The main ones that I live by are:
Put the right things in...
Good things to compost include vegetable peelings, fruit waste, teabags, plant prunings and grass cuttings. These are fast to break down and provide important nitrogen as well as moisture. It’s also good to include cardboard egg boxes, scrunched up paper and fallen leaves. These are slower to rot but provide vital fibre and carbon and also allow important air pockets to form in the mixture. Crushed eggshells can be included to add useful minerals.
Keep the balance right...
The key to good compost lies in getting the mix right. Keep the‘greens’ and ‘browns’ properly balanced, (approx 25 to 50 percent of green material). If the compost is too wet, add more ‘browns’. If it’s too dry, add some ‘greens’. Make sure there is enough air in the mixture is also important. Adding scrunched up bits of cardboard is a simple way to create air pockets that will help keep the compost healthy. Air can also be added by mixing the contents.
Give it a good airing...
A well-cared-for compost heap requires regular turning. Turning the compost helps to aerate and mix up the waste and cuttings, which leads to faster composting.
The compost takes six months to two years to be ready; when it is ready it is dark brown, with a crumbly soil-like texture and a smell of damp woodland. All the material in the heap will not be like this, but any remaining un-rotted material can be added to a new compost bin for the following years rotatations. I have a three year rotation, it is my view that it doesn't matter how big or small your plot is you should have at least 3 compost bins, at the end of each 3 year rotation I take out anything that still needs to breakdown some more and put it back into the newest bin for another 3 year rotation.
I took over a plot that had 2 full bins already on it; which was fabulous but on closer inspection because the beds hadn't been properly prepared they both had nettles and doc growing through them. I prepare my beds by using cardboard, it's not foolproof but it does slow the weeds down. I have contemplated using a weed membrane but I wasn't sure if it would let the worms through to do their thing so I've stayed away from it - I'm happy for someone to tell me that worms can get through the membrane ;-)
In year one I fill my first bin, I use a mixture of waste from the plot as well as taking my kitchen waste, cereal boxes, egg boxes and egg shells to add. At the end of the season I cover the compost with a heavy duty weed membrane which stops any new weeds taking root in the compost and any that have worked their way up from growing successfully whilst the compost is breaking down. I repeat the process in year two and then in year three I start using the compost from year one whilst filling the third bin.
I'm also a firm believer that any organic material can be composted but I drown nettles to make a fertiliser and burn perennial weeds like doc, dandelion and bindweed as well as any really big pieces of wood that I don't think will break down as part of my three year rotation. Once burnt I put the ash into my oldest compost bin (the one I'm using or will be using next). My thought is that when I buy compost I pay extra for the one that has potash so it must be good to add!
Ultimately compost is essential for my gardening, I use it as a soil improver (I have very heavy clay), as a mulch and for my seedlings. I think that taking the time to really allow my compost to break down is really important. Yes - I could just have 2 bins and still have reasonably good compost but I hope that by adding another year into my plan I have a better quality compost which is more fully broken down and less need for sifting each year!
I hope that my thoughts help you to get good quality compost, as ever feel free to post your thoughts or comments - happy gardening!
No comments:
Post a Comment