MamasHealth.com Home Gardening Tips Avoid Pests Beneficial Bugs Clean Houseplants Coffee Grounds Composting Egg Shells Finding Healthy Plants Fresh Flowers Flowering Bulbs Garden Soil Garden Tools Grow Seeds Indoors How to Buy a Tree Importance of Trees Mulch Potatoes Rooftop gardens Watering your Garden Tips for Tree Growth Links Email Mama Attract Hummingbirds Tips to Attract Butterflies Tips to save the earth Benefits of clean gas Clean gas Ozone deterioration Recycling Foot Massager Reviews Juicer Reviews Massage Chair Reviews Oven Reviews TV Reviews Sign up for the MamasHealth Newsletter	Compost What is a Compost? Compost is a common name for the decomposition of organic matter. The decomposition is performed primarily by microbes, although larger creatures such as ants, nematodes, and oligochaete worms also help decompose organic matter. Compost is used in gardening and agriculture as a soil amendment. Compost is also used for erosion control, land/stream reclamation, wetland construction, and as landfill cover. What is Composting? Composting is the controlled decomposition of organic matter. Composting speeds up the time it takes to decompose organic matter. To perform at an optimal speed, a compost mix needs the most active microbes as well as the correct mix of the following ingredients: Carbon Nitrogen Oxygen (from the air) Water Benefits of Composting? If done correctly, composting will provide a free supply of the best possible soil improvement material for your garden and an alternative to all the expensive artificial fertilizers and peat. Compost is a great seed starting medium. Composting Tips Microorganisms involved in the composting process thrive in moist conditions. For optimum performance, moisture content within the composting environment should be maintained at 45 percent. The ideal particle size is around 2 to 3 inches. Compost is ready to use when it turns deep brown, is crumbly, and looks and smells like soil. Most odor problems are caused by either too much moisture or too much green/nitrogen rich material. Introduce more oxygen to the compost by mixing the materials, turning that materials, and breaking up the clumps. The ideal size of a backyard composting pile is 3ft x 3 ft x 3 ft. What can you Compost? You can compost the following items: Fruit and vegetable peelings Prunings and broken-up twigs Grass cuttings (In layers not exceeding 10 cm.) Cut flowers Autumnal leaf falls Horse, rabbit, pigeons & chicken manures Straw Feathers, hair and fur Tea leaves/bags and coffee grounds Shredded wood/branches Crushed egg shells Shredded newspaper Do not compost the following items Meat, meat products, fish or cheese Cooked scraps or scrapings Persistent weeds** or weeds in seed Diseased plants Soot or coal ash Human feces or used nappies Pet litter or pet waste Metal, glass, plastic, artificial textiles	Featured Book
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