Composting Videos

Compost Tips – Troubleshooting

At times, people put kitchen scraps in their compost bins, but may notice that the material isn’t breaking down as fast as they would like it to. The reason being is that the kitchen scraps are very nitrogen – rich. However, the key to successful composting is to have a nice medium of carbon rich materials mixed with nitrogen rich materials.

A good suggestion is to add some leaves to the mixture, or to run some shredded newspaper if you aren’t able to find some leaves. This is because both of these materials are very carbon rich. This will help balance out your pile and keep everything in its right place.

Compost Fork – Unifork

The Unifork is a gardening tool that combines the attributes of a shovel with those of a pitchfork in perfect harmony. This allows a user to flip his/her compost pile with ease. This makes turning compost easy work, and it is strong and durable – it will not rust or corrode. You can properly aerate your compost pile with this tool while mixing.

What to do w/ compost bin in winter

Often times, common curiosity makes one wonder what to do with the compost pile during the winter. The solution is simple: just keep adding to the pile. When the weather gets warmer, composting will naturally start on its own. The only real major worry is what to do if you run out of room. The answer to that is easy as well – just give it a halt and pick it up when there is more room, or just start another compost pile. This way, you are winning on all levels.

Reasons to Compost

Compost can be essential to your garden, and it occurs naturally over time. Because of this, composting by yourself is good – because you are only putting natural elements back into the environment. This way, you know you are doing something totally organic. As a direct result, you know exactly where everything is coming from – you won’t be worried about harmful chemicals, pesticides, or the “where did this stuff really come from” questions.

You can also use grass clippings, which in turn could also be used on your lawn in order to promote a healthier, greener lawn over time.

Tips on composting

Re-using kitchen scraps or lawn debris is really a fantastic way to give back to the environment. It’s the perfect way to continue giving back to the earth, in an effort to recycle and conserve resources. The fall is a perfect time to start composting. You can take advantage of all the natural carbon rich materials, such as leaves, to offset the nitrogen rich materials (kitchen scraps, etc).

There are certain things you want to try and stay away from while composting. These include meat, bones, and really fatty items. In addition, you want to avoid any sort of plant or plant product that is diseased. As they say, what goes in the pile can certainly affect the outcome of what comes out. Kitchen waste (such as vegetables) are perfect – and if it’s the fall time, it’s an excellent place to get rid of that jack-o-lantern as well!

My Compost Heap Smells. How Do I Fix It?

If your compost heap or pile smells, do not worry – it does not mean you have failed as a gardener or a composter. What it does mean is that your pile is not getting enough air. There’s a simple trick – mix some dried leaves or crumpled up newspaper or newspaper strips. This allows the nitrogen rich elements and carbon rich elements blend together. Try and stay away from any sort of milk products or meats. This will make it stink and is well, dangerous to add to your compost pile. Don’t get down, just add brown (material).

Compost Toilet Basics

Yes, a compost toilet is exactly what it sounds like. It’s similar to a regular toilet – except there’s no water. The waste stays in a drum inside, and a mixture of hemp and peat is thrown in after a use. Once a month, there is a handle that is turned to mix everything up in the drum. When the finished compost is removed from the bottom tray, you can see that it is now well composted fertilizer for your lawn, garden, or flower beds.

In true eco-friendly fashion, you can clean your compost toilet with an eco-friendly cleaner of sorts. In addition, you can use it year round, no matter what the temperature is or what season is taking place.

How to start compost heap

There are many theories when it comes to starting a good compost heap. You can use everyday materials around you. There is a simple rule – mix everything up in the compost pile. Mixing all the materials up in a compost pile will have grass clippings, leaves, and other organic material properly aerated. Make sure to properly turn the compost heap as well.

Therefore the simplicity is stunning: take all of the items that you need to compost and just start throwing them together, mixing every now and then. Whatever is holding your compost pile – be it a bin, a makeshift corral type area, or even a pile with a tarp – make sure it is properly aerated and you will be well on your way to a better composting experience!

How to Compost : Learn Organic Garden Composting Online : How to Know when the Organic Compost in your Bin is Ready

You know that your compost pile is ready when there is nothing recognizable. In other words, you cannot pick out the banana peel, or the orange peel, or the leaves that you put in to offest the carbon-nitrogen ratio. Simply put, your compost pile is ready when all the material is just a rich dark mass. The length of time can vary, depending on how properly you keep your compost aerated, and to what frequency you are turning the compost. However, a dark, rich, fertillizer-esque material is the clear cut indication that your compost is ready to go.