The Neat and Clean Way to Make Compost
Most people who choose to garden are aware of the benefits of composting and know the basics of creating good compost, but often are unsure if any special equipment, if any, is actually required.
The most basic form of a compost pile is exactly that, a pile of vegetation, garbage and scrap items such as leaves and grass, which then may be or not be surrounded by an enclosure. This simple system works very well, but requires a fairly long period of time and a certain amount of maintenance to ensure a good final product.
Finished compost should appear like fine loam with a sweet earthy aroma and should not be a slimy glob of muck. An important process in achieving this quality is turning the pile over regularly in order to mix and aerate it and let oxygen enter into the compost to create aerobes, which are the microbes that hasten the breaking down of your pile into good compost.
The disadvantages of a pile are obvious. They are rather ugly, they may attract vermin and small animals such as raccoons, dogs and rats, they may have an unpleasant odor, and they will also probably irritate the heck out of your neighbors if you live in a fairly well populated area. As a matter of interest, many municipalities now ban compost piles because of the above reasons. The one advantage of a pile is that it is fairly easy to pitchfork the raw compost over, in order to mix and aerate it, also larger amounts of compost can be processed at one time.
Compost bins are designed for the home gardener. They should be vermin and child proof, be odor free (if you provide the correct proportions of carbon and nitrogen in loading the bin this is not a problem) and visually more pleasing. A bin can be problematic when you aerate the compost because it is usually difficult to turn the compost over efficiently. Another drawback is the emptying of the bin if it does not have an access door at the bottom. Also if a bin sits directly on rough, sloped or uneven ground or is designed as a ball which has to be rolled in order along to mix the contents, that system mixing operation could be extremely difficult. Aerating need to be done on a regular basis, so the easier, the better.
A compost tumbler is probably the best system. Tumbling the contents provides aeration without the use of tools and also speed up the decomposition time. Do not believe the claims of "compost in just a couple of weeks'. This sounds good but Mother Nature works at her own pace and we can speed her up just so much. The great advantage of a tumbler is the ease of turning and aerating the compost, which should provide a finished product in about 10 weeks.
Things to be aware of:
Dark colored containers to absorb the suns heat, especially important in cooler climes.
Well built with sturdy stands or legs, a full composter can weigh over 150 pounds or more.
Can you easily relocate the unit if necessary, in order to be closer to the garden area worked currently being worked on.
Does the tumbler have a method of collecting the compost tea which collects on the bottom and if saved and utilized, is a fantastic product to pour on your planting beds or directly on the plants as a fertilizer
Other considerations:
Depending on the size of your garden, will one composter be enough? New material can always be added to your composter, but the process is quicker if one load is processed at a time. It is extremely convenient to have "ready to go compost" when you need it.
Hide a kitchen composter pail in a handy location to toss your daily scraps into. - 17268
The most basic form of a compost pile is exactly that, a pile of vegetation, garbage and scrap items such as leaves and grass, which then may be or not be surrounded by an enclosure. This simple system works very well, but requires a fairly long period of time and a certain amount of maintenance to ensure a good final product.
Finished compost should appear like fine loam with a sweet earthy aroma and should not be a slimy glob of muck. An important process in achieving this quality is turning the pile over regularly in order to mix and aerate it and let oxygen enter into the compost to create aerobes, which are the microbes that hasten the breaking down of your pile into good compost.
The disadvantages of a pile are obvious. They are rather ugly, they may attract vermin and small animals such as raccoons, dogs and rats, they may have an unpleasant odor, and they will also probably irritate the heck out of your neighbors if you live in a fairly well populated area. As a matter of interest, many municipalities now ban compost piles because of the above reasons. The one advantage of a pile is that it is fairly easy to pitchfork the raw compost over, in order to mix and aerate it, also larger amounts of compost can be processed at one time.
Compost bins are designed for the home gardener. They should be vermin and child proof, be odor free (if you provide the correct proportions of carbon and nitrogen in loading the bin this is not a problem) and visually more pleasing. A bin can be problematic when you aerate the compost because it is usually difficult to turn the compost over efficiently. Another drawback is the emptying of the bin if it does not have an access door at the bottom. Also if a bin sits directly on rough, sloped or uneven ground or is designed as a ball which has to be rolled in order along to mix the contents, that system mixing operation could be extremely difficult. Aerating need to be done on a regular basis, so the easier, the better.
A compost tumbler is probably the best system. Tumbling the contents provides aeration without the use of tools and also speed up the decomposition time. Do not believe the claims of "compost in just a couple of weeks'. This sounds good but Mother Nature works at her own pace and we can speed her up just so much. The great advantage of a tumbler is the ease of turning and aerating the compost, which should provide a finished product in about 10 weeks.
Things to be aware of:
Dark colored containers to absorb the suns heat, especially important in cooler climes.
Well built with sturdy stands or legs, a full composter can weigh over 150 pounds or more.
Can you easily relocate the unit if necessary, in order to be closer to the garden area worked currently being worked on.
Does the tumbler have a method of collecting the compost tea which collects on the bottom and if saved and utilized, is a fantastic product to pour on your planting beds or directly on the plants as a fertilizer
Other considerations:
Depending on the size of your garden, will one composter be enough? New material can always be added to your composter, but the process is quicker if one load is processed at a time. It is extremely convenient to have "ready to go compost" when you need it.
Hide a kitchen composter pail in a handy location to toss your daily scraps into. - 17268
About the Author:
Dick Murray is a retired jack of all trades who has kept his passion for gardening alive with the creation of informational web sites such as backyard compost tumbler More and more families are beginning to grow their own fruits and vegetables due to their increased concern regarding the quality, price and safety of our food supplies.
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4:26 AM
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