By Alexis Grace
For the uninitiated, composting is about the process of decomposition of organic wastes by various organisms, including fungi and worms, in the presence of oxygen. If you want to use compost, you can either refer to brands like BuildASoil for premix kits, and there is also a simple means to create compost.
The basics
Decomposing organisms need a few things to create compost. First and foremost, the presence of oxygen is critical, besides carbon and nitrogen. The latter two comes from browns and greens. The presence of moisture is also required, and you need a deep cylinder where the composting process will happen. For creating compost, you obviously need organic waste. So, what can be used? All kinds of plant materials that contain carbon and nitrogen can be used for composting. For instance, you can use grass cut from the lawn for nitrogen, while leaves or wooden chips can be considered for carbon.
Things to know
Before you go ahead and add plant matter, remember that size shouldn’t be more than 3 inches long, which means that you may have to spend some time in shredding, if needed. As we mentioned earlier, you need a bin, which can be placed in an area that doesn’t get extreme sunlight. The compost bin should have equal parts of green and brown plant matter. You can either mix all plant matter together and add to the bin, or else, there is the option of layering. The compost must be watered in layers.
Keep in mind that it will take a while for the compost to get ready, and as there is an increase in biological activity, there could be an increase in temperature. Also, it is wise to change everything in the compost bin between periods, which means that you take out all the matter that’s in the bin and place it back there. It is okay to add more plant matter.
Using the compost
You know that your compost mix is ready to be used, when it looks dark, just like soil. You will not be able to find the different plant wastes that you had put in, so everything looks the same. The compost can be now used for gardening as needed.
Just you may have guessed, creating compost doesn’t have to be complicated. Check online for premix kits and other products, to make the most of your yard maintenance and hobby of gardening.
