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COMPOSTING
TIPS
- Dry compost
Add some water and turn with a garden fork.
- Too wet
Mix in woody materials and straw.
- Strange looking compost?
Don't worry if your compost is fine and crumbly, lumpy or stringy - all types can be used.
- How often do I have to turn the compost?
The more frequent the the compost is turned, the quicker the composting process.
- Bad smell?
When vegetation decomposes it is only natural for it to smell slightly; however, if this becomes too unpleasant, turn the material around to add air. Adding materials such as leaves, straw, dry grass or wood matter can also reduce the smell.
- When is the compost ready?
When the compost is ready, it will smell sweet and look like a rich dark soil. This will take between two and six months.
It is important to get the carbon to
nitrogen ratio right (C : N). Carbon is in tougher, drier materials , like
straw, hay, plant stems and is highest of all in sawdust and
wood chips. Nitrogen is found in soft, green,
sappy growth, like grass cuttings.
Mix the different materials up as much as you can. The easiest
way to do that is to make layers, don't make thick layers
of any one material, especially not fresh grass cuttings as
they quickly reduce to a slimy mess.Small amounts of soil
help to introduce beneficial bacteria, a thin dusting (not
more) throughout is a good idea.
Very tough materials, like branches, will eventually break
down, given time, in a compost pile, so they either need a
special long term heap, or they need to have their surface
area greatly increased by crushing, chipping or shredding.
For further advice on home composting please click here
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