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2torial #0847:
Learn2 Make a Compost Pile
From awful offal to awesome eats!
Composting is the opposite of growing--nothing
more than the breakdown of organic, once-living
materials into simpler organic materials that are
easier for plants to use. It's a kind of rotting,
but speedier and not as stinky (if you do it
right).
Making a compost pile is a smart move for
many--not just hardcore organic farmers. Not only
will you save on your refuse bills, but by
recycling kitchen and yard wastes you'll keep this
"garbage" out of the world's overflowing landfills.
And if you've ever thought of having a small garden
(or even a houseplant), you'll end up with a
fantastic supplement for the soil.
So what is compost, anyway? It's the loamy
mixture produced by the decomposition (see
Keywords) of garden wastes, kitchen wastes, or
other materials. Although compost only contains
about 1/10 to 1% nitrogen (the rest is carbon and
trace minerals), it'll dramatically improve the
soil by improving the soil's water-retention
capabilities and by providing nutrients for the
vegetation. By adding compost, soil retains water
without becoming soggy and encouraging root rot in
soils with a lot of clay, and traps the water in
sandy soils making the moisture available more
evenly to thirsty plants.
Bonus extra-technical explanation (feel
free to skip):
Yeah, but why is it so special? Compost has
wondrous mechanical properties that compensate for
the soil's deficency or excess. Unfortunately, some
folks have too much clay in their gardens, and
would like to make the soil more friable
(penetrable) for plant roots. (As the compost is
dug into the soil, large clay particles are broken
apart. They, in turn, bind with the compost to form
smaller particles which won't bind back together
into large, unmanageable clods of earth.)
Alternatively, some folks live in dry, hot climates
with sandy soils which have difficulty retaining
moisture, and compost helps correct that imbalance.
As an extra bonus, the garden gets fed small
amounts of nutrients.
You can produce compost with a minimum of
effort--but ask yourself a few questions to decide
how you'll proceed.
How much time do you have to devote to this
activity?
What sort of space is available for the compost
pile or bin?
How much material is available for the compost
pile? How much would you like to have?
Composting uses naturally occurring
microorganisms to transform organic materials to
composted materials, and the microorganisms require
oxygen, water, warmth, and materials that are not
overly acidic. Once you've constructed the pile,
you have some freedom of how much time you'll spend
on it. On the time-intensive side of the continuum,
you turn the pile frequently, one to three times a
day. This aerates the pile--it mixes oxygen into
the decaying material. When there is plenty of
oxygen, aerobic decomposition takes place and the
materials decompose quickly--in as little as three
weeks. If you need immediate results and you can
find the time, this way is for you is for you.
On the other end of the continuum is a method
for for easygoing, patient people, or those with
less time to devote to this activity. Most of the
work is in the construction of the pile; aside from
turning the pile once every week or two, you just
let it sit! The compost will be ready in about a
year or so. If you live in a cold climate, figure
about two years. But if you're continuously adding
new material to the top, understand that the whole
pile won't be ready at once--and this makes
harvesting the compost a little trickier.
Note: in the absence of oxygen (i.e., if you
didn't turn the pile), anaerobic decomposition
takes place; this will produce a pile of slime
which is pretty unpleasant to work with.
For estimating compost production, here's a rule
of thumb: if you want to produce at least one cubic
yard of compost, you will need 10 cubic yards of
raw material. If you only want to compost a few
kitchen scraps, talk to your neighbors; you may be
able to donate your scraps to another's compost
pile that needs more materials.
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