What is compost?
By the dictionary definition, compost is “a mixture
of decaying organic matter, such as leaves and manure,
used as fertilizer.” When you gather a pile of vegetable
and household material, maintain the proper degree of
moisture, and turn your pile regularly, waste is eventually
reduced to a wealth of compost, an earthlike substance
that forms a beneficial growing environment for plant
roots.
What’s the
difference between compost and mulch?
Mulch is a protective covering (like sawdust, compost
or paper) spread or left on the ground to reduce evaporation,
maintain even soil temperature, prevent erosion, control
weeds, enrich the soil, or keep fruit (such as strawberries)
clean. Compost makes a handy mulch around closely spaced
vegetable and flower plants because it doesn’t damage
the stems. When you have an abundance of compost (as you’ll
have with the ComposT-Twin), you can afford to be generous
with it as a mulch.
Is all compost
smelly?
The odor of compost should be earth-like, or like good
woods soil. Any bad smell is a sign that the materials
are unbalanced or that decomposition has stalled. A strong
ammonia smell may indicate too much grass; add some dry,
high-carbon materials. The smell of spoiled food means
inappropriate meat or dairy scraps need to be removed.
Make sure that all materials are mixed thoroughly to ensure
good aeration.
Will compost attract
insects or rodents?
Compost piles have a bad reputation for inviting dogs
and other pests, housing mice, rats, and snakes, and providing
a breeding den for flies, mosquitoes, and other undesirable
insects. If kitchen wastes are not covered or turned under,
there could be a pest problem. But because the ComposT-Twin
rests above the ground and keeps everything enclosed,
you should not have a problem with pests.
Why use
compost?
New research is proving what many gardeners have long
known - compost helps protect plants from diseases and
insect pests. Compost enhances the soil’s ability
to hold water and air, both essential for plants. Over
time, compost-amended soil darkens and warms up more quickly
in the spring, extending your growing season. Unlike soluble
chemical fertilizers, compost releases its nutrients slowly
as plants need them. And by composting, you can put your
kitchen and garden scraps to good use - much better than
landfilling. American municipalities produce almost 200
million tons of mixed residential garbage each year; 68
percent of the landfilled material is organic (yard, food,
paper and wood waste).
What’s
wrong with commercial fertilizers?
Chemical fertilizers, unlike the natural fertilizer of
compost, are manufactured from unrenewable natural resources
such as natural gas. Approximately 2 percent of the natural
gas consumed in the United States goes into the manufacture
of nitrogen fertilizer. Composting is a giant step toward
recycling wastes, conserving precious energy reserves,
and regaining control of our food supplies. Also, chemical
fertilizers supply only major nutrients in quick-release
forms. Plants obtain fast growth, but long-term benefits
are few. Living soil and living plants need far more than
a few isolated chemical elements for sustained health.
Chemical fertilizers contain high levels of nitrogen,
which creates lush, watery growth that is more susceptible
to attack by diseases and insects, including aphids.
What materials
should I compost?
Homes and gardens across the country produce a wide variety
of organic materials. Yard trimmings - leaves, grass,
weeds, brush and prunings - make up the major share of
compostables, although kitchen scraps and agricultural
manures can also play a significant role. Leaves, grass
clippings, food scraps (except meat and dairy products),
weeds, woody trimmings, and shredded black & white
newspaper are just some of the materials you can compost.
Compost activator can also be added to speed up the decomposition
process.
What materials
should not be composted?
Most ashes are safe to mix into your compost heap, but
coal ashes are not. They have excessive amounts of both
sulfur and iron, amounts that are toxic to plants. Charcoal
should be avoided too; it is primarily carbon and will
resist decay even after thousands of years! Compost experts
recommend not adding any colored paper, such as magazines
or catalogs, to your compost pile. Keep pesticide-treated
plants and pressure-treated wood scraps and sawdust, which
contain copper, cyanide and arsenic, out of your compost
pile. Pet droppings also can contain disease organisms
and are best avoided.
How long
does it take to make compost?
When you tend to a compost pile, maintain a balance of
ingredients, check the moisture level, and turn it regularly,
compost can be made in a matter of weeks. A compost thermometer
and moisture meter can be used to monitor how your compost
is “cooking.” In addition, daily aeration
of the material when you turn your ComposT-Twin makes
the organisms convert raw organic matter into compost
more quickly.
What’s
the fastest way to make compost?
There are five things to concentrate on when making fast-acting
compost:
1. Vary the materials to make a balanced food supply for
the micro-organisms. Add compost activator.
2. Mix all materials thoroughly instead of making layers.
3. Make many cuts and scratches in stems and leaves to
provide entry for micro-organisms
4. Turn frequently for aeration.
5. Maintain ample moisture.
How
should I use compost?
Begin your compost-adding program by spreading at least
an inch over all growing areas in the fall or before you
plant in the spring, and till the compost into the top
several inches of the soil. Supplement your original compost
application by sidedressing the heavy-feeding crops such
as squash, corn, tomatoes and even broccoli with either
a half-inch layer of compost or a blended organic fertilizer
each month during the growing season. You will see a visible
difference in the soil - it will look darker and looser-textured.
Compost-amended soil will also have higher levels of nutrients
when tested at a lab.
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