Garden enthusiasts worldwide understand that garden compost is an excellent garden soil conditioner and additive which improves the productiveness and also workability related to nearly any type of topsoil. Digging in aerobic garden compost into your existing garden soil, makes it richer and more healthy helping plant life establish more quickly and stronger which as an adverse effects will help our planet in a wide variety of basic ways from food production to watering.
This is precisely why Aerobic Garden compost is loved and cherished by garden enthusiasts all around the world since it has lots of mineral deposits and nutrients which are suitable for promoting the healthy, lush and fast growth of plants.
The method behind aerobic composting depends upon the basic idea of return, which works on the theory of whatever you put in can help determine what it is you go out. Composting backyard garden waste products plus cooking area leftovers is probably the most beneficial and also the most basic step you can take to lessen waste and establish a good, sustainable garden.
Using garden compost within your back garden recycles minerals and vitamins and organic and natural matter which helps to grow trouble-free flowers or vegetables by utilizing a lot less water, business fertilizers and even pesticides. Understanding what garden compost actually is in addition to how it can help your garden, will lead to high quality garden compost, even for those newbie gardeners, so following is a quick check list describing the specific seven aspects needed to guarantee an effective and healthy composting load.
1. The Correct Types of Products - We’re continuously being notified that for people to keep in good condition we need a well-balanced diet and exactly the exact same is true about the compost heap. All the active ingredients that you add to your composting stack are its sources of food and energy.
Composting microorganisms endure best on a mixture of succulent delicious nitrogen abundant materials referred to as “greens”, such as fresh new yard clippings, weeds, and also garden plants, along with woody carbon abundant aspects called “browns”, like fall leaves, branches, straw or paper.
I would think that you might have all discovered before that including simply food wastes from the kitchen area in your compost is a great concept. While this does work, an excellent mix of browns and greens is necessary for creating quick results. As a basic guideline, you ought to load your aerobic composting load, or composting bin with one part “Green” type materials to around 30 parts of “Brown” type products.
This ratio is necessary due to the fact that an aerobic stack containing lots of browns will require a very long time to decay, whilst a great deal of greens will lead to a stinky algae sort of mess.
Keep in mind, that too create the best type of compost, all the materials you add to the compost pile must have these following attributes. 1), they should be bio-degradable and 2), they need to consist of items that are liked by the micro-organisms. Then this suggests that you really need to stay away from the things they do not like such as various meats, bone pieces, fats and cooking oils as well as milk related products merely because they do not decompose efficiently and normally make the compost pile smell bad. Also, consisting of meat associated products to an aerobic compost pile is a lot like offering an open invite for rats and other such scavenging animals to feed on your compost heap.
2. Material Size - As with a great deal of things in this life, size really does matter. Adding large branches, huge leafy products or even entire food products on your compost pile is only going to slow down its rate of decay. All of the composting microorganisms, bugs and composting worms living in your compost just have little jaws so naturally they like smaller sized parts to chew on. Cutting larger organic food items in to smaller sized bits, by using a saw, garden shredder or your mower will help break down the bigger products into smaller bite-sized pieces.
Nearly all bacteria’s and micro-organisms normally have a tough time finding their preferred foodstuff consisted of within large woody type brown products due to their difficult outsides so shredding the materials you include helps them on their way. Because the compostable materials are made much smaller sized, a lot more surface and inner area will be exposed to the microbes which perform the job of decomposition.
If these materials are separated and lowered beforehand, it can help speed up the decomposition procedure since the smaller the pieces, the much faster they can break down. However there is also a downside in shredding woody materials to finely.
These smaller sized particles will likely produce a more compressed aerobic compost pile minimising ventilation and air flow inside the heap which could in turn lead to an anaerobic condition because of the insufficient oxygen therefore the heap may need to be forked over more frequently.
3. The Compost Tons Size - How big your composting heap is also makes a huge distinction not just to the speed of decomposition but for the final quality of the finished pile. Normally, a compost heap needs to be at most equivalent to about one cubic metre (3 x 3 x 3 feet) in volume as this makes it easier to handle. Smaller sized aerobic piles tend to dry quickly for that reason require routine watering, although commercially readily available composting bins which have solid sides plus a lid can help keep smaller sized piles damp. Bigger aerobic composting stacks inhabit a lot extra space and will need to be shelled out to allow more air into their center.
In addition, dishing out an aerobic compost heap regularly to move freshly included external products towards the stacks center, and even to a different location or composting bin is simpler and much less effort when the real size of the compost heap is far more convenient.
4. Water Material - Another essential component with regards to fast aerobic composting is the right quantity of water. Microorganisms reside in thin watery films which surround the aspects within the compost heap so it helps to keep the compost pile damp at all times. If your stack ends up being dried out, the bacterial microorganisms are not able to work effectively so consist of some extra greens. Ought to the stack become too wet, the bacterial microbes are unable to receive the amount of oxygen they wish to breath so include some extra browns and fork over the stack to mix it in.
It is basic to discover if your compost pile contains the correct volume of water (40-60%), simply take hold of a small handful from the compostable material and after that squeeze it. If water leaks out through your fingers, then the pile has actually ended up being too damp. Ideally the garden compost needs to be a little damp, much like a wet cloth or sponge to be able to guarantee bacterial decomposition and development.
5. Aeration - the composting of materials is absolutely an aerobic procedure. In order to help create premium garden compost quickly, a lot of fresh clean air is vital to let the microbes and bugs living and flourishing inside it breathe. Shelling out your compost using a spade or pitchfork when and even twice a week helps aerate the stack as well as putting the recently included fresher external materials into its middle and vice-versa.
The method of forking or turning and including dry or coarse products to the compost pile will help increase aeration, avoid odour-causing germs’s from establishing and also help to accelerate the aerobic composting procedure. This action of dishing out garden compost on a regular basis in order to help speed up the piles decomposition procedure is called “active composting”. Merely turning and forking the stack enables surplus water to escape and vaporize providing fresh tidy air to the stack at the same time.
6. Micro-organisms and Bugs - No aerobic composting heap worth its salt would not be total without the presence of the microorganisms and bugs which do all the work. It is these small little air-breathing micro-organisms and their larger soil caring cousins which are found naturally within the soil structure that will thrive within the wet and nutrient-rich environments which you have created.
The smaller sized decomposters for instance fungi and germs start the decay procedure whilst bigger sized bugs such as worms, beetles, millipedes and centipedes, finish the decomposition cycle. What’s left is a practically black humus soil improving medium.
To be able to efficiently develop and increase, all these macro and micro-organisms need an energy source like for example the “browns”, which provides them with a carb source and the “greens”, which gives them a protein abundant source. In addition to these they also need oxygen and water to make it through.
Nevertheless just like humans, these bugs also enjoy it warm and cosy, which suggests your compostable components will certainly be become a completed compost far more rapidly during the summertime when the sun’s rays help warm things up compared to the chillier winter season.
7. Don’t Rush, Be Patient - Aerobic composting takes some time. The speed or rate of composting relies upon great deals of factors as we have seen, such as the moisture content, level of aeration, in addition to the carbon-to-nitrogen portion, the real greens-to-browns ratio. Normally, aeration and humidity are generally the two essential elements influencing the quantity of time required to develop your completed compost.
But you can help Nature on her way by regular forking and turning of your compost heap which will most likely produce quality garden compost in about a couple of months in the summer season whilst month-to-month turnings might develop compost from about 4 to 6 months in time. The quickest composting happens when you have currently pre-mixed the browns and greens materials, including some previous microbe abundant garden compost and turning or blending the stack weekly, as well as managing the quantity of air and water. But if all that is just excessive work, then relax, relax and let the bugs do the work.
Aerobic compost is an excellent garden soil additive which improves the workability and effectiveness of your garden soil. The right amount and kinds of materials you add into the compost pile really makes a big distinction on the level of quality and the composting period.
You need to think of your aerobic compost pile as being like a self included eco-system, and in order for it to develop and endure, this particular eco-system requires the proper mixture of ingredients and materials such as “Oxygen” (the air), “Heat” (the sun), “Food” (the compostable products), and “Moisture” (the water), with the resulting quality and amount of the finished compost being figured out by simply how well you are able to manage and manage all of these four variables.
Gardeners around the globe understand that compost is an outstanding garden soil conditioner and additive which improves the efficiency and also workability associated with nearly any kinds of topsoil. Digging in aerobic garden compost into your existing garden soil, makes it richer and healthier helping plant life develop more quickly and stronger which as a side effect will help our planet in a wide range of simple ways from food production to watering.
This is precisely why Aerobic Compost is liked and cherished by gardeners all around the world since it has lots of mineral deposits and nutrients which appropriate for promoting the healthy, rich and rapid development of plants.
The technique behind aerobic composting depends upon the basic idea of return, which deals with the theory of whatever you put in can help identify what it is you go out. Composting backyard garden waste materials plus kitchen leftovers is most likely the most beneficial and also the easiest action you can require to lessen waste and establish a great, sustainable garden.
Utilising garden compost within your back garden recycles vitamins and minerals and organic and natural matter which helps to grow hassle-free flowers or veggies by using a lot less water, business fertilizers and even pesticides. Understanding what garden compost really is as well as how it can help your garden, will cause high quality compost, even for those newbie gardeners, so following is a quick check list detailing the particular 7 elements needed to ensure a reliable and healthy composting load.
1. The Correct Kind Of Materials - We’re continually being notified that for people to keep in good condition we need a well-balanced diet plan and exactly the exact same is true about the compost pile. All the components that you contribute to your composting stack are its sources of food and energy.
Composting microbes make it through best on a mixture of succulent yummy nitrogen abundant products referred to as “greens”, such as fresh new yard clippings, weeds, and also garden flora, along with woody carbon rich elements called “browns”, like fall leaves, branches, straw or paper.
I would believe that you might have all observed before that including simply food wastes from the kitchen in your compost is a great concept. While this does work, a great mix of browns and greens is essential for producing quick results. As a general guideline, you need to load your aerobic composting load, or composting bin with one part “Green” type products to around 30 parts of “Brown” type products.
This ratio is important since an aerobic stack containing lots of browns will require a long time to decay, whilst a great deal of greens will result in a stinky algae type of mess.
Keep in mind, that too produce the best kind of garden compost, all the materials you add to the compost pile need to have these following attributes. 1), they should be bio-degradable and 2), they need to include items that are loved by the micro-organisms. Then this recommends that you really need to stay away from the important things they do not like such as various meats, bone pieces, fats and cooking oils along with milk associated items merely because they do not break down successfully and usually make the compost pile smell bad. Also, consisting of meat related products to an aerobic compost pile is a lot like offering an open welcome for rats and other such scavenging animals to feed on your compost pile.
2. Material Size - Just like a lot of things in this life, size really does matter. Adding large branches, big leafy materials and even whole food items on your compost pile is only going to slow down its rate of decomposition. All of the composting microorganisms, bugs and composting worms living in your compost only have small jaws so naturally they like smaller sized portions to chew on. Cutting bigger organic food products in to smaller sized bits, by using a saw, garden shredder or your lawn mower will help break down the larger items into smaller sized bite-sized pieces.
Nearly all bacteria’s and micro-organisms normally have a tough time finding their favourite foodstuff included within large woody type brown materials due to their difficult outsides so shredding the materials you include helps them on their way. Because the compostable products are made much smaller, a lot more surface and inner area will be exposed to the microorganisms which carry out the job of decomposition.
If these products are separated and minimized beforehand, it can help speed up the decay procedure due to the fact that the smaller sized the pieces, the faster they can break down. However there is also a disadvantage in shredding woody products to finely.
These smaller sized particles will likely produce a more compressed aerobic compost heap reducing ventilation and air flow inside the stack which might in turn lead to an anaerobic condition because of the inadequate oxygen and so the stack might need to be handed over more regularly.
3. The Compost Heaps Size - How big your composting stack is also makes a huge distinction not just to the speed of decay but for the final quality of the completed stack. Generally, a compost pile needs to be at most comparable to about one cubic metre (3 x 3 x 3 feet) in volume as this makes it simpler to handle. Smaller sized aerobic piles have a tendency to dry easily for that reason require regular watering, although commercially readily available composting bins which have solid sides plus a lid can help keep smaller stacks damp. Larger aerobic composting stacks occupy a lot additional space and will need to be forked over to allow more air into their center.
In addition, handing over an aerobic compost heap on a regular basis to move newly added external products towards the stacks center, and even to a different location or composting bin is easier and much less effort when the actual size of the compost pile is much more workable.
4. Water Material - Another crucial element with regards to fast aerobic composting is the correct quantity of water. Microorganisms reside in thin watery movies which surround the components within the compost heap so it helps to keep the compost pile damp at all times. If your stack becomes dried, the bacterial microbes are unable to work successfully so consist of some additional greens. Should the stack become too damp, the bacterial microbes are unable to receive the amount of oxygen they wish to breath so include some additional browns and dish out the pile to blend it in.
It is simple to find out if your compost pile consists of the appropriate volume of water (40-60%), simply take hold of a little handful from the compostable product and then squeeze it. If water leaks out through your fingers, then the stack has actually become too wet. Ideally the compost needs to be a little damp, just like a wet fabric or sponge to be able to ensure bacterial decomposition and growth.
5. Aeration - the composting of products is certainly an aerobic procedure. In order to help develop premium garden compost quickly, a lot of fresh clean air is necessary to let the microorganisms and bugs living and prospering inside it breathe. Dishing out your compost using a spade or pitchfork once or even twice a week helps aerate the stack in addition to putting the newly included fresher external products into its middle and vice-versa.
The method of forking or turning and including dry or coarse products to the compost pile will help increase aeration, prevent odour-causing bacteria’s from developing and also help to speed up the aerobic composting process. This action of handing over compost on a regular basis in order to help accelerate the stacks decomposition procedure is called “active composting”. Simply turning and forking the pile allows surplus water to get away and vaporize providing fresh clean air to the pile at the same time.
6. Micro-organisms and Bugs - No aerobic composting heap worth its salt would not be total without the presence of the microorganisms and bugs which do all the work. It is these tiny little air-breathing micro-organisms and their bigger soil loving cousins which are found naturally within the soil structure that will flourish within the damp and nutrient-rich surroundings which you have created.
The smaller decomposters for instance fungi and bacteria start the decay procedure whilst bigger sized bugs such as worms, beetles, millipedes and centipedes, finish the decomposition cycle. What’s left is an almost black humus soil enhancing medium.
To be able to effectively establish and increase, all these macro and micro-organisms require an energy source like for instance the “browns”, which provides them with a carb source and the “greens”, which provides a protein abundant source. In addition to these they also need oxygen and water to survive.
However similar to humans, these bugs also like it warm and cosy, which implies your compostable ingredients will definitely be become a completed garden compost much more quickly during the summertime when the sun’s rays help warm things up compared to the colder cold weather.
7. Do not Rush, Be Patient - Aerobic composting takes some time. The speed or rate of composting trusts great deals of factors as we have seen, such as the wetness material, level of aeration, along with the carbon-to-nitrogen portion, the actual greens-to-browns ratio. Normally, aeration and humidity are usually the two crucial elements affecting the amount of time needed to create your finished compost.
But you can help Nature on her way by regular forking and turning of your compost pile which will probably produce quality compost in about a couple of months in the summertime whilst month-to-month turnings could develop compost from about four to six months in time. The quickest composting occurs when you have currently pre-mixed the browns and greens materials, adding some previous microbe rich garden compost and turning or mixing up the pile weekly, in addition to managing the quantity of air and water. But if all that is just excessive work, then relax, relax and let the bugs do the work.
Aerobic garden compost is an exceptional garden soil additive which boosts the workability and performance of your garden soil. The appropriate quantity and type of products you add into the compost pile really makes a big difference on the level of quality and the composting time period.
You need to consider your aerobic compost pile as resembling a self contained eco-system, and in order for it to establish and make it through, this particular eco-system needs the appropriate mixture of components and products such as “Oxygen” (the air), “Heat” (the sun), “Food” (the compostable products), and “Wetness” (the water), with the resulting quality and quantity of the completed garden compost being determined by simply how well you have the ability to manage and manage all of these 4 variables.
Some of the things I was told about bokashi composting when I started doing it weren’t accurate, and it was a struggle for a while. But I learned a lot after doing it for a year, and it’s actually an awesome composting option for apartments and other small and/or rented spaces.
So here’s Mod J’s Post on Why Apartment-Dwellers Should Do Bokashi Composting, with a few things I wish I’d known starting out.
What is bokashi composting?
Here’s what I understood when I started bokashi composting:
Bokashi composting is a method of composting that uses microorganisms in a powder called “bokashi bran” to speed up the composting process and eliminate the smell. Put your food scraps in the bin and layer with the bran. Once the bin is full, let it sit for two more weeks, and you’ll have good dirt ready for planting.
That’s not entirely accurate. Here’s a more accurate description:
Bokashi composting uses fermentation to turn organic waste into two components: a solid pre-compost and a liquid “bokashi tea.” The tea can be dilluted with water (a 1:100 ratio is recommended because of its high acidity) and used as a fertilizer. The pre-compost can be buried in dirt and within two weeks will become nutrient-rich compost dirt itself.
How does it work?
The bokashi method works by fermentation. Keeping it in an airtight bin allows it to ferment instead of rot, and the “bran” is supposed to help it along. (Sometimes white mold grows on the stuff inside -that’s perfectly fine and normal.) Fermenting breaks down the organic material a lot faster than ordinary composting. You end up with two components: The solid pre-compost and the liquid bokashi tea. The tea needs to be drained from the bin regularly so the excess liquid doesn’t impede the fermentation process, which is why bokashi bins have a spigot at the bottom.
Does it really have no smell?
Yes and no. If the bin or bucket you’re using has a good seal on it, you won’t smell it while the bin is closed. However, the fermenting stuff inside and the liquid that comes off it smell absolutely vile, and you willsmell it when you open the bin or drain the liquid.
Do I need to use the bokashi bran?
All the companies selling bokashi stuff say you do and it helps the process along and whatever. But never trust marketing. I’ve done full bins with a lot of the bran, some with a little bran, and some with none at all, and I’ve noticed no difference. You can try the bran and see if it works better for you, but if you don’t have any or don’t want to buy more you don’t have to.
Do I need a specific bokashi bin?
It’s definitely helpful. Bokashi bins are set up with a seal in the top to keep it airtight and seal off any smells, a bottom that tapers down to a spigot for draining off the tea, and a screen to keep the solid stuff from going all the way to the bottom and clogging up the spigot. You could absolutely build your own, but I recommend a similar setup just for ease of use.
What can I put in my bokashi bin?
Anything you would put in regular compost - vegetable scraps, leftovers, eggshells, etc. Moldy food you forgot about in the refrigerator is also great, and since bokashi uses fermentation instead of rotting, even cooked meat can go into the bin. I’ve thrown in everything from paper napkins to whole zucchinis to a compostable toothbrush (although admittedly, that last one took closer to four weeks to fully break down). There’s no need to worry about ratios of anything - the fermentation will do the work for you.
Why use bokashi?
Turn foods scraps into dirt that you can use to grow more food even while living somewhere you can’t have a compost pile. It’s faster than regular compost (a full bucket takes two weeks of fermenting and two weeks of being buried until it’s done), there’s no smell when the lid is closed, and a lot of bins will fit under a kitchen sink. It’s great for apartments, rentals, and small spaces.
The one downside is that it costs a little more to buy a bokashi bin than it does to just throw some old vegetables in a pile. (I got my bin on eBay for about $50, and many of the name-brand ones are more expensive.) But I live in an apartment, and bokashi composting lets me still have the benefits of turning my food waste into good dirt that I can use to grow more food without needing a yard to put in a full compost bin. That makes it worth the investment for me.
Can cooked, starting to…melt…pasta be composted in one of those off the ground roller bins?
I don’t have any experience with the composter you’re talking about, but I don’t see why not! The only reason I might not compost it is if it’s got a lot of fat (oil or butter) or a meat sauce on it, and that’s just because it might get stinky and attract pests.
The majority of waste that goes to landfill is organic matter, most of which can be composted at home! Pretty much everyone knows what they can compost food wise, but these items are ones you might not consider. These items are commonly made of paper and cardboard that is the carbon aspect of what needs to go in your compost. I would be wary of a couple items though that are on this; butter wrappers can be made of a mixed material that includes plastic so make sure they are made of wax paper if you want to compost them. Similarly not all tea bags are made of paper. Typically you can subject them to a tear test to see if they’re really made out of paper. Glad to give a little reminder to what else can go into the compost pile to divert some waste out of the landfill!
Now is the easiest time of year to start a new garden bed (assuming “now” = early fall, day time temperatures around 45f). All you have to do is lay down cardboard:
Top it with still some nitrogen rich compostable matter, in this case grass clippings:
Some carbon-rich matter, in this case old wood chips:
And keep layering until it’s pretty thick:
And then walk away and ignore it until spring. All winter long, it’ll be decomposing, while killing the grass and weeds underneath. By spring time, the soil underneath will be nice & loose and fertile, and you’ll be able to plant straight into it.
(If you want to meet organic standards, then make sure any cardboard or paper is non-glossy and black & white. This was for someone else’s flower bed, so the red ink isn’t going to be an issue)
To answer the weed seeds question, I personally usually top it off with a thick layer of fall leaves or wood chips, which doesn’t give seeds a good place to start. Both of these are used as weed-preventing mulches here. It also helps that were going into the cold season, so they’re not going to get much of an opportunity to grow.
I forgot to mention, but the name of this method is sheet mulching or lasagna gardening, so search those terms if you want more info.
A chop-and-drop mulch plant is one that produces a lot of biomass, which can be periodically pruned, pulled or coppiced (cutting the plant down to a stump), the organic matter then allowed to fall right to the ground as a layer of mulch. Hence, why it’s called chop-and-drop: we cut the plant and let the trimmings fall seemingly carelessly to the floor.
When naturally revitalizing soil, a collection of choice chop-and-drop plants helps to create well-balanced, nutritionally rich earth in which we can easily cultivate other plants. Aside from providing easy-to-reach mulch material, mulching being a must in healthy gardens, typical chop-and-drop plants come with some special characteristics that increase their worth.
Next up for International Compost Awareness Week: If you can’t put manure in your compost pile, what do you do with it???
These handy articles below explain a bit about why you should use it, and how you can safely compost it!
“Manure is a low-cost fertilizer and a wonderful way to utilize nutrients instead of creating a pile that is not getting used and could be harmful to water quality,”
“Simply aging a manure pile for three months can kill about 60 percent of the weed seeds present, and bacterial counts start to drop within days after the manure leaves the animal. Then, when the aged manure is mixed into the soil, soil microorganisms clear out residual bacteria in about a month.”
I(mod S) have chickens and guinea fowl, all of whom create so. much. manure. There are a couple different ways I handle their waste, both of which require as little effort as I can possibly manage. The first is my designated bird waste spot, which is a repurposed feed trough that was probably originally intended for cattle, so it’s rather large. When the coops get cleaned out, the waste goes in the trough. It sits for a while, a few months at least, until it looks more like soil than manure. Then I usually plant it with flowers, gourds, maybe decorative pumpkins - in other words, things not for eating. After those plants have lived out their lives and died back, I dig out the now fantastic soil and distribute it around various beds, wherever it’s needed.
The other method I use is when I’m making a raised bed. I avoid buying soil as much as I possibly can, so I tend to get kinda creative when I need to fill in a bed. I put a few rotting logs in the bottom, followed by a thick layer of manure, and then a thick layer of soil. Then after a week when it settles a bunch and is no longer as high as I want it, I add more soil. This creates really nice soil that won’t need amending for a few years, at least, and since there is several inches at least of soil on top, I can plant directly in it, rather than having to wait for it to decompose.
Also, as a bonus for chicken keepers, you can feed them the dairy and meat that all the guides say not to put in the compost pile!
Don’t have your own animals creating manure, but have space to compost it? Many horse farms, at least around where I live, have more than they can deal with, and some actually pay to have it carted away. You may be able to score a load for free!
If getting manure from someone else, keep in mind that there may be herbicides, pesticides, or other chemicals in it. It is exceedingly rare for horses to be kept organic, and it isn’t particularly common for chickens, either. Additionally, while chickens’ digestion kills weed seeds, other animals do not! Fascinatingly, some farmers have intentionally fed seeds such as clover to their animals with the intention of spreading them about the pasture via manure with decent success!
Happy composting!
- Mod S
Chickens, I believe, are unique in that their digestive system destroys seeds on the way through.
Basically, to my understanding, the seeds are ground up in the gizzard, destroying many of them. I believe that further along the digestive tract there are other things that also reduce the viability of seeds. This doesn’t happen to every type of seed, it isn’t 100% effective, but it’s incredibly helpful in the garden! I personally feed my chickens nearly all of the weeds I pull. Even if they don’t eat them (they don’t seem to like mint) I know that with their scratching and running around, nothing is going to grow in their coop, effectively ending those particular plants reproduction.
Can paperback books be composted? I’m asking because they have a kind of glue-like substance in them, so I’m not really sure. I really think it could be a good way to dispose of my old h*arry p*otter books, as I’m too afraid to burn them.
Yeah, the majority of a book can be composted! Generally, if the cover or any pages have that kind of glossy, plastic-y look, that part will need to be removed, as well as any other synthetic bits. If you’re worried about the glue, you can just cut the pages off the binding, but a quick search doesn’t raise any major red flags about it.
A whole book will take a long time to break down, so tearing or cutting it up into to smaller pieces is a good idea.
Doing research for a thing everyone reblog or reply and tell me what you would do with your time if you didn’t have to work. Like if you suddenly got enough passive income to live a comfortable middle class life and you didn’t have to do a single thing to get it, what would you do all day?
If you think your answer is embaraseing anon it to me.
At times when I feel helpless in the face of all that’s happening in the world, I try to keep a personal *activism log* to remind myself that while I can’t do everything, I can do something
This weekend, those ‘somethings’ have included:
bringing my reusable cup + supporting a local coffee shop calling Gov Abbott’s office to oppose the anti-Trans bill #composting my food scraps shopping at the #FarmersMarket for #local and #organic produce (pictured above!) walking + taking public transport eating #PlantBased dropping old clothes off with @nycsanitation to be recycled into scraps
While it’s certainly not perfect, this log is a gentle reminder that my day-to-day includes actions that support initiatives for a more positive future. What are some things you’ve done this weekend to take action? Let me know in the comments
[image description: top down view of a market #haul featuring leeks, shiitake mushrooms, a loaf of #PlasticFree bread, sweet potatoes, apples, onions, and funky-looking white potatoes.] (at Brooklyn, New York) https://www.instagram.com/p/CafEUW0u-NQ/?utm_medium=tumblr
Since curbside newspaper boxes don’t get a lot of action selling papers anymore, a new urban intervention puts them to use as something else: convenient compost bins.
“The boxes are so commonplace in the city, and I wanted to subtly tweak them to make people stop, look twice, and think about what they are seeing versus what they expect to see,” says designer Debbie Ullman, who created the New York Compost Box Project.
Placed next to community gardens, the boxes serve as a place for anyone to recycle food waste as they walk by. “The idea is to make it possible for busy New Yorkers to drop their scraps whenever it’s convenient for them, 24/7.”
This is cool! My initial question was who would use the compost, but the article says they’d be near community gardens, or alternatively could have a lock code so anyone who knows the code can take some for their own garden. My other question is who would maintain the bins? I’m no compost expert, but I understand it’s best if it has balanced food waste and dry matter (twigs etc) and is turned occasionally - would there be someone in charge of that?
Local Volunteers Begin Constructing Compost Bins for “Building Soil and Community”
Designs were finalized and construction is underway for a three-bin style composting system to be used for our community composting project in Lynchburg, Virginia. Can’t wait to begin demonstrating how we can divert waste from the landfill and put nutrients back into the soil!
Check out this exchange alumni small grants project in action!
Anon asked: Can I ask a few dumb questions? Why can’t dog or cat poo be used in composting? Is it the same for human poo? Or are pet and human poo usable? What all should I BE composting, other than leaves, twigs, and grass?
There is no such thing as a stupid question!! And these are all great questions, composting can be a super complicated topic and I totally understand your confusion.
So the short answer is, anything that will decompose CAN be composted, poo included.
Long answer is, its complicated. Poop in general can carry diseases and parasites, which, if it’s being used for growing food, means that it needs to be well decomposed before its put anywhere near food plants. Chicken, horse, cow, rabbit, and goat manure are generally fairly safe to use if allowed to decompose for a few months. Of course, this process can be sped up through a method called hot composting, but that’s a bit more involved. My strategy is, when I clean out my chicken coops, I pile it in a specific place and leave it alone for 6-12 months, then spread it out in early spring in areas I’ll be planting later. This is called cold composting, and requires very little effort.
Composting toilets are a great example of how to treat human waste! I believe what comes out of them is safe to use for food plants, though that may only be true of the systems I’ve seen. And I’m not 100% sure of the legality of using it, many places don’t allow it to be used in larger scale agriculture. A lot of people are also really grossed out by the idea of using human waste to grow food, even when it’s entirely safe.
Dog and cat waste seems to be treated similarly to human waste. There seem to be mixed opinions on whether it’s safe or has any benefits in the garden. Rather than putting my dogs’ waste in the trash, I usually toss it out into the forest, away from where anyone will be walking or foraging. It’ll break down fairly quickly, especially if it’s spread out, and there’s no risk of contaminating anything.
As for what you should be composting, kitchen scraps are great! Coffee grounds, tea leaves and vegetable scraps are common things that can be added to your compost. Animal products, such as meat, dairy and eggs, can be stinky whilst decomposing and attract rodents and insects, so most people don’t put them in their compost. Cardboard boxes, toilet paper rolls, napkins and paper towels can all be composted!
I’ll find some resources on composting to share, but feel free to ask more questions!
- Mod S
I compost my cat poop for my garden. I only use compostable wood litter and it breaks down really well in the compost pile. From my research it seems reasonably safe. My cats are indoor only, well taken care of, and regularly see the vet, so the likelihood that they have anything is slim. Also, they always try to sleep on my face and generally get into everything, so if they were going to give me something I don’t think that the compost would be the most likely route of transmission. I’m much more concerned about diseases from feral cats and wildlife ending up in my garden, which is why I wash my foods well, as everyone should.
❤️ #waterlandyou #repost #reposting (All credit to owners)
@urbanfoodspaces Credit @fiverodplot
Turning the compost heap
This heap is now about a year old so it was great to be able to remove the front panel, see the different layers of compost and give it some air.
The pile was full of red wigglers, nature’s ultimate composting worm that can eat roughly half their weight everyday!
Once turned, I added in some wood chip, a great source of carbon and balanced it out with nitrogen rich kitchen waste. I’ve kept some of the finished compost aside to use on my beds. . . . . . #allotment #allotmentlife #allotmentlove #nodig #soilhealth #organicgrowing #growyourown #gyo #marketgarden #kitchengarden #gardeninglife #backyardveggies #veggiepatch #sustainableliving #climatechange #regenerativeagriculture #gardeninspiration #greenthumb #humanswhogrowfood #ediblegarden #homemade #composting #sustainablesprout #natureisbeautiful #eatwhatyougrow #diy #compost #growingfood #vegpatch #urbanfoodspaces https://www.instagram.com/tv/Cdl72_jPPKj/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
Bamboo grows very fast, so it is the perfect material for an item that needs to be replaced every three month. Unlike plastic. A plastic toothbrush is used for a couple of weeks and then stays on this planet for several hundred years, since it will not biodegrade. That makes no sense. Switch to bamboo. Plus: You can just burry the old brushes in the backyard.
Before I reblog, I always do a little fact-checking and research first to make sure I’m not disseminating inaccurate information.
I found the above post to be a bit misleading. It says you can “just burry (sic) the old brushes in the backyard,” seemingly implying that the entire brush is biodegradable.
This isn’t the case. While it’s certainly a good step to buy a bamboo brush rather than a landfill-destined plastic brush, even a bamboo brush isn’t fully biodegradable.
I found that currently, no one has been able to create toothbrushes that are fully biodegradable because the bristles are typically made of some inorganic material like nylon — unless they use boar bristles. This doesn’t necessarily make boar bristle brushes the go-to option: some people who use these types of brushes complain of an odor, in addition to the fact that these brushes may not be considered vegan since they’re made with a hair harvested from an animal.
Within the realm of bamboo brushes, one of the seemingly best options is made by a company called Brush With Bamboo. According to their website, the bristles of their sustainably-made brushes are made with 62% castor bean oil and 38% nylon, rendering them “biobased, but still not biodegradable,” since nylon doesn’t decompose.
So if you bury your bamboo brush, sure, most of it will decompose. But the bristles won’t. In fact, most bamboo brush companies advise you to tweeze out the bristles before attempting to compost.
Sure, the bristles are small and seemingly insignificant, but you should know what you’re getting into before telling all your friends you’ve got a fully biodegradable toothbrush graveyard buried in your garden.
I’d be remiss not to include that there is one option, and it’s been around for centuries: the neem chew stick. It’s the only truly biodegradable option, since it’s made from a neem plant and is a literal stick. It’s exactly what it sounds like. To use it, you chew on the end of the stick until it frays into bristles, then you brush.
The downside? You have to chew your toothbrush down before you can use it. And when it comes to brushing your teeth, the more inconvenient it is, the less likely you are to do it. And one thing I really want to emphasize on my own blog is making more sustainable choices easier, not harder.
Until someone creates the perfect toothbrush — ergonomic, wallet-friendly, biodegradable, and not made from pig hair — it looks like the best option on the market is a bamboo brush. Just make sure to tweeze out those bristles before you toss them in the dirt.
Have you seen any other notable sustainably-made or biodegradable toothbrushes? My ears (and asks) are open.
