What’s Compost Activator? – Composting 101
Aug0
Compost Activators could prove to be of great help in composting process.
It is not that they end up in making or breaking of the final compost but would certainly assist in speeding up the compost process by integrating pH balances, energy sources and microorganisms. It rapidly decomposes the organic matter which is difficult to compost and it is not mandatory to use compost activator but it provides a way for quicker compost.
There are several kinds of compost activators available. They can be liquefied seaweed, even animal blood – blood meal, and bottle containing microbes or often used urine fertilizing mixture.
Microbes get better assistance in terms of food from the nitrogen content in urine. Alfalfa meal, bone meal, fish meal, manure, horn meal etc form the other types of compost activators. The main function of each and every compost activator is to inject nitrogen into the compost pile.
In order to have successful compost pile, the necessary criteria is to maintain proper ratio of carbon and nitrogen material in the pile.
Urine is considered to be one of the best organic fertilizers as it is this nitrogen rich form of waste which contains vitamin and nutrients. Such activator is commonly called as Household Compost Activator. This is lot cheaper as compared to buy compost activators from the garden centre. Liquid seaweed and urine mixed with water are two mostly used compost activators.
Due to availability of several types of compost activators, there is a possibility of cutting down the food costs, labor and plant pests for composters, gardeners, individuals or families.
Compost Containers
Aug0
There are various kinds of compost containers available in the market ranging from simply hand-made ones to more complex types.
We need to make sure two crucial points while buying a Compost Containers or building a framework for compost heap. Firstly, there should be adequate moisture content in the compost up to the very edges of the container. And importantly, it should be easy to get the compost out of container whenever needed into your garden.
Compost Containers are available depending upon the purpose of its use. Due to their small size some of them are unable to hold enough material for heating and are difficult to use. They can be sometimes very expensive and more attractive as compared to home-made bins. For instance, store bought containers made up of wood or plastic allow proper circulation of air due to presence of slatted sides in the built.
They can be made to a suitable size and accessibility is taken care of by Front panels provided with ventilation holes. While for small gardens, plastic compost bin is the best bet.
Gardeners generally try to build their compost containers using posts, chicken wire and cardboard. These hand-built containers are available in various designs and sizes depending upon the creativity of builder. They do sometimes opt for building Brick compost containers which are more permanent and have good insulation properties.
No doubt that it is the materials you have and the weather prevailing which decided the amount of compost prepared annually but there is a requirement of proper layering technique for getting a good compost.
One of the techniques involves use of straw to separate layers of compost heaps which need to be completely soaked with water beforehand.
Compost Thermometer
Aug0
Have you ever thought of knowing how hot your pile is?
What should be the appropriate temperature? The stainless steel made Comport Thermometer is the solution to your queries. It is used to gauge the core temperature of compost pile. It can measure up to 200̊̊ F and to continuously keep the pile cooking, three temperature zones are available in the compost thermometer.
The basic features of thermometer include 1-3/4″ easy-to-read dial, 20” stem, waterproof, plastic lens. The compost thermometer gives best result as it is highly accurate i.e. +/- 1% full scale and everything is welded with stainless steel.
The main purpose of using Compost Thermometer is to maintain a high temperature in the compost pile in order to speeding up the composting. It is always vital to keep a check on compost so that bacteria work under an optimal temperature favorable for composting. The suitable temperature for these bacteria is in the range of 120 to 160 degrees Fahrenheit and in order to break down food scraps they require fresh oxygen by not being exposed to too much cold air.
It basically avoids unwanted tumbling or turning of compost. It actually helps in saving of time by indicating about the cooling down of compost and whenever fresh air is needed to your compost, you may turn the pile.
Compost Thermometer is hermetically sealed and thus there is no fear of it fogging up even when pile is left outside for a night. It also prevents scalding and it gives indication when the compost is about to finish.
Go, and get one now.
Compost Tumbler
Aug0
‘Going green’ is the buzz phrase in today’s world. Compost Tumbler is one of the best alternatives available in order to make your yard, flower or vegetable garden more organic.
The only major difference between Compost tumblers and compost bin or compost pile, whose principle is quite similar, is that compost tumblers are contained. You just need to put all yard clippings and other organic wastes into it and after a short period of time; you will find much needed compost with all nutrient contents.
Using a Compost tumbler for composting is a better than an open compost approach where nature does play its role.
While in some of the urban areas, open compost bins or piles are not allowed because of practical reasons. The outcome of open composting is a very unpleasant smell of decomposition and it affects your relationships with your neighbors.
Using a compost tumbler in place for open composter is likely to solve such problems as the compost is totally contained. It is easy to handle and maintain as compared to open composters where you have to turn pile physically using shovel or pitchfork. In case of tumbler, you just need to turn the handle provided on tumbler several times.
If the mixture is turned 2-3 times and there is enough moisture content in the compost, it generally takes 14 days to produce compost which much quicker to that produced through a regular compost bin or pile. One more advantage of using it is drastic reduction in the pests as in case of open composting rodents as well as insects etc get attracted towards compost.
Composting Tips
Aug0
Anyone can do home composting, known to benefit one’s garden and the environment, and it may be expected that composting tips be easily available. Well this self same document has the very purpose of suggesting such tips.
Composting tips need not be about trying to become familiar with elusive science-related concepts. A good idea is to increase the surface area of the material to be composted (i.e. chop stuff up). Commit yourself to retaining moisture by adding some water, but not too much. (When in doubt, use a watering can or just slosh it over by hurling it from an empty tin.)
To most people the most commonly known ingredients in a compost a heap are the likes of vegetable and fruit peelings, tea leaves, weeds, grass cuttings, paper and cardboard, manure, evergreen clippings and foliage, wood and wood shavings. However, the list includes hair, straw and hay, spent hops and even vacuum dust. Remember and spread this.
Furthermore: there are two kinds of compost: green compost and brown compost. Green material can comes in the form of food items, in the form of egg shells, tea bags and coffee grounds as well as those listed in the last paragraph.
Brown compost is born of paper and wood stuff: woody pruning, plant stems, twigs and egg boxes are just a few common examples in addition to wood shavings.
It can be worthwhile keeping a good mix of green and brown compost material, for the purpose of ensuring the right texture.
Composting Worms
Aug1
This article discusses types of worms used as composting worms. Probably the most common variety is that of Red Wigglers (Latin name Eisenia foetida). For it status as a species that thrives in rotting vegetation, compost and manure, it is an epigeic worm. It prefers conditions where other worms cannot survive. It belongs to the lumbicidae family.
Lumbricus rubellus is also well known as a species of composting worm – and like Eisenia foetida it prefers conditions where other worms are unable to survive. Other worms on the market include Lumbricus hortensis, Lumbicus terristris, Eudrilus engeniae, Eisenia andrei, and Perionyx excavatus.
Earthworms in general belong to a class of creatures called “annelids”, with the distinguishing trait of a cylindrical body, segmented both outside and inside. Of the approximately 4500 listed species of worms in the world, about 2500 are earthworm species.
Red worms are sexually mature at eight to ten weeks. They are a hermaphrodite species that mate at any time of year.
When worms do mate, the new worms are born from cocoons; the cocoons turn red when the new worms are about to emerge, and they are about the size of a grape seed. It takes about three weeks for a worm to develop within a cocoon once it is produced.
Although a cocoon can hold as many as ten eggs, in the most common scenario only three or four worms will be seen to emerge from one. West Country Worms is one company that sells composting worms.
Composting Yard Equipment
Aug0
If you are ready to compost, the first thing you require is composting yard equipment. There are different types of equipments available in the market depending upon your requirement. If you are looking for equipment to collect and transport the feedstock materials, we have trash collection vehicles as well as storage containers along with commonly used compactors and containers.
Yard trimmings collection equipments like Mechanical scoops use bucket like system in order to scoop yard trimmings or pincer like systems for grabbing yard trimmings.
Debagging Equipments are available to remove unwanted materials from the feedstock materials. The presence of materials like plastic bags deteriorates the quality of finished compost product. Even though manual picking up of plastic bags is commonly done, but commercial devices like slitter or trammel devices and augers are used for debagging which is usually done at the facility or at curbside.
There are sorting and separation equipments available which can remove non compostable materials and help in eliminating contaminants from the compost feedstock. Conveyors, Screens, Magnetic recovery systems, Air classifiers etc are equipments which separate non compostable elements mechanically on the basis of physical characteristics like size, weight, conductivity and magnetic properties.
In order to optimize several ingredients like moisture content, carbon to nitrogen ratio, pH, size of the particles in the composting feedstock, mixing is performed. It depends upon feedback and odor while considering special mixing. Equipments like Auger Mixers, Barrel Mixers, Drum Mixers and Pug mill Mixers are often used as mixing equipments.
Thus in order to create the best quality compost, industry specified composting equipments are designed and manufactured to meet quality standards.
Composting yard waste
Aug0
The topic of today’s article is composting yard waste. It may not seem like an important thing to do but Mother Nature needs our help to maintain the planet and any little thing that we can do to help is greatly appreciated by her.
She shows her appreciation by blooming the wonderful plants and trees that we all take for granted. If you don’t have the slightest clue as to how to go about composting we are going to offer you some steps that you can implement in your everyday life.
For example, you know the eggs that you make for yourself every morning? The shells from these eggs are a wonderful additive to the compost. You can crush up the eggs and add that into whatever else you have in your compost for the day and use this as a fertilizer for your garden.
That’s right, one man’s waste is another’s gold! Ok, that might not be the right saying to use for this particular subject but you get the picture right? As I said, you can use this for your garden and you will not believe the help that it gives the plants!
You will end-up with much bigger blossoms and if you are growing a vegetable garden, wow! The size of your vegetables will rival any other! So folks, this was just one example but as you can see, any little thing helps. Remember this quote: Man does not own the earth; we just borrow it for a while.
Home Composting
Aug0
The act of “composting” is common among many households, with many choosing to store once-living material in a bin, or simply in a heap, for the purpose of later using the resulting product to further plant growth and / or improve soil conditions.
Some companies sell special “compost bins”, although many will more quickly notice that it is an excellent way to reduce their amounts of household refuse, by up to a quarter, according to some sources. Meanwhile, gardeners and gardening associations everywhere observe that a lot of generated waste plant material is a sign of good garden management.
It may come as no surprise that local councils encourage the act of home composting – as indicated by the existence of green waste collection schemes. However, council policies on organic waste vary considerably over the country. There are those who will simply give it back to the community, while others will sell it or use it in landscaping schemes.
In practice, the composting process requires air to take place. Where the heap is too wet or compacted, less oxygen can set and perform its expected function, giving rise to the act of anaerobic composition, which is slower and less efficient than aerobic composition, the most common form.
In response this, it is accepted as a common practice to “turn the compost” with the use of a rake. It can take between six months and two years for a compost heap to dissolve into the usable product wanted.
Mushroom Compost
Aug0
Mushroom Compost is basically a growing medium which is the outcome of mushroom growing process and it is commonly called as Spent Mushroom Substrate (SMS). It is used for commercial harvesting of mushrooms. It comprises of agriculture materials which include hay, straw, straw horse bedding, cocoa shells, gypsum which is a calcium sulfate and many more.
Mushroom Compost is rich in nutrient holding capacity and has high water level content. It acts as a fertilizer for farming and it inhibits artillery fungus. It assists in growth of plants in case of corn, pumpkin, tomato etc.
Mushrooms have a long history and it has been alluring and motivating the human soul for ages. It was acclaimed as a god in Vedic times while Egyptians regard mushroom as a plant of immortality. The first commercially harvested mushrooms were performed in the city of Paris and they used the mix of available soil with horse manure which is the same kind of compost as used for growing melons.
Shri S.S. Jain, a plant pathologist and mycologist from India rediscovered Mushroom compost when he found mushrooms growing on top of rotten apple branches, cow manure, wheat etc while helping farmers in their apple orchards.
There is a commercial and controlled process of preparing Mushroom Compost in today’s world. Mushroom farmers pasteurize the compost in order to keep the aerobic microorganisms alive that help in eliminating other type of fungi, use it for a small and after harvesting, it is available for selling it as fertilizer for gardens as SMS.
