Magkat-un Ta ug "Compost", Mare, Pare! :)

HERE'S TO A GARBAGE-FREE WORLD, KAPAMILYA!!! :)

Composting

With the right ingredients and a few simple tools, you can turn grass clippings, leaves, branches, weeds, and some kitchen waste into sweet smelling humus that contains plant nutrients and retains moisture. Composting speeds up the decay of these organic materials. The amount of time it takes to form humus depends on the materials used to make the compost pile, composting techniques, and the amount of effort you put into the process.

Freestanding compost piles can be left alone, and over time, they will decompose, depending on moisture and temperature. This method takes little effort, but requires more space than home composting units, which contain the pile, keep animals from digging into it, and allow you to aerate the compost, so it can decay faster.

Most organic material can go into your compost pile: leaves, branches, weeds, grass clippings, vegetable kitchen waste, saw dust, wood chips, egg shells, tea bags, coffee grounds, paper coffee filters, and paper towels.

BUT you shouldn't use:

· Animal feces. They can contain germs that may not be destroyed during decomposition. If the compost is used in vegetable gardens, the germs can make people sick when they eat the vegetables.

· Meat scraps or grease. They attract rats and flies.
· Plastics. They don't break down.

· Coal or charcoal briquette ashes. They are often chemically treated.

· Pesticides and fungicides. They contain toxic materials.

So what happens inside the compost pile?

Bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms break down the organic material inside the pile. Microorganisms that live in temperatures from 50° - 113° F (10° - 45° C) begin the decomposition process. The microorganisms generate heat as they consume and digest the material in the pile. As the pile heats up, other microorganisms that live in temperatures from 113° - 158° F (45° - 70° C) take over the decomposition process.

The bacteria that decompose the pile require moisture and oxygen. If the pile is too dry, or if bacteria use up the available oxygen, the temperature drops and the decomposition process slows down. Turn the pile to add air and keep it moist. If the conditions are just right, you'll have rich compost in as little as three weeks.

"Just Follow the Recipe!"


Composting is like baking a cake. Simply add the
ingredients, stir, "bake," and out comes -- compost!

Whether you compost kitchen wastes or yard and
garden wastes, there are a few basic steps to
follow. Here are the necessary ingredients and
general directions for composting.
Ingredients

KITCHEN COMPOST

Add a mixture of some or all of the following
ingredients:

· vegetable peels and seeds
· egg shells
· fruit peels and seeds
· nut shells
· coffee grounds
· any other vegetable or fruit scraps

Note: (Do not add meat scraps, bones, dairy
products, oils, or fat. They may attract pesty
animals.)

YARD OR GARDEN COMPOST

Add a mixture of some or all of the following
ingredients:

· hay or straw
· wood chips
· grass clippings
· weeds and other garden waste
· leaves
· manure
· ashes
· shredded paper
· sawdust

Directions

1. Choose a "pot" for baking your compost. Any type of composting bin will do.

2. Place kitchen or yard wastes into the composting bin. Chop or shred the organic materials if you want them to compost quickly.

3. Spread soil or "already done" compost over the compost pile. This layer contains the microorganisms and soil animals that do the work of making the compost. It also helps keep the surface from drying out.

4. Adjust the moisture in your compost pile. Add dry straw or sawdust to soggy materials, or add water to a pile that is too dry. The materials should be damp to the touch, but not so wet that drops come out when you squeeze it.

5. Allow the pile to "bake." It should heat up quickly and reach the desired temperature (90° to 140°F, or 32° to 60°C) in four to five days.

6. Stir your compost as it bakes if you want to speed up the baking time.

7. The pile will settle down from its original height. This is a good sign that the compost is baking properly.

8. If you mix or turn your compost pile every week, it should be "done," or ready to use, in one to two months. If you don't turn it, the compost should be ready in about six to twelve months.

9. Your "best ever compost" should look like dark crumbly soil mixed with small pieces of organic material. It should have a sweet, earthy smell.

10. Feed compost to hungry plants by mixing it with the soil.

KAPAMILYA, REMEMBER: PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT! :)