in a layer first green then a brown layer. Next should be some kind of course material like thick cardboard, hay or straw. This will allow aeration to get in.

Do not forget to add a little moisture and you will be making a compost pile in no time.

In addition to reducing the strain on landfills it will also help the environment. Not to mention that your plants will love the new food source. It does not hurt to start adapting green ways as this is the wave of the future.

Gardening & composting is a good way to spend time with members of the family. Especially the younger generation, they need to realize that food comes from the ground and not the super market. Click here for Free information on making a compost.

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A Quick Way To Compost

Thursday, July 21st, 2011

One of the true thrills of gardening is making your own compost. In addition to this you will need to handle plants, soil, rocks, fertilizer and soil conditioner. A pair of gloves will not only come in very handy it will be a necessity.

Composting is the process where materials that are destined for the landfill are used to create nutritional products for the garden and lawn. Compost is a soil-like substance that will function as a soil conditioner, a mulch and fertilizer. It will feed your garden the microorganisms that most plants need to grow healthy and strong.

It is best if the compost pile is located near your garden and at the same time has enough concealment to not affect the overall look of your garden. You want it to be close to the garden for convenience but you do not want visitors to see the compost heap. A corral or a fenced area would do fine.

After you set up your composting area you begin the compost pile by arranging a 3:1 ratio of brown and green materials. Green ingredients contain nitrogen the brown ingredients contain carbon. Together these components make up the foundation of a compost heap. The green organic items of gardening include grass clippings while the brown items are the dry leaves and other wood products.

If you are concerned about the bad smell that would come out of your compost pile, don’t worry about it. If you have the right combination of green and brown material you do not have to worry about a bad smell. Compost will have an earthy smell and it will not smell like rot.

One way to insure that your compost pile has the right combination of green and brown material is to collect a nice gathering of material before you make your compost pile. When you are ready to make your pile start with a one part of green material and follow it up with three parts brown material. The next layer should be some very course material such as twigs or straw, aeration between the layers is very important. Think of a composting lasagna.

To get the process started quickly add some already composted material. This will help to start the process and introduce microbial activities in your compost heap.

Make sure that you add enough moisture to the pile. Dampness in the compost pile will help the breakdown of the organic materials . Think of a damp sponge.

If you are concerned about the environment then you will be in favor of a compost pile. This method is about giving back to the land what it has already given you, and starting a compost pile is the best way to do that.

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Build A Compost – Advice From A Friend

Sunday, September 19th, 2010

Those who like to garden know the value of good soil. The kind of soil you have will be reflected in the quality and the quantity of the harvest from your garden. If your soil is not what you want it to be, then, to make it better and provide for your garden, build a compost.

The nutrients your garden may be missing can be found in the compost that you add to your garden. It can all be done from your own property. Your soil needs nutrients, just like people. A compost in your garden will add to good moisture control.

Decide where you are going to build your compost pile. Make sure it is out of sight so the neighbors don’t complain, but put it close enough so that you have easy access to the garden and the kitchen. You will be adding organic material from your kitchen as well as your yard.

A simple way to make a compost is with chicken wire and a few stakes. You’ll need at least four of them, and eight should to the trick just fine. Just get an area that you want to put the compost in, as discussed before, and stake up your chicken wire in such a way that it will be very supportive of the compost without sagging.

Make the bin a few feet across so that a large volume of compost can be mixed. You will be adding different items to it along with the grass clippings. But there are a few things you are not to put in it.

Old pallets will help you make a compost bin. You can make it any size that you wish to make it. Remember, it will contain a lot of grass and other organic material. Add a lid for access and protection from weather.

What you add to your compost is very important. Grass clippings and old plant material along with dry leaves make up the most part of the compost. Make sure there is a good mix of all those materials, but, make sure that you don’t add too much green stuff to the mix since that will make the compost have a bad smell.

One other thing, don’t add any animal waste when you build a compost. That is very unsanitary. And, as well, do not add any meat or dairy products.

Build a compost and stop using store bought fertilizers. The fertilizers themselves contain chemicals but they also use energy to make and transport them to the store. Build a compost, the planet and your garden will thank you for it.

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