Organic Compost Must read if you use this

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Crabbergirl

Super Moderator
Staff member
WOW! Real nice.
I used to, way back in the day, use malorganite , which is/was composted waste. Then as I became more educated about the process, or lack there of , for this type of material, I stopped using it.
Thanks for sharing this Laurie. People who just want to do the right thing can be misled by companies just wanting to make a few extra bucks on their waste!
 

uldis

New Member
hers a good tip how to make a organic compost

There are two myths that prevent people become true masters of their own compost. The first myth is that the compost stinks. But this is not true! Good compost smells rich and healthy. The second - to create good compost requires long years. Also not true. If this autumn you will start building your first compost , in the next autumn you will be able to use it.
Compost pile, it is desirable to plan in a corner of the garden, that its don’t fall in the eyes. But at the same time, nowhere is mentioned that this space must be ugly spots in your garden. Compost can be isolated by a wooden fence, you can hide it by letting grow on the top pumpkins, kidney beans, etc.

What to put in compost
Making compost is similar to baking a cake or bread. A good foundation for a recipeis to put together the right ingredients in the correct proportions and mix it right. If you use for compost only grass, it will rot and will turn into a slimy, raw mass. If you use only hard bark and roots, they actually will not compost for years. Compost key to success is to create a balance between the green mass (grass, vegetables, flowers residues) and the brown mass (small twigs, roots, straws). British experts think that in the compost you can put even old woolen and cotton clothes and paper. The best compost material is tree leaves, but only from healthy trees. So good compost ingredients have to be different. Different materials in the compost pile put in different order.
What is important for composting
A good compost needs air, otherwise will start rotting rather than composting Process. Because when you, creating a compost pile, it should not be compact because microorganisms will start work only in the presence of air. To prevent over-compaction component must be placed in layers or strata. For example, a single layer, put vegetable peelings, then collected leaves from the garden, the grass, then again collected leaves. When planning the garden tasks for the weekend, it all can match the work order.
Need water in a dry period.
In the spring water the compost pile with biochemicals that will facilitate a more rapid decomposition.
Nitrogen and calcium accelerates the decomposition process. Compost is also important in microflora. How to get it? The economic scenario - from the decayed compost pile to add a "starter" for the new pile. The most expensive option - buy a gardening supply store biochemicals where the starter alreadyis in. Then mix it in the layers of compost pile. "
Fot the compost also important is moisture. If you start now to build your first pile in autumn the rain is likely to give sufficient moisture for composting. However, if you do these things only in the spring, remember that the pile time to time needs watering. If the compost is too dry, the plants won't compost, but it should not be too wet. There is a risk that it may start to produce methane. If you have started to build compost don't stop only with your own garden and household waste. There are countless places where they can get the waste for nothing, and people also be happy that you collected the waste. The Guardian at the locations mentioned coffeshops where you can get coffee grounds, which is an excellent material for composting. Ask the pet shops that sell birds, where they puts birds manure. Also, they are good for compost. From the local canteen can collect used tea bags from a nearby restaurant - vegetable waste.
And the final compost is a good gardeners savings bank. It can be used for planting and replanting plants and as a mulch.
You can put in Compost
- All organic domestic waste:
* Coffee and tea thicknesses
* Fruit and vegetable peelings
* Animal waste - meat and fish waste can also be composted, but note that they may attract a variety of parasites, mouse and rat
-Paper also can be composted, but in small quantities
- Can be composted and annual weeds, except for those with mature seeds
- Can be composted cut grass, flowers, etc. haulms which came.
- Fallen leaves, but only from healthy plants
Must not be composted
- Undecayed waste - plastics, glass, etc..
- Composting is not recommended for heat-treated products with residues of salt added. They later adversely affect plants
- Colored paper and printed promotional leaflets, because they contain heavy metal particles.
 

kcb37

New Member
I have done a bit of reading on composting and do not consider myself an expert.
However I will add a bit.
I have a compost bin, still working on the first bit.
Mine is black, to compost "quick" you need to have heat, and the right mixture of stuff.
The right stuff being wet and dry, or green and brown. In additon air and water.

What I have found is basically anything organic can be composted, but their is alot the home composter should stay away from, basically meat and feces. Both can be done, but to be saftely done you need heat that cannot be controled by the average composter.
Other then that you can compost alomost anything.
However the wrong materials and the wrong ratio's will create a smell and not work correctly.
Things like bread are a so so, I have some in mine now and it does not smell, although it is in a small quantity.
I also have egg shells which are suposed to be broken down. They are not, but if everything else does break down I don't care to much, they will when I put it out eventually.
All in all, the big thing I think I have found, get the ratio right, and turn it. Don't let it get to wet or dry.
A composter will be faster, just takes time to learn how to get everything right. Much easier to roll a bin then to turn with a pitch fork.
If it leaks good, that means way to much water.
From what I have found a compost pile shoule reach 140 to 160 degree's if setup properly. Mine is not near that, but warm atleast. It has been cold, so going to see if it warms up some more.
Also if you cannot get yours hot, be aware weeds that have seeded, can grow more weed when you spread your compost. So be wary of putting weeds in.
 

Wombat

Active Member
That was an interesting read Laurie...thank goodness I've never had to buy any compost I always make my own.
kcb I've always used a similar method to the one you've described. I have 3 bins and they work a treat especially during my hot summer.
 

Swerwer

New Member
We have earth worms that come out of the ground where we make our compost. We use to throw all the old clivia leafs and the old clivia plants that we throw out on to the compost to become compost as well. But we stop using the clivias and clivia leafs. We have to spray our clivias for the amarilla wurms and for the leaf bore. We have seen that the earth worms numbers have went down drastically. Now that we don’t put the clivias and clivia leafs in the compost any more the earth worms are back again. I think the poison we used for the amarilla wurms and for the leaf bore have killed the earth worms as well. But for the last 1.5 years now that we have not put the clivia leafs in the compost and we have seen that the earth worm numbers have increased drastically again. The texture of the compost is better and we getting better results again from the compost as well. We transplant hundreds of clivia seedlings per week now in to plastic bags. We not using only compost we make our own clivia soil mix’s that we use for the seedlings and one we use for the big plants. So yes watch what you put in to the compost. We have seen what can happen if you put the wrong things in we have picked it up early. It is not unusual for the compost to go up to 14 degrees and sometimes even more in the beginning when the things are busy braking down to become compost. We all so put cow, sheep and horse dung in the compost as well.
 
"Colored paper and printed promotional leaflets"

While I avoid them myself, I heard some people are not worried, since modern inks a soy based (?) Can anybody provide more information on that?
 


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