So you're a .
You have learned the way to make compost. You have made, acquired, borrowed or stolen a compost bin. You are adding garden waste and recycling kitchen scraps. Now the ungainly bit - the wait... How long will it take to make the compost? If you've a moderately massive compost bin ( say one metre cubed ), the likelihood is that you could go on filling it indefinitely. As you add to the top, the garden and kitchen waste beneath will slowly be roting, composting and making humus. As it does this the organic material shrinks.
That leaves you more space on top, to add more garden and kitchen waste. The quandary is, if you never run right out of space for the garden waste, chances are high that you will just go on, adding more and never seeing the advantage of the wealthy garden compost you made! For people with smaller compost bins e. G the beehive compost bin, or a kitchen composter, no such fears.
You may run right out of space comparatively quickly and so instantly stop adding more garden waste and naturally wait patiently for your new garden compost to be made. In your case you'll have discovered pretty quickly you will need at least 2 compost bins! Cutoff point for Making the compost pile Unless you've got a compost bin you simply fill fast you must set yourself a cutoff point for making the compost heap. And, you're going to need to stick to it! The best way to do this, is to make a record of when you started your compost pile. Then, according to available space and time you hope to take to fill it, assign yourself a date when you may stop putting garden waste on that heap. We have diverse compost tons of different sizes from 0.5 m cubed to 1m cubed. For the smaller compost piles I give myself three months in which to make the pile. For the bigger, we give them six months of 'creation '. Once that date is reached we cap off the compost heap and start making another. 'Capping Off ' a compost pile For those using sealed compost bins, this step isn't needed. But if you are making compost out in the open, for instance in a wooden bay with no lid, you want to offer protection to the compost heap from the elements a bit.
- first if its been dry throw on a bucket or 2 of water to dampen the entire heap.
- Then add a layer of thick insulating organic material. Like grass clippings or manure. This may keep the heap warm, and seal in smells so no vermin ( or pets ) are drawn to the compost.
- If you experience torrential rain, cover with old carpet, plastic sheeting or an old tarpaulin to deflect the most heavy rainwater. * Note down the date of 'compost heap completion '.
- Wait! When will the Compost be Prepared ? O.K , so how long you wait for the compost to be prepared depends basically on the following : * Climate - in hotter weather decomposition is quicker.
- Moisture - you want to guarantee the compost heap is damp ( not saturated ) through the time you are waiting for it to turn into total garden compost.
- Content Type - most garden and kitchen waste will break down fairly fast. But specific foodstuffs like bones and egg-shells are pretty dense.
These will take six months or even more to break down. Fertilizer from folk ( humanure ) or animals from non organic farms may contain vet chemical remains. These will be gone in 3 months. But if you farm organically and sell your produce, you might need to stick to Soil organisation guiding principles requiring you not to use such composts ( including non-organic pig or birds fertilizer ) for at least half a year.
Yes, but How Long do I actually need to hang about for My Compost?
As a rough rule. If it isn't getting too cold, and you've been a good garden composter, building a diverse compost heap it should be crumbling hummus in 3 months. You will still see the peculiar egg-shell or bleached bone ( in which particular case throw them on the following compost heap, and smack them up a bit before adding to heaps in the future ), but generally your garden compost will be complete. If you add fertilizer from any omnivores or carnivores and you are uncertain the heap has been working efficiently give the pile half a year before using.
How to tell the compost pile is Working Efficiently. I suggest frequently having an impertinent look under the cover of your compost heap to discover how its getting on. If it appears terribly dry you are able to add some water. If the compost appears extraordinarily wet you can leave the cover off and let it dry out! Your compost should get hot in the first month of you 'capping off ' the compost heap. On occasions the compost can really be dangerously hot so watch out. If you see steam, don't touch it! I've been caught out by roting grass clippings, which break down so quickly and give off such great amounts of heat and steam, to burn the hands when checking the compost heap.
This heat is the thing that quickly kills off any evil pathogens in the compost heap. Those pathogens will probably come from food and fertilizer. They are nothing to stress about while you remember harsh cleanliness rules when handling compost ( you are not going to eat it, now are you? ). Cold Compost Tip : If your compost does not get hot, decomposition will still happen, but may take a little longer. This is very often found in cool climates where the compost struggles to become a fast hot heap. Once the compost has heated, it'll cool again. At about that point - when you see no more steam, you can turn the compost. Turning a rubbish pile Now, some of the people swear you've got to turn compost and others ( like myself ) swear you don't! Personally, if the compost is warming nicely and roting I actually don't see the point.
However a compost heap which isn't turned may run the ( not too heavy ) chance of having non-decomposed matter around its edges. However because we've 'capped off ' the compost heap with garden waste which breaks down simply we should not have that problem! I never turn my compost heaps. Now and then I am doing find the wierd woody bit of matter round the edges of the heap that has not utterly broken down. I do not see it as a significant problem.
I just throw any such bits and bobs onto the following heap. if you truly want to turn your compost heap.
Here is how its done : * Pull everything out of your compost bin or compost making area. * Put everything back in your compost bin, or compost heap area. Not complex in any way. However you must confirm the stuff originally from across the edges of the heap, goes into the middle of your new one. And, inversely all of the stuff originally from the middle of the heap, goes round the edges of the new one. Once the compost heap has been turned, you must find it'll heat up again which may speed up decomposition. Unless you've a compost heap which is free-standing and cold with no organic material you can insulate it or cap it off with, I find turning the heap pointless.
Don't turn your compost heap unless you want to, and are about to do it completely. Otherwise it's going to be a waste of your time for a massive quantity of effort.
When is My Compost Prepared ?
I am hoping this answer helps.
A well made compost heap should be prepared in 3 to half a year. any garden composter will change due to site and contents. How long compost takes to be prepared is highly variable.
If you use plastic or wooden sealed compost bins you may be fairly confident the compost will be prepared in a quarter, as they make sure the compost stays wet and warm.
And when yours is ready grow some lovely potatoes like the ones above!
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