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Compost and Mulch
Composting and using mulch are not new ideas. Compost is the natural breakdown of plant remains and other once-living materials to make an earthy, dark, crumbly substance that is excellent for adding to houseplants or enriching garden soil. Making your own compost is not only beneficial for your garden, but ecologically sound as leaves, yard waste, and some household waste and organic materials can be used. Mulch is a layer of material placed over soil to modify the effects of the local climate. It is used to hold in moisture, insulate from cold, and as an assist in controlling weeds. To learn more and share knowledge about compost and mulch, ask and answer questions about them here.
878 Questions
A hole in the ground. You put kitchen food scraps in there, and leaves and dead flowers from the garden. When it's full, you cover it. It turns into good earth. A few months later you dig it out and spread the earth, or compost, over your garden.
In a commercial operation: It is consisted of cement walls with a compost turner that is on tracks that run down the walls and turns the compost in between the walls.
A hole which is dug in the ground to accommodate carbon- and nitrogen-rich recyclables for natural breakdown into dark-colored, fresh-smelling, nutrient-rich organic matter is what a compost pit is. The hole may or may not be covered over with a thin layer of soil.
Composting is a way to help the environment by recycling used waste products. A great way to compost is to use paper scraps, soaked in liquor (!), because the starch in the liquor helps to disolve the waste. It also makes the (Saprophydic) bacteria become intoxiated, and then they reproduce faster. Great things to put in a composting bin are
Egg Shells
News Paper (Soaked in Liquor)
Grass Clippings
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o2 + c6 h12 o6 --> Co2 + H20 + A.T.P
(Gas) (Heat)
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Composting is about decomposing kitchen and yard wastes rapidly, to contribute the organics to build fertile, healthy soils and subsoils in the gardens and yards.
I keep my egg shells in a separate pail until I have a load. I crush them with an old, broken baseball bat, and then blend them. They break down into sand-like particles which really speed up their decomposition in soil.
Newspapers are NOT recommended because of the lead in inks. Accumulation of heavy metals like lead in vegetable garden soil is a health hazard, but OK in flower beds.
Research sources of your papers to find out which ones may be using vegetable oil-based inks which are OK.
I bring home the shredded paper from the office. Maximum white blank space and minimum printing makes them relatively safe. Great for topside mulching as well.
If you have cats, the cellulose in shredded paper is an excellent and free deodorant, absorbing toilet odours quickly. I use the fouled sand and shredded paper in the flower beds, buried deep because of the odour and sanitation.
Grass clippings are essential as they heat up rapidly and speed the decomposition of compost pile ingredients. If you stuck your hand into a large pile of grass cuttings after they were out in the sun for a week, you would immediately yank your hand out in shock, as if it were on fire.
How can you keep your compost bin moist?
Prevention of fire and sustenance of beneficial micro-organisms are reasons why people add water to compost heaps from time to time. Compost heaps must not be in direct sunlight since the composting process requires an internal temperature range from 131 to 170 degrees Fahrenheit (55 to 76.67 degrees Celsius) and will support wildfires during extreme weather and severe heat waves. Mesophilic and thermophilic bacteria need carbon- and nitrogen-rich recyclables to consume, heat to sustain decomposition and moisture to subvert aridification, drought or evaporation.
What will kill springtail insects?
My question: What insecticide to use to kill them?
Answer:Any over the counter insecticide for general pest control will work. However, it is always better to address the problem on the outside of your home than on the inside.Can you grow vegetables in Miracle-Gro compost?
Yes, vegetables can be grown in Miracle-Gro compost. The low-peat organic compost in question is edible plant-friendly in improving soil drainage, fertility, heat distribution, moisture infiltration/percolation and weed control. It promotes balanced, timely development that supports healthy produce and sustains strong immune systems against environmental pathogens, pests and stress.
Will a banana peel decompose faster than an orange peel?
The banana decomposes more readily because it is mainly composed of sugars. While the peel is more fibrous and is designed to withstand the elements. The main purpose of a banana is to deliver seeds to the ground and the only way it can do so is to decompose fast so the seeds(which have been bred out of the banana you currently eat) can germinate.
Procedure of making a compost?
Hm.
Your question is worded kind of strangely, but I think you're asking what to use and how to make a compost bin. If you are asking how to make a compost bin using actual compost as the structure ("making a compost container with compost"), then I believe that would simply be making a pile of trash.
But to answer my first interpretation of your question, a compost bin can be made out of anything. It needs to have drainage so that any excess water can drain instead of forming a smelly pool at the bottom (though ideally compost should not be wet enough to produce drainage), and it needs access to oxygen, so if you are making a compost bin out of an old plastic trash can, knife several holes spread out over the sides so that it gets enough oxygen for the decomposition to be aerobic, because anaerobic decomposition is much slower and wastes more of the matter by converting it to the gases which create that unforgettable landfill stench.
You'll need to be able to mix and aerate the contents of the pile, at least if you want your compost done within a year, and you'll of course need to be able to water it and add things to it at least by the bucketful.
Get these requirements down, and you can make a compost bin out of almost anything. I produce about 40-50 pounds of compost every month using an old cat litter box with a few holes knifed in it. At that size it's an easy task to thoroughly aerate it every day, thus making it very efficient. I'm currently making another one out of the aforementioned example, an old trash can I found in the dumpster.
What are some examples of humus?
Decaying animal and plant body parts are examples of humus. The word 'humus' refers to organic matter within soil. It's formed from the aerobic or anaerobic breakdown of animals and plants into the basic elements from which they originally are formed.
Aerobic refers to breakdown in the presence of adequate amounts of air, moisture, and temperature. Anaerobic refers to that same breakdown in the absence of appropriate levels of oxygen. Aerobic breakdown takes place in nature and within compost piles. Anaerobic breakdown takes place in nature and within landfills.
Two important elements that emerge from the breakdown are carbon and nitrogen. In fact, those are the two main elements with which composting is concerned. For example, brown colored materials from the yard tend to be carbon rich. Green colored materials such as fresh grass clippings tend to be nitrogen rich.
How do you create an odorless compost?
After every layer of food, waste, or what have you, add a nice, equal layer of fresh sawdust. Fine wood chips will also work, but sawdust is best. The decomposition of the waste mixed in with the cut wood neutralizes the smell quite well. this technique is also used in many permanent outhouses.
That they are an organic mulch that affects soil pH and soil structure is the reason that dried papaya leaves are an effective choice in terms of tomato plants.
Specifically, foods and soils may have a pH that is acidic, alkaline or neutral. Papaya is an alkalinizing food. Its dried leaf mulch somewhat raises a soil pH. The result is a soil pH that is heading more towards the neutral range around 6.0 - 6.5 or 7.0. It actually is in that neutral range that many plants prefer the soil pH to be
Additionally, organic mulch contributes to soil structure. That means that the soil becomes better drained, healthier and more fertile through the breakdown of natural materials. Good drainage, fertility and health make for happier, healthier plants in general and tomatoes in particular in this instance.
What is a derivative of humus?
The word 'humus' derives from the Latin word of the same spelling and meaning. An example of a linguistic derivative is the Latin word humilis, which means 'on the ground or of the earth'; or the English word humble, which refers to lowly or non-noble in origin, or to lacking in pride and self-aggrandizement. An example of an organic derivative is one of the various organic acids that are formed from humus. For example, humic acid is a derivative of humus through which water has been passed slowly. The word 'humus' also derives from the Turkish word of the same spelling and meaning. But the word now tends to be spelled 'hummus', to avoid confusion with the above meaning of organic matter-rich content of soil. Nevertheless, an example of a culinary derivative is any one of the subsequent regional variations on, and modern updates to, the classic dish of chickpeas cooked or mashed with ground sesame seeds and then served with garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. And so examples are the modern updates of Sabra humus/hummus with the chipotle or caramelized onion versions.
Can used cooking grease be used for composting?
it will compost eventually but will stink like hell as it does. not recommended
What is the way in which humus and organic matter are related?
That they represent the breaking down of animal and plant remains is the way in which humus and organic matter are related.
Specifically, the term humus designates the final breakdown of animal and plant remains and of soil food web cells, products and tissues. It is used in terms of the end result of proper composting and of the process in topsoil. In contrat, the term organic matter refers to the content (compounds from once-living organisms and their excretions) at any point in the decomposition stage, from beginning to end.
How do you compost food leftovers?
Separate out dairy, greasey and oily, and meat products. These aren't proper, compostable materials. Specifically, they attract hungry, foraging wildlife. The remaining kitchen scraps and meal leftovers may be placed inside the compost bin, or on the compost pile.
A good mixture of greens (nitrogen) and browns (carbon) is the key. Grass clippings and kitchen vegetable scraps (greens) need to be mixed with dried leaves and twigs (browns). The whole pile needs to be kept damp. I mix in about one part green, one part brown and one part soil; water well; and turn about every other week. In a couple of months, you have good rich compost.
In more detail:
Remember the A.D.A.M. principle for keeping the compost in balance.
- A. Aliveness. Lots of micro-organisms, decomposers, so there is a mini ecosystem to break down the compost material. There should be plenty of visible life, such as worms, slaters and springtails. If not, adjust your Carbon:Nitrogen ratio to attract a diversity of critters.
- D. Diversity. A variety of materials will attract a variety of life to break down the material (decomposers).
- A. Air. More air = Less smell. Put twigs and sticks to allow air spaces in the pile, and turn once a week at least. Balanced: should smell like the earth. If it's smelly and acidic, turn more often; and add some garden lime, wood ash or dolomite. If it's too wet, add more dry material. If it decomposes without air (anaerobically), it produces methane, a dangerous greenhouse gas.
- M. Moisture. Balanced compost should be moist, like a well wrung out sponge. To balance the mixture either add water, or add more dry material.
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You don't need a bin to make compost-a pile of leaves, grass clippings and other yard wastes will do-but a bin keeps the compost contained and looks neater. You can corral compost in a simple wire column made from a 4-foot wide by 8-foot long piece of stiff wire mesh.
You should have finished compost in about two months. You'll know your compost is finished when it no longer heats up and you can't identify any of the original materials. The compost should be dark brown, moist and earthy smelling. Dig finished compost into your garden's soil. You can use partially composted material as mulch.
How does the banana peel decompose?
You can, but the two ends don't always grind up very well. And stringey things like banana peels and celery will tend to cause it to seize up. I would recommend using them in your garden for compost. They are supposed to be really good for tomato and rose plants. It has been not recommended, but I myself have cut 'em up and experimented with it, and it seems to work just find. I do know that egg shells and ice, either by themselves or together, sharpen the blades of a garbage disposal quite well, and it helps to do it daily depending on how much you use the garbage disposal.
Can you compost saltine crackers?
Yes, saltine crackers can be composted as long as they have not been exposed to contaminants, pollutants or toxins. But they will break down best -- and with the least of attracting foraging domesticated and wild animals -- when sprinkled as ground-up powder in the bin or pile.
What leftovers from the kitchen can be put in the compost heap?
Those that are un-diseased and un-treated by additives are vegetables that can be composted.
Specifically, the food group in question attracts foraging wildlife. It can be less likely that wildlife will raid compostable materials when inputs do not include dairy products, greases, and oils. Heavily salted vegetables may contribute to drying conditions which alter moisture levels necessary for the breakdown of compostable materials. Vegetables that are recycled or unused because of bacterial, fungal or viral diseases must not be included.
Vegetables can be composted with all other compostable materials, deposited underground, or isolated in tightly sealed food waste containers.
What are the steps for how to make a compost pit?
Use four palletts tied together to form a box. Fill with vegetable material as it becomes available. After a couple of months take away the palletts reset them next to the heap. Turn the heap into the box again and leave until ready. Use.
What foods decompose quickest in a compost heap?
Vegetables are the food items that compost the quickest. Leaves, plants and trimmings can decompose within six months at most. This contrasts with avocado and peach stones and with cabbage and sprout stems that will take more than three years.
Where can you buy garden compost?
Compost buckets are ways to dispose of various foods and wastes that makes better soil full of nutrients to grow plants in. Compost buckets can be purchased at Lowes for prices ranging from about $22 to about $400 not including tax.
How long does it take to make compost?
It depends on what your composting. Animal waste will take about 90 days then 30 days to cure.
Compost is a mixture of both green and dead plant material. Good compost needs both air and moisture to work well. Mix clippings plant clippings and cut grass, dead leaves and flowers. Contain the compost in an area that gets plenty of sunlight. When adding to the compost add the occasional shovel of earth to introduce worms and bugs to help break down the material. Water this pile occasionally and turn with shovel to mix it up about once per month Kitchen scraps are also good but do not add fats, meat or bone as this does not break down well and will attract animals.
