When it comes to composting, the smaller the particle, the faster it will break down. This is because composting works from the surface of materials inwards. So to speed up composting:. Chopping materials up helps make a better mix when forming your compost heap. Keeping materials smaller also makes it easier to turn the heap later on for faster composting. Ideally, you want a mix of fine and coarse materials in your heap, for example small green grass clippings with chopped up brown hedge trimmings.
So mix it up and add as much variety as you can. Check out our Blending Materials Poster for more information on this topic. The Basics 5 Essentials of Composting Composting and the organisms involved, like all other life forms, need food, air and water to survive and thrive. Moisture All life needs moisture to survive including the different bugs and organisms in your compost. Size of Heap While the size of the heap will be determined by the amount of material you have to compost and the system you chose to use, the ideal size is at least one cubic metre.
Aeration Just as with water, all composting organisms need oxygen. Particle Size When it comes to composting, the smaller the particle, the faster it will break down. The Basics 5 Essentials of Composting. The smaller the item, the faster microorganisms can break it down. Microorganisms need a favorable environment, which includes air, water, and nitrogen.
Air is the only part that cannot be added in excess. Turning the pile often will provide an ample amount of air and speed the composting process. If there is too little air in a compost pile because of compaction, anaerobic decomposition occurs, producing an odor like that of rotting eggs. A compost pile can have too much water, so the pile location should have good drainage.
During the summer, you may need to add water so that the compost pile does not dry out. A compost pile should be moist but not soggy. If you squeeze a handful of the material it should be damp, but water should not drip out. Organic materials have varying ratios of carbon C to nitrogen N , and this ratio influences how fast microorganisms break them down. If the C:N ratio is too high, decomposition will be slow; if the C:N ratio is too low, the pile will lose some nitrogen to the air in the form of ammonia.
The ideal C:N ratio for a compost pile is One way of estimating the C:N ratio is by the amount of green and brown materials in the compost pile. Cut grass, kitchen scraps, and manure are considered green materials and have low C:N ratios.
Sawdust, tree leaves, and straw are brown materials and have high C:N ratios. An equal amount by weight of green and brown materials will give you the right C:N ratio.
Table 1. Carbon:nitrogen ratio of common organic materials. As microorganisms begin to break down the organic material, heat is generated. Within a few days the compost pile should reach an internal temperature of 90 to degrees F. This process will destroy most weed seeds, insect eggs, and disease organisms, producing rich, soft humus or compost Fig.
Figure 3. Humus ready for use in the garden. Turn the pile weekly during the summer and monthly during the winter to increase the rate of decomposition.
About 90 to days are required to prepare good compost using the layer method. If you have room, make three piles so you will have one ready to use, one being tilled, and one being filled up Fig. Composting can also be done directly in the ground, preferably where a garden row is to be planted the following season once the raw material has completely composted. Figure 5. After digging a hole or trench, fill it with newspapers and dry leaves.
The composting process in the average pile takes about 6 to 8 months, though an ideally mixed and tended pile may take less than as 8 weeks to become compost. Compost can be used to enrich the garden, to improve the soil around trees and shrubs, as a soil amendment for houseplants and when screened, as a part of seed-starting mix or lawn top dressing. Some lawn herbicides may persist in the soil for 6 to 8 months.
However, composting accelerates the degradation process. If treated grass clippings are composted for at least one year, pesticide residue should not be a problem when the compost is used in the garden or landscape. The information given herein is for educational purposes only. Reference to commercial products or trade names is made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service is implied.
Educational programs of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service are open to all people without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age, or national origin. Web Site Maintenance: Administrator. Skip Navigation. AgriLife Extension Service. Chapter 6, Composting Questions and Answers What is really meant by the process of composting? What is compost?
Does compost have any value as a fertilizer? Can compost be used as a substitute for fertilizer in the garden? Is it necessary to add lime calcium to the compost pile? What are the best materials for composting? Is it necessary to shred materials for the compost pile? Can a rotary mower be used to shred materials?
What is meant by Carbon to Nitrogen ratios? Do compost piles need turning? Do compost piles have offensive odors? Set a good example by keeping your compost system as neat as possible. Remember the essentials when you compost, especially the C:N ratio because too much nitrogen can cause an odor problem. Be sure to explain the benefits of composting every chance you get.
Tell them why you do it and how it works for you. Are earwigs bad? What is their composting role? How do you compost when you have too many materials that are high in nitrogen?
Store high carbon materials sawdust, leaves, shredded newspaper and use them when needed. Buy peat moss and combine with the materials that are high in nitrogen. Can newspaper be composted?
How do you know when compost is finished? How are food scraps stored and used to make compost? Can noxious weeds and thorny plants be composted?
Can bones and meat scraps be composted? Can pet wastes be composted? Do not compost pet waste. Not only are they smelly, but they can be dangerous to your health. How do you balance carbon and nitrogen to make a hot pile? Learn C:N ratios of materials and balance mathematically. Learn C:N ratios of materials and balance intuitively.
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