Making Your Compost Pile
by
John Yazo
Making your compost pile takes pratice to learn the ratio needed to decompose organic material depending on the materials you are using.
If you use to much brown material ( carbon-rich) the process of decomposing will be slow and if you use to much green material ( nitrogen-rich ) the pile will become slimy, smell and wont heat up to start the decomposing process.
There is no exact recipe in making a compost pile but it is important to get the ratio of brown and green material close in proportion. A 25 to 1 ratio to start of brown and green material. If the pile starts to smell or get slimy reduce the green material by adding more brown material and mix it well. Good compost shouldn't stink. It should have a sweet earthy smell to it.
When
starting to fill your bin add a layer of course material on the bottom
to allow air to circulate and drainage under and through the pile. You
can use a layer of gravel under the pile for drainage or
twigs, straw
or corn stalks. Then start your layers with about 6" of brown material
then 2" of green material adding a thin layer of topsoil from your
garden between them. This helps decomposing by adding microorganisims
that are in the soil.
Anything of living origin can be composed. The quality of the material used and the amount used will determine the composting process and the quality of the compost. The organisms in a compost pile need the correct ratio of carbon and nitrogen. This is known as the C/N ratio. If there is to much carbon the process of decomposition will be slow and the nitrogen depleted. If the nitrogen is to high the nitrogen gets wasted by escaping into the air and leaving an unpleasent odor. It can also pollute water supplies.
I start with a 6" layer of brown material ( carbon ) leaves then a 2" layer of green material ( nitrogen ) grass clippings or weeds pulled from the garden. Then sprinkle a thin layer of topsoil to supply the pile with organisms that are in the soil to help the decomposition process start faster.
Once the bin is full start turning it every 2 too 3 weeks. The temperature in the center of the pile should be around 115 to 160 degrees fahrenheit.
Two low of a tempature the organisms wont decay the material and to high of a tempature inhibit the organisims growth. This is why the pile needs to be turned. Durning dry seasons moisten the pile while turning by misting the pile with water. Don't let the pile get soggy.
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