Author: Steve Cownley

To Compost or Not to Compost

Well, there’s no doubt about it, composting is a good practice that any self-respected gardener should learn to do. But the question really is what materials we could make into a compost and which ones we cannot. We have been told that composting can be done with any organic material. Well, in theory that may be true, however, in real life it may not be always so.

There are a several organic materials that should not be included in the compost pile unless you know how to do it properly while there are other materials that should not even be attempted even by the experts. To compost or not to compost, that is indeed the question. And let’s see if we can provide the answers.

Author: Ellen Bell

Have you heard of composting, but just aren\’t sure what it means? Not sure why how compost can benefit you? If you haven\’t started composting at home yet, now is the time! Home composting is more than just a growing trend among gardeners, it\’s a great way to recycle your kitchen scraps and yard refuse into something you can use-compost!

So what is compost and why is it so beneficial? Compost is a fresh black material similar in appearance and texture to potting soil. It is produced naturally when organic material breaks down and decays (a process also known as composting). The resulting compost is rich in nutrients that plants love, making it one of the best types of fertilizer you can use. Compost, also known as black gold, can be tilled into the soil before trees, shrubs, or other plants are planted. It can also be applied to the soil around existing plants. Compost will help plants grow bigger, faster, and stronger than you ever thought possible.

Author: Douglas Hill

I hope you found my last article on composting informative but there were a few things I didn’t go through last time that I would like to touch base on now. You found out last time that there are basic needs that you need to give for a compost to be productive. Those basic needs are air, food, and water. Now that we have the basics down, and we know how to properly deliver these basics I will now get a little more in depth into what you should and shouldn’t put into your compost.

Let’s start off with what you shouldn’t put in your compost bin. This is an area I really could have used some more knowledge in my first time using a fresh batch of compost in my garden.

Author: Ellen Bell

If you have recently purchased a compost tumbler bin, let me be the first to say congratulations! You’ve just taken the first step toward aerobic composting. What is aerobic composting, you ask, and why is it so great? In this article, we’ll explain how aerobic composting works and what you need to do to get started.

There are two main types of composting, aerobic and anaerobic. Anaerobic composting basically consists of piling up a bunch of organic materials, then letting them sit and rot. Pretty gross, huh? Well truthfully, yes, it is. Anaerobic bacteria are slow and inefficient, which means that your compost pile will have to sit there for at least a year, maybe longer, before the materials at the very bottom are fully composted. Second of all, microbes that do the decaying in anaerobic composting produce methane and sulfate gasses as a byproduct, something which we humans find very offensive. If you’ve always thought of composting as a smelly and gross process, now is the time to make an important clarification: it’s anaerobic composting that’s a smelly and gross process.

Author: Ellen Bell

One of the biggest complaints people have about composting is that it smells. And in some cases, this is true. When organic materials are heaped up in a pile and left to sit, they essentially rot, and we all know that rotting food and plants are going to smell. But did you know that composting doesn’t have to stink? It’s true! In this article we’ll explain the 3 simple steps that anyone can follow to go from smelly to odor free composting.

The first step in odorless composting is to understand the two basic methods of composting: aerobic and anaerobic. As the name would suggest, aerobic composting requires air, specifically oxygen, to be successful. Anaerobic composting, on the other hand, is what occurs when the compost isn’t exposed to the air.

Author: Nadia Osman

Composting is no easy task. It requires hard work, dedication, and persistence—unless, of course, you own a compost tumbler . In that case, composting requires little work, some dedication, and not much persistence at all, all while mixing compost the same way you would with a giant compost heap in the backyard. How easy is that?

Although open composting has its advantages, using a compost tumbler saves time and keeps your compost pile aerated with little effort. Instead of manually turning over your compost pile, a compost tumbler does the work for you in its internal chamber. There’s no need to turn over your compost with a pitchfork; you simply turn it—no fuss, no muss. By keeping it aerated with just a few turns every few days, you can rest assured that the microbes are actively eating and decomposing the matter. All you really need to do is carry your kitchen scraps out to your compost tumbler , throw them in, and turn.

The compost tumbler doesn’t just stop at minimizing the work time needed to compost. Some tumblers are built raised off the ground, while others maximize heat absorption, which makes your compost decompose faster. Some include dual chambers that allow mixing up compost while throwing in new scraps, thereby aerating old compost and allowing for new stuff to decompose. Then there are tumblers with screened vents to ensure even air flow. Many tumblers come with optional tea collectors that create “compost tea”, a nutritious liquid drawn from food decomposition. It sounds gross, but that’s probably because it’s not for drinking; it’s an excellent dilute fertilizer. Moreover, open compost piles can attract rodents and other creatures. Let’s just say it could get hairy. But if your compost pile is in a tumbler, it’s well protected from the animal kingdom.

Author: Anna Hart

The most important part of organic gardening is to nourish the soil. Your plants will take their nourishment from the soil, and will only be as healthy as the soil is. The healthier your plants, the fewer of them will fall victim to garden pests. The soil, therefore, is the most important part of organic farming or gardening. Feed the soil, and the soil will feed the plants. Fee the soil compost tea, and you will have healthy, productive plants.

Compost tea for organic farming or gardening is easily made. You won’t need a teapot or hot, boiling water, but you will need the best compost you can purchase or make.

Author: Allan Wilson

Composting can be achieved in a simple compost pile. However, building a compost bin is an effective way to contain garden and kitchen waste. A Compost Bin also provides easy access to waste material for frequent turning. Further, Compost Bins help control heat and moisture content to speed up the composting process.

They come in various designs and can be commercially bought or assembled at home. Usually Compost Bins are made of plastic, metal, wood and wire.

Author: Andy Asbury

Composting has been around for many years as an easy way to add nutrients to a garden, but the activity is also a great way to reduce the amount of waste that ends up in our landfills. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that as much as 24% of the solid waste in landfills is comprised of food scraps and yard cuttings, which could be composted instead. Composting is a simple step that you and your family can take to help take care of the earth.

To begin your foray into the world of composting, you will need a bin. While containers aren’t technically needed for composting, they do improve its aesthetics, and help keep pests out of your pile. You can build your own simple container, or invest in a large bin or tumbler, depending on how much work you want to put into your composting.

Author: Anthony Tripodi

If you’re looking to turn your garbage into gardener’s gold and do it in a hurry, then you should try a compost tumbler. If you have a compost bin then you know how great it is to add compost to your flower beds and vegetable garden. But making compost takes time and it’s usually in short supply. A compost tumbler is a great time saver when making compost.

Some gardeners believe that compost is better than fertilizer because it doesn’t just feed your plants, it also improves your soil. Improving your soil keeps your plants healthier so they grow stronger and more capable of fighting off diseases or beating droughts. Compost is decomposed organic matter and is high in nutrients that plants love. Bacteria and other micro organisms help break down that decomposing organic matter and their short life cycles become part of the process itself. When they reproduce their offspring continue the process while the parents bodies break down and add to the organic matter. It’s nature’s way of recycling.