Standard composting-Part 11

After constructing a cage, the material to be composted is merely thrown into the wire cage as it becomes available. Rather than turning the material every week or so to aerate it, the wire sidewall of a circular gage is lifted off the original pile and moved to a flat area adjacent to it. A shovel is used to transfer the decomposing material into the now empty circular wire container. This maneuver minimizes the labor required to aerate the composting material in the pile; however, irrespective of the methodology employed, a compost pile must be turned at least once a week for aerobic decomposition to occur and to prevent it from becoming anaerobic and sour. Anaerobic piles smell like vinegar and take on a matted slimy appearance that attracts flies. A sure way to achieve an anaerobic compost pile is to add a solid layer of green lawn clippings to the pile. As many of us have learned the hard way, the lawn clippings will quickly turn into a dark green slimy smelly mess. What can be put into a compost pile? Gardeners fill their compost bins with a combination of organic wastes commonly referred to as browns and greens. These materials may be added in layers or mixed together, ideally, at the rate of about three parts brown to one part green; however, for practical purposes, the exact proportions of each ingredient is not too important. So, don't worry too much about the ratios of browns to greens when adding organic material to your compost pile; if fact, I never give the issue a second thought. Green materials are rich in nitrogen and include green lawn clippings, fruit and vegetable kitchen scraps, coffee grounds, tea leaves, egg shells and, most importantly, animal manures. I expect that egg shells, although carbon based, are considered to be green because they usually are mixed with green kitchen scrapes. Browns are rich in carbon and include dried lawn clippings, tree leaves, dead plants and weeds, sawdust, straw, cardboard, shredded paper and paper towels. What should not be placed in a compost pile. Human or pet feces should not be added to a compost pile because they may contain harmful pathogens and parasites. Cat feces can be particularly harmful because cats often are infected with the toxoplasmosis parasite that can cause blindness. Kitchen waste that contain oil, fat, bread, pasta, cooked food or nuts should not be added to a compost pile first, because they are slow to decompose and second, because they will attract pests and vermin to a compost pile if it is not covered. It probably is best not to add weeds that have gone to seed to a compost pile because the temperatures in the pile may not get hot enough to kill the seeds. Finally, do not attempt to compost plastic or synthetic fibers since they will not decompose, even under the most optimal conditions. Constructing a simple efficient compost pile. First, obtain a segment of wire mesh, like chicken wire or Yard Gard Vinyl covered welded wire, approximately 10 feet long and 4 feet wide. Overlap the cut ends of the wire to form a circular structure approximately three feet in diameter. If your are forming a cage from chicken wire use staples or roofing nails to fasten the cut ends of the wire to two pieces of four foot long 1'' x 4'' so that the ends of the wire cage you are building are easy to manipulate. Drill two 1/4'' in diameter holes in the 1'' X 4''s about one foot from each end and join them together with two threaded quarter inch bolts that are three inches in length. Alternately, hold the ends together with a short bungee cord. You have now formed a light weight easy to maneuver wire cage that will hold about 30 cubic feet of compost, perfect for a backyard compost pile! Now, select a space to place the wire composting cage. The area must be flat and large enough to accommodate at least two gages side by side (even if you will be using only one composting cage there must be sufficient room so that it can be moved to the side when you refill it every week or so. A compost pile may be placed on any surface; however, if it is to be placed on a surface like cement or asphalt, be sure to add a handful or two of fertile soil to the mix so that the pile has enough bacteria to begin the decomposition process. It doesn't take much, as one tea spoon of fertile soil adds 100 million bacteria and 400 to 800 feet of fungal threads to the material to be composted (Oregon State University). Begin the composting process by adding a 6 inch layer of brown waste consisting of tree leaves, dry grass or threaded newspaper to the bottom of the pile, follow this with a two inch layer of green waste, kitchen scrapes or animal manure. Continue to add alternate layers of brown and green waste until the cage is full, adding water to each layer as you build the compost pile. The material should as wet as a wrung-out sponge. Alternately, add a mixture of browns and greens as they become available. As long as there is a sufficient amount of nitrogen (green waste) in the mix it should begin to decompose within a few days. You can follow the process by monitoring the temperature in the pile with an inexpensive compost thermometer purchased at your local garden store. How to use compost. I cannot think of a situation where compost will not improve the condition of garden soil. For all practical purposes, there is no limit to the amount you can add to the soil in your garden, the more the better. Compost is particularly valuable as a soil conditioner for soils with either a high content of clay or sand. In sandy soils compost aids water retention and it adds organic material to infertile adobe and clay soils. One word of caution though, if the composting process is not complete before it is added to garden soil, it may rob nitrogen from the soil as the material being composted continues to break down. How to determine if the composting process is complete? This can be a particularly vexing problem, especially if new material is continually being added to the pile as it becomes available; in that situation the composting process will never be complete. However, here are a few guidelines to follow. Finished, or almost completed compost, will have a dark brown color, a crumbly texture and an earthy smell. Few, if any, particles such as small pieces of leaves and grass, will be visible in the compost. Finished compost will be reduced to 1/3rd of its original volume. Finally, the internal temperature of the pile will approach the ambient outdoor temperature when the decomposition process is complete. The temperature of the pile, as mentioned above, can be determined with an inexpensive compost thermometer. Finally, I do not believe it is necessary, or advisable, to add lime, activators or accelerators of any kind to a compost pile. These additives are not necessary and are potentially harmful to the composting process. How long will it take to compost my green and brown waste? The composting process can take as little as one to two months or as long as two years depending on the material to be composted and the care given to maintaining the pile. As mentioned above, for efficient composting, the ratio of browns and greens in the pile should be about three to one; the volume of the pile should be at least 27 cubic feet; the pile should be kept moist, but not wet; and, most importantly, the material in the pile should be turned no less than once a week. Finally, in cold climates the compost pile should be covered with something like a tarp or old rug to prevent, as much as possible, heat from escaping from the pile.