MamasHealth.com Home Gardening Tips Aphids Avoid pests Beneficial bugs Clean houseplants Climbing hydrangea Coffee grounds Community supported agriculture Composting Container gardens Design a vegetable garden Egg shells Finding healthy plants Fresh flowers Flowering bulbs Food not lawns Freedom gardens Garden soil Garden tools Get rid of scale bugs Greenhouse Grow seeds indoors Growing begonias Growing garlic Growing organic veggies Growing tomatoes How to buy a tree Importance of trees Landscape shading Long grass Mulch Potatoes Prevent frost damage Prepare vegetable bed Prevent tree fungus Prevent weeds Prune boxwoods Rainwater collection Reduce garden injuries Rooftop gardens Seed balls Saving seeds Tips for tree growth Transplanting from pots Tree structure Venus fly traps Watering tips Watering your garden Links Email Mama Attract Hummingbirds Tips to Attract Butterflies Green living Tips to save the earth Unique recycled gifts Food not bombs Buy green energy Green energy Reuse carbon dioxide	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
	Hot Topics: The Government is storing your baby's DNA without your consent Can you tell your husband to stop sleeping with my wife? Aunt B's Gratitude Challenge Personal Story: Memories of my battle with eating disorders Mama wants to help: Food Bank programs and shelter assistance Lucy Goes Green: Burnin' with eco-friendly love Mama's favorite item of the week: Cascadian Farm Organic Honey Nut O’s Foods for weight loss
	Information obtained from MamasHealth.com™ should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or attention by a qualified practitioner, nor should it be inferred as such. Always check with your doctor if you have any questions or concerns about a specific condition. Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the Terms of Use. Contact us: PO Box 2170, Pasadena, CA 91102-2170 ©2000 - 2009 MamasHealth, Inc.™. All rights reserved