In early spring, gardeners are in a hurry to get finished compost. Moist and crumbly, finished compost spreads easily and can be used right away by newly planted starters. The above suggestions will speed the composting process, but if the compost is not quite ready when you need it, you can till the unfinished compost into the soil where it will finish off relatively quickly. Greg Seaman Originally from Long Island, NY, Greg Seaman founded Eartheasy in out of concern for the environment and a desire to help others live more sustainably.
Greg spends his free time gardening, working on his home and building a wooden sailboat with hand tools. Read Article. Seed packets are set out, potting trays are filled with planting mix and set on windowsills and counters wherever the sun can reach them.
Cover any open compost pile. Add fine carbon material which will decompose quickly. Turn or fork the compost Now that you have added fine, dry carbon-rich materials to your compost, use a pitchfork or shovel to break up any large clumps of matted material. From Our Shop. Jora JK Composter - 9. Green Cone Solar Waste Digester.
Subpod In-Ground Composting System. EZ Compost Wizard Jr. Worm Factory Composter. Coconut Coir. To restore a compost pile that is too wet, you can select any carbon-rich ingredients that will decompose quickly. Here are some recommendations:.
Compost tumblers are designed with an easy turning feature. With just a spin of its axle, you can be certain that all ingredients are aerated well.
Each time you add brown materials into the tumbler, simply give it a spin. The rotation of the compost pile inside the tumbler promotes better airflow which further enhances the evaporation of excess moisture in the pile.
To avoid the buildup of moisture inside the barrel, you should turn the pile once every three to four days. As it reaches maturity, the compost will require turning less often. Turning the compost is necessary to let the flow of oxygen enter into the mix especially if you use higher nitrogen proportions.
By turning the pile regularly, you can avoid having a matted compost pile that can block the air pockets in the tumbler and discourage the flow of oxygen.
Therefore, frequent turning is one strategy of avoiding a too wet pile. The most recommended type of compost tumbler is a horizontal tumbler because it has a crank that makes the turning process much easier. The crank is a great help especially if the barrel is filled almost to its maximum capacity. If you have back or shoulder pain, turning tumblers may be quite difficult. In this case, you should consider a smaller compost tumbler or one that has rollers on its base.
Compost does age well. Some will tell you that the older compost becomes, the better it gets. It becomes more crumbly and black as time goes by. You will find that the older a compost is, the easier and more pleasant it is to handle.
Add materials like cardboard, dead leaves or sawdust. The addition of hydrated white lime will reduce the poop-like smell. Compost should smell like earth or have no smell at all. Your compost will smell like poop if you only put food waste in the compost bin and nothing else to go with it. When you put food together in a heap, it will ferment rather than rot down. It will generate acids. Not enough to remove your skin when touched but enough to start some interesting chemistry.
The fermentation process will become front and central and will glorify the whole occasion by generating a range of gases. Some of these are sulphurous gases. These are the gases that make your compost smell like poop.
The poop smell will last for as long as it takes for the food to finish the fermentation process. If you keep adding fresh food waste to the fermenting mass, then the smell of poop will go on and on. This will, of course, be there for all to see and smell.
The embarrassment will be complete and remain so until you take action and do something about it. Thankfully the solution to the poop smelling problem is very simple. The first thing I would do would be too sprinkle some hydrated white lime over the heap or on the top of the heap in the compost bin.
This will deter the flies and start to lower the acidity that the fermentation is generating. Doing this will make your compost smell less like poop. The lime will do for a start but your compost bin does need emptying out. You need to start all over again with an empty compost bin. Your pile may still get hot, however, and the other problem with a hot pile is that it can burn or kill your plants if not allowed to cool for a period. Turn pile frequently, adding water and browns to cool it down.
Do not apply compost to your plants until cool. A healthy compost should have a plethora of worms, mites, and mycelium visible if you were to turn it over with a pitch fork. If the compost bin is new and without another compost close by, it will take a longer period of time for those microorganisms to move in.
First assess if there is adequate moisture and a good C:N ratio. Adjust if necessary. As the term micro describes, the animals doing the job in your compost are tiny, and they take small bites. Adding items such as large twigs and sticks to your pile will slow down your process immensely. Furthermore, larger chunks do not have the moisture holding capacity to provide the necessary water balance in the pile. We all struggle with finding ways to manage our time.
Instituting small practices regularly can save time for the future. Keep a pitchfork on hand to give the pile a little fluff each time you add something. Establish compost piles in an area accessible to water. Jessica Dawe The owner of a garden center, Jessica has been practicing integrated pest management and permaculture since graduating in with a degree in horticulture.
Read Article. Compost is the most beneficial, full-spectrum amendment you can add to your garden. It helps retain water, lightens the soil, and acts as a consistent source of nutrition thanks to its dynamic and rich composition. Here are some signs that your compost may be struggling. The pile is moist but the material is matted and slow to break down. Your compost smells very bad. Solution: Address by immediately turning your pile and add some fast-decomposing, deciduous sawdust or fine carbon material like chimney ash.
Brown leaves added last year are not breaking down.
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