Composting


Composting is a basic natural process by which organic matter decays to a biodegraded form that is suitable for living plants to use as fertilizer. This process of Mother Nature guarantees that life will continue in the forests and fields of earth for thousands of years, or until an outside force or event stops the cycle. Such an outside force is the urbanization of the earth’s surface. Therefore, farmers and gardeners everywhere are duty bound to preserve as much soil as possible in a condition that is conducive to producing abundant food that we need and the ornamental plants that we love. 

Composting by farmers and gardeners will address this dire need. By composting, the minerals and trace elements present in the original soil will be recycled back into the soil for uptake by the next season’s crops. Animal life, including man, needs these constituents for proper body function and to ward off disease.


Composting Essentials

Composting is the conversion or biological degradation of various garden wastes into dark, crumbly, soil-like humus, which is a wonderfully rich fertilizer and soil conditioner. The quality of the finished composting product will depend on the following factors:

•    The amount of effort that you are willing to expend. It really does not take that much.
•    The size and constituents of the composting pile.
•    The maintenance of the composting pile. The more effort, the better the pile, and the better the result.       Pretty simple.

The Composting Pile

ComposT-Twin with Free Activator The biological process which will convert the garden wastes in the pile that you build will be activated by aerobic (oxygen demanding) microorganisms. These bacteria must be kept happy by proper pile aeration or the process will automatically become anaerobic, and in the absence of oxygen, a different set of microorganisms will take over. These will create unwanted odors and this condition should be avoided. Follow the recommended criteria below and your composting pile should produce impressive results.

•    Allow as much space as possible for construction and maintenance of the pile. A sunny location is desirable but not necessary.
•    Start the pile with four inches of straw and twigs for air circulation and drainage at the bottom of the pile.
•    Use only fallen leaves, grass clippings, and non diseased soft plant clippings as the basic pile ingredients. Hard plant parts, such as twigs, husks, etc. should be avoided unless shredded.
•    Add alternating four inch layers of wet green material and dry brown material. The green matter should consist of a mix of grass clippings and garden waste. The brown matter should consist of a mix of dry leaves, straw, or shredded newspaper (no colored ink or glossy paper). Uncooked fruit and vegetables may be added to the green layers, but should be covered with a layer of soil before the next brown layer, to prevent odors and flies.
•    Mix everything up well every two weeks with a pitch fork. This is to keep it aerated.
•    Do not let your compost pile dry out.
•    DO NOT COMPOST meat, fish, bones, dairy products, fats or oils, pet waste, diseased plant materials, hardy weeds, or grass clippings which have been treated with herbicides. Use common sense regarding what you place in the compost pile.

In the final analysis, your effort in sustaining the integrity of our soils using the above recommended solution is to be applauded.