What is Compost?
The definition of compost is “a mixture of various decaying organic substances, as dead leaves or manure, used for fertilizing soil.” Composting is the practice of creating compost. In the process of composting organic material waste such as household kitchen waste are broken down by microorganisms with the help of oxygen to a point where it can be safely stored, handled, and given back to the environment. The end product is a natural fertilizer that you can use for gardening or farming, that is why compost is called as "Black Gold".
Benefits of Composting:
Improves Soil Structure.
Natural proteins in compost help dirt bind together, which helps soil retain nutrients and moisture.
Did you know that soil can retain 16,000 gallons of water per acre for every 1% of organic material? That means that adding compost to soil can reduce the water needed for crops.
It’s A Natural Fertilizer.
Compost introduces both microorganisms like bacteria and fungi; and nutrients like nitrogen, copper, phosphorus, and zinc, to soil, which makes it more fertile.
Reducing Diseases.
Compost makes soil healthier, causing plants to be more resistant to diseases and harmful insects.
For A Healthier Planet.
Throwing organic material into the garbage is harmful to the environment. Organics make up about 1/3 of our waste, removing organic material from our garbage reduces the amount of trash we send to landfills.
How Composting works?
Four factors affect the speed of organic decomposition:
1) Oxygen
Composting is an aerobic process, which means that oxygen is needed for the organic material to decompose. Compost piles need to be turned regularly to create that airflow.
Note: Mix/turn your compost every 3 days
2) Organic Materials
Compost piles should contain a mix of nitrogen-rich materials (greens) & carbon-rich materials (browns).
Greens include anything that used to be alive such as vegetable & fruit scraps, weeds, coffee grounds, eggshells, meat, dairy, & grass clippings.
Browns are things like leaves, straw, mulch, wood products, sawdust, newspaper & shredded paper.
A healthy compost pile is generally 50/50 greens to browns, but the ratio depends on what you put in, & your composting method of choice.
Note: Chopping your food scraps into smaller pieces will speed up the composting process. Larger pieces will still decompose, but take longer.
3) Water
Moisture is important to a compost pile; ideally, it should feel damp. Being about 50-60% water by weight, a lot of moisture comes from the food scraps.
Note: If your pile is dry, you can water the pile
If you pile is soggy, then add more browns (like leaves, wood chips, or newspaper) to absorb moisture.
4) Temperature
Organic matter decomposes faster in higher temperatures, meaning that an active compost pile is warm, even when it's cold out.
Note: Turning your compost will generate more heat, so do not add compost directly from the pot. Let it cool down and then add it to your garden.
What to include in Compost?
What’s Happening Inside The Pile?
There are many different types of compost piles.
For hot composting, there are 3 main phases:
1) Mesophilic (moderate temperature), lasting for a couple of days
Temperature reaches up to 90 degrees Fahrenheit and beyond.
There is the rapid growth of Mesophilic bacteria and fungi
They breakdown soluble sugars and starches, causing the temperature to rise.
2) Thermophilic (high temperature), a few weeks
As temperatures increase well beyond 120 degrees F,
Thermophilic bacteria, actinomycetes, and heat-tolerant fungi populate the pile.
They break down proteins, fats, hemicellulose, and cellulose. Eventually, the organisms begin to run out of food, and so the temperature of the compost pile drops.
3) Mesophilic Curing, several months
Temperatures drop back down below 140 degrees F,
allowing Mesophilic actinomycetes, bacteria, and fungi to enter the pile.
Over this several month period, the microorganisms break down lignin and other highly resistant compounds.
When is Compost Finished?
There are a few ways to tell if your compost is ready to use:
1. It looks like dark, crumbly topsoil
2. It has a pleasant, earthy odor. It should not smell like ammonia
3. The original organic materials (with a few exceptions) should no longer be recognizable
4. The compost pile should have shrunk by half the size
5. The pile should have returned to air temperature, about 50 degrees F
How to use Compost?
For Vegetables:
Add several inches of compost to the bed in the fall and till it in the spring. When you plant, add compost into the hole. You can also sprinkle a half-inch layer around the plant.
For Flowers:
Mix 1 to 2 inches of compost into the top 6 to 8 inches of annual and perennial beds in the spring.
For Potted Plants:
Add 1 inch of compost twice a year. You can also create your own potting soil using 2 parts compost to 1 part sand or perlite.
Compost Troubleshooting:
We will see How to compost in a pot in our next blog.
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