3<\/span><\/a>) It increases water absorption, allowing water to penetrate the soil instead of being rapidly removed. <\/p>\n\n\n\nIt therefore slows down the flow of surface water. Compost also holds the soil together, especially on sandy soils prone to erosion. You can think of fresh compost as a “glue” that can hold the soil together thanks to the humus produced during the decomposition process of organic matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHow to Make Compost: Components of Compost<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nOrganisms that break down waste organic matter need four essential elements to survive: nitrogen, carbon, air and water<\/strong>. All compostable materials contain carbon, but also varying amounts of nitrogen. <\/p>\n\n\n\nSuccessful composting is about using the right combination of materials. It is necessary to achieve the best carbon-to-nitrogen ratio and to maintain the right amount of air and water. The ideal carbon-to-nitrogen ratio should be 25 to 30 parts carbon to 1 part nitrogen<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\nIf carbon is high, the disintegration time is prolonged. Too much nitrogen-containing material can create a slippery, wet and foul-smelling pile. These problems can be easily solved by adding carbon or nitrogen-containing material, as needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n“Green” Ingredients for Nitrogen<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nNitrogen is an essential element for the growth and reproduction of plants and animals. A higher nitrogen-to-carbon ratio is usually found in fresh organic materials. Some green household materials include waste grass, food scraps and coffee grounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n“Brown” Ingredients for Carbon<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nCarbon is also vital and is found in brown plant material. Carbon is the food source for decomposers. Brown materials include dead leaves, twigs and paper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nOxygen and Water<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nDecomposers, like other organisms, need oxygen and water. For fast composting, it is necessary to provide the right amount of air and water. Optimal air flow can be achieved by layering materials, dividing materials into small pieces and turning the piles regularly. The ideal pile should be wet like a squeezed sponge in terms of water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nHeat<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nHot composting is a process in which green and brown materials, with a balance of air and water, create ideal conditions for the growth of aerobic organisms. Aerobic organisms (species that reproduce in oxygenated environments) reproduce by breaking down waste, with an optimum temperature between 54 and 60 degrees Celsius. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nRegular Ventilation<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nAeration promotes an aerobic environment, which speeds up the composting process and reduces odours. It is recommended to aerate your pile once a week in summer and every three to four weeks in winter. You can increase the natural airflow by adding pipes or large rods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nMaintaining Humidity Level<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nMoisture is essential for composting – your pile should always have the texture of a squeezed sponge. A pile that is too dry can slow composting, while a pile that is too wet can create an anaerobic environment, cause bad odours and slow decomposition. If your pile is dry (or add more wet material), water it; if it is too wet, add carbon-heavy brown materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nSize<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nThe ideal size for a compost bin or heap is 0.9 cubic metres. To add food or garden waste to your bin or heap, first cut it into smaller pieces. The smaller the pieces, the faster the decomposition. The main rule is not to add anything thicker than a finger thick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nLocation<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nThe ideal compost location is a dry and shady area. If you live in a damp location, avoid placing your pile under gutters or in places with poor water drainage; otherwise, the pile can get too wet. If you live in a sunny location, find a shady spot so the compost does not dry out too quickly and you do not have to add water constantly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nCompost Start-up and Maintenance<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nTo build your pile, add the green and brown materials alternately in thin layers and finish the last layer with brown. You can keep adding materials until you reach the best height of 0.9 metres. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Add water to the pile as needed as you layer it. Then leave the pile for four days to allow initial decomposition. You can then ventilate it regularly and check the humidity level.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat Can You Compost? <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n\nWaste grass<\/li>\n\n\n\n Withered leaves and small twigs<\/li>\n\n\n\n Wood chips and sawdust<\/li>\n\n\n\n Saman <\/li>\n\n\n\n Fruit and vegetable waste<\/li>\n\n\n\n Coffee grounds, filters, tea bags<\/li>\n\n\n\n Cardboard rolls<\/li>\n\n\n\n Waste in the dryer and vacuum cleaner hopper<\/li>\n\n\n\n Fireplace ash<\/li>\n\n\n\n Waste from houseplants<\/li>\n\n\n\n Nuts in the shell<\/li>\n\n\n\n Shredded newspaper<\/li>\n\n\n\n Cotton and woollen cloths<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nWhat You Cannot Compost? <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n\nDairy products. May cause odour and attract harmful organisms.<\/li>\n\n\n\n Medicated garden residues. Chemicals can kill beneficial compost organisms.<\/li>\n\n\n\n Coal or barbecue ash. Both can contain substances that can be harmful to plants.<\/li>\n\n\n\n Plants that are diseased or infested with insects. <\/li>\n\n\n\n Pet faeces. It may contain parasites, bacteria or microbes harmful to humans.<\/li>\n\n\n\n Meat scraps or fish bones. They can cause foul odours and attract harmful organisms.<\/li>\n\n\n\n Twigs or leaves of the black walnut tree. May release substances harmful to other plants.<\/li>\n\n\n\n Vegetable oil, animal fat or any type of used fat. It can cause foul odours and attract harmful organisms.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nComposting is the science and art of turning once-living organic waste into a rich, nutritious soil supplement. This article focuses primarily on composting methods you can implement in your home.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":88121,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[126,131],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-88119","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sustainability","category-en-en"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecording.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/directcompost.jpg?fit=1500%2C1000&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecording.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88119"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecording.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecording.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecording.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecording.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=88119"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ecording.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88119\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecording.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/88121"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecording.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=88119"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecording.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=88119"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecording.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=88119"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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