By: Robert

pt of composting has been around for quite a long time in the forests. Leaves fall to the forest floor, decompose, and their nutrients will be absorbed back into the trees through the roots. Farmers and Gardeners have been taking advantage of the nutrient rich by product from this decomposition for thousands of years and you can too. Composting is a great way to add nutrients to your garden or potting soil. Not only is it good for your garden and plants, it also is a good way for you to help reduce your overall garbage going to the dump. There are no hard and fast rules in what you should do your composting in. In fact you could do it in a pile in the yard, although it will probably not be well accepted by the rest of your family. While you can go out and buy a commercially sold unit that will do well for all your composting needs, I prefer to save a few bucks and build one myself. The real hero’s in the world of composting are the fungi, bacteria, worms and other insects that will take your yard and kitchen waste and turn it into the black gold you want for your pots and garden. Now it is in your best interest to keep these guys in good conditions so they can digest the food you give them. Their basic requirements are just like you and I, they are food, water, and air. If you want to help these insects and microbes along, keep your compost in a nice cool corner of your yard. To better understand these basic needs for your compost let’s start with the food. Essentially there are two types of food. There are the brown foods that include straw, autumn leaves, wood chips/sawdust, and dead plant material. These materials mainly consist of long chains of sugar molecules that the microbes digest and use as a source of energy. There are also the greens such as green grass and weeds, kitchen fruit and vegetables, coffee grounds, and tea bags. These materials have a lot more nitrogen in them than the browns. This nitrogen in your compost pile acts as a source of protein to all those microbes for them to feed off of as well. The next part is the air. It is very important to get good airflow into your pile. The microbes you want to decompose your pile cannot do this without air. If there is no air supply then other microbes will move in. They will also do the job but they work a lot slower and tend to make the compost smell like rotten garbage. So unless you want your backyard to smell like the city dump you will have it “fluff” your pile. “Fluffing” your pile is easily done with a spade or a garden fork. You will have to completely break it apart and then pile it back together leaving it in a “Fluffy” condition. Some “food” like grass clippings or wet leaves will sit heavy on the pile and not allow good air flow through that portion of the pile. You should mix this sort of ingredient into the pile to avoid a spot that won’t decompose very easily. Straw is a great ingredient to add to your compost because unlike grass they will not mat down into slimy layers and add to the airflow. Water is the last important ingredient in your compost. This is where it gets a little tricky. You need to get the water just right to aid and not hinder the work of the microbes. Too wet and the pile gets too heavy and the airflow gets cut off to the middle of the pile. Too dry and the microbes will not be able to break down the waste as easily. Ideally you want to get every particle wet but not saturated. In wet climates you may need a lid or a tarp to avoid saturation. Having a good mix of the greens and browns is a good thing for a few reasons. Not only does it supply all your little microbes with a good diet, but it also helps in airflow since the browns are dry and “light” and the greens are wet and “heavy”.

By: Jack Nguyen

There are many different methods of composting, and there are a number of products now available to those who compost. The compost bin to buy depends on the needs of the garden or home. With that said, compost tumblers provide an efficient, low maintenance, and reliable method of composting.

One of the many misconceptions about composting is that there is an odor associated with decomposing materials. The odor that is referred to is caused when microbes don’t thrive amongst the compost. Microbes are the microscopic living organisms that convert biodegradable waste into rich organic soil. Like any living being, microbes require oxygen to exist. This happens by turning the compost. When the compost sits neglected, microbes don’t get their oxygen. When the microbes don’t get their oxygen, they die, they smell, and the compost doesn’t decompose nearly as fast. The smell associated with composting only happens when compost is neglected.

This is where compost tumblers come in very handy: they are incredibly easy to maintain. Every time you throw something in your compost tumbler, you just turn it a few times. It is never neglected, it is never stinky, and it turns out fresh organic soil in record breaking time. Typically, with a single compost bin or compost heap, decomposition time can take between six months and two years. Compost tumblers, when used and turned regularly, have been known to create humus in as little as a month or two. This does, of course, depend on the user. What can be accurately said is that compost tumblers will cut decomposition time in at least half.

There are a few things to consider when shopping for a compost tumbler. Compost tumblers come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and materials. As always the case, think first of your own composting needs. This will help to determine what size tumbler you need. Consider as well your own physical needs. Some people struggle with turning huge heaps of compost; one major advantage that compost tumblers offer is that they require very little physical exertion to turn. The height of some tumblers can be a factor because height determines ease of accessibility.

Another factor to consider is the material used in the construction of the tumbler. A good choice in material for compost tumblers is food grade plastic. This material is UV resistant which means that it will be durable, and last a very long time. Some compost tumblers have metal parts, which isn’t necessarily an advantage because they become weather rusted in certain climates. A food grade plastic compost tumbler generally outlives the rest, and maintains a nice warm temperature for the microbes that dwell in there.

Yet another important factor to consider before you buy is maneuverability. For the most part, when filled with compost, you’re probably not going to be moving your compost tumbler around your lawn or garden. However, there are some models that are bulkier and harder to move than others. If you know that you will at some point be required to move your bin, you should absolutely factor this into the equation. There are several rolling models that simply roll across your lawn, churning the compost as you move it. Now there are also several models that actually include wheels; one of which doubles as a wheelbarrow. So if maneuverability is an issue, you certainly are at no loss to find portable compost tumblers.

Whatever your composting need, give compost tumblers a shot. You might have to invest a bit more money up front than a standard compost bin, but you’ll find that the returns of this method of composting are well worth it.

By: Ellen Bell

One of the biggest complaints people have about composting is that it smells.  And in some cases, this is true.  When organic materials are heaped up in a pile and left to sit, they essentially rot, and we all know that rotting food and plants are going to smell.  But did you know that composting doesn’t have to stink?  It’s true!  In this article we’ll explain the 3 simple steps that anyone can follow to go from smelly to odor free composting.

The first step in odorless composting is to understand the two basic methods of composting: aerobic and anaerobic.  As the name would suggest, aerobic composting requires air, specifically oxygen, to be successful.  Anaerobic composting, on the other hand, is what occurs when the compost isn’t exposed to the air.

The primary differences between aerobic and anaerobic composting are speed of decomposition and odor created.  Aerobic bacteria work very quickly and efficiently.  Compost that’s properly aerated can decompose to a finished product within a month or two, under the right conditions.  Anaerobic bacteria, on the other hand are very inefficient, sometimes taking as long as a couple years to produce finished compost.  Anaerobic bacteria also product methane and sulfate gasses as a byproduct of the composting process.  These gasses are bad for the environment; they are greenhouse gasses that deplete our ozone.  Furthermore, these are the gasses that smell offensive to humans.  When we think of a smelly compost heap, what we’re really thinking of is anaerobic composting.  Aerobic bacteria, on the other hand, do not produce these gasses, thus the reason that aerobic composting results in little to no odor.

One of the best ways to ensure that your compost is aerobic is to use a compost tumbler.  These drum-shaped devices are usually mounted on an axel so they can spin or rotate freely.  The action of the compost turning and tumbling inside the bin aerates the material, providing the necessary oxygen for the aerobic bacteria to do their job.

If you don’t have a compost tumbler, or simply don’t want to invest in one, you can encourage the growth of aerobic bacteria in a regular compost heap by simply turning the material on a regular basis.  You may want to invest in a long handled tool such as a large shovel or pitchfork to make the turning process easier.  Regardless of whether you have a compost tumbler or a basic compost heap, you should aim for turning the material every 2 to 3 days for best results.

The second step in odorless composting is to maintain the appropriate ratio of browns and greens in the bin.  Examples of browns, or carbon rich materials, include dried leaves, shredded paper, sawdust, and dryer lint.  Examples of greens, or nitrogen rich materials, include green grass clippings, vegetable or fruit peelings, cooked rice and pasta, and seaweed or other aquarium plants.  If you get compost bin with too many greens, the material will begin to smell.  This is easy to adjust by simply adding more browns.  In addition to the items listed above, other browns might include peat moss, pencil shavings, shredded paper napkins, coffee grounds, chopped hay or straw, potting soil, nut shells, and tea bags.  Finished compost will also act as a brown material.

The third and last step in avoiding a smelly compost bin is to keep out all meats, eggs, and dairy products.  When the proteins in these items break down, they create an unpleasant odor.  Also to be avoided are any fatty wastes including butter, shortening, cooking oils, lard, and other animal fats.

And that’s all there is to it!  With 3 simple steps, you can change your smelly and slow compost heap into a lean, mean, and odorless composting system that will turn out finished compost in a matter of weeks.  So what are you waiting for?  Begin your odorless composting system today!