Compost is decomposed organic material, which can be used as a fertilizer and soil amendment.
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Adding clay soil to compost
I just started composting (again). I added a bunch of greens to a big bin, and then I added some soil.
In the meanwhile, I was uprooting a bunch of grass for a vegetable bed, and without thinking, I ...
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Ant colony in my compost bin: are they beneficial?
I've got a smallish black plastic compost bin in my garden and I recently noticed that an ant colony has taken up residence. This has happened a couple of times in the past, but they tend to move on ...
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Composting large amount of loose tea
I recently acquired an Earthmachines composting bin and was wondering if the bin could withstand large amounts of loose tea. We drink lots of tea made from loose tea and it can end up as much kitchen ...
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Composting in Madison, WI : Sun or Shade
I have been researching(googling) weather to keep my Earthmachines composting bin in the sun or shade. I've read that keeping in the sun hastens the process, but tends to dry out the mix.
I live in ...
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What actually occurs for manure to become considered “well-rotted”?
I know that you shouldn't use raw manure on plants because it's bad for them, but I don't understand why.
I know you should stack manure before using it (i.e. literally stack it into a big cone), and ...
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How much nitrogen per bale in a straw bale garden?
I recently read a NY Times article about straw bale gardening. It says that you should add about 2 1/2 cups of 20% N fertilizer or three pounds of blood meal and feather meal per bale. Add water, wait ...
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Should a compost bin have a roof?
I am building a compost bin and it will be built right on the ground.
But is it better with or without a roof? and why?
Also does the location change the answer? Lot of rain, snow, etc
Thanks
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Is it safe to grow vegetable bushes like Tomato and Chili Peppers on an Active Compost?
I have a 2 months old compost and there are still undecomposed greens in it, and I also have propagated some varieties of Capsicum cultivars & Tomato cultivars and they are getting bigger that ...
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Leafiest Tropical Tree
I currently live in tropical country Philippines and I would like to plant or graft the most leafiest tree serving 2 purpose; first to have a better shade, like I said we live in a tropical climate ...
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Should I insulate my compost heap?
I understand that compost heaps have an ideal temperature for the bacteria to decompose the material into compost. Living in the changeable Great Britain, the weather can be windy, rainy, sunny and ...
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How do I keep red wiggler worms alive overwinter in the Northeastern USA?
I'm going to be moving into my first house soon in Westchester County, NY. I've done a lot of container and patio/balcony gardening and am looking forward to having a real backyard garden. I want to ...
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Should peanut shells be composted?
I have read that one shouldn't compost nuts or peanut butter because of their high oil and fat content. I am wondering if the same thing goes for peanut shells? I have a lot of peanut shells and I ...
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Can these non-food items be composted?
I've seen discussions here and elsewhere, about composting news paper, cardboard, etc. But I'm wondering what considerations to consider when composting some specific non-food items. Some of the ...
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Speeding up decomposition of sickly sweet smelling giant compost heap
I have created a monster of a compost heap on my property (3 meters, by 2 meters, by almost 2 meters tall) next to an old granite rock wall. Anyway, I mostly put all my grass clippings (primary ...
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Is it safe to add compostable plastics to my compost pile?
A couple stores I frequent now use, or are starting to use, plastic bags and cups that say they're compostable. Are these safe to add to my compost pile or are they just more environmentally friendly ...
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Strange things in my purchased manure / algae / compost-mix - unusable?
Three months ago I bought an (20kg pack) organic compost mix of (horse-)manure/algae/compost. In addition it states "naturally moist". I used some part of it and I put it, loosely closed, in a dry but ...
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Why is it a problem to use manure as a fertilizing amendment over the long term?
I had my soil tested last fall. As part of the submission I checked the box that said I use manure as a soil amendment / fertilizer.
In the results from the lab, they included a note that said that ...
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Compost has larva or maggots?
Inside of my compost which is only like five gallons I see hundreds of maggots or larvae. Is there a way I can dissect them and tell which species they are? I see some reports online that Black ...
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What is the difference between compost and soil?
This question has been asked many times on the net and the information provided is unreliable and mostly wrong.
What I am aiming to understand is what is lacking in compost that we can't just add it ...
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How much compost should I add to a clay soil for roses?
A few months ago I removed a lot of over grown shrubs; the soil is clay based topsoil on top of solid clay. The top soil is about one spade deep. I don’t think the garden has had any compost for ...
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Should I stop adding fruit and vegetable seeds to my compost
I put all my fruit and vegatable scraps in my compost including seeds. This spring is my first time adding my own compost to my garden. Now all those seeds are germinating. I got a good chuckle but ...
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Is there an easier way to aerate my compost besides turning it?
I want to be a good composter, but turning my pile is backbreaking work.
I was looking through a gardening magazine today and I saw a contraption that was basically a three foot long pole that had ...
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Composting Equine Pine and Rabbit Manure
My wife raises show rabbits, and about a year ago we switched to stacking cages with trays instead of hanging cages. (We switched to an insulted building in order to run an AC window unit due to heat ...
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What are good sources for large quantities of “greens” for my compost?
I have a compost pile that has a lot of "browns" in it, dead leaves and wood shavings mostly. Can anyone recommend sources for large quantities of "greens"? I've been putting in my kitchen scraps but ...
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Meshed-hole Direct Composting design - please comment, suggest changes, advise
I've been putting some worms in my raised beds and feeding them the fresher kitchen scraps. I'm starting to run out of spots to place the food, so for the next bed I build I want to put in ...
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How should I avoid pests in an open compost bin
I am starting composting. I have a pot (basically, a huge knee-high pot) that I want to use; it doesn't have much in the way of aeration holes, but it's open on top.
Two concerns I have are:
Open ...
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What can you do with oak leaves within a garden? Are they compostable?
We have a lot of oak trees on our property. Is there anything we can do with the oak leaves? They never really seem to break down, and because of that, I am afraid to try and add them to a compost. ...
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Compost Bin Full - Turning vs. Layer of Browns on Top
I have a small open compost bin, it's now full with layers of brown and green. I read somewhere that I need to turn it occasionally (weekly is ideal), and that I need to keep a 1-4" layer of browns ...
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Balcony composting - suggestions for trapped rainwater
I have an apartment with a balcony - the flooring of the balcony is a lot of wood boards.
My compost bin is a big plastic recycling bin which I have perforated with an awl and rubber hammer on the ...
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Is it possible to do my own extensive soil/organic matter testing?
I've read the posts on soil testing, and I realize it's cheap and widely available through local universities, etc.
Question: Is it possible to do my own soil testing? Are there some compounds that ...
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How hot can my compost get?
I went to stir my compost pile the other day, and to my surprise, when I dug into the center of the pile, I found that it was hot. As in, really hot. Once I removed the top layer steam was literally ...
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How can I make a soiless mix for raised beds?
We are making numerous raised beds and have been playing around with various combinations of bagged garden soil, compost, etc. to fill them but this method is both expensive and providing less than ...
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What should I do with some volunteer potatoes growing in my compost pile?
I have two or three potato plants growing in my compost pile. I'm pretty sure they are some red potatoes I tossed after they got too old. I bought them from a local organic produce store.
The ...
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How often do you need to turn the compost heap?
If you have a compost heap, how often should you turn it? Does it make a difference if it's a simple heap (a mound on the ground) or in a tumbler?
Alternately, is it even necessary to turn the heap?
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How much soil do I need on top of my hugelkultur beds?
I'm building a bunch of hugelkultur beds from the blowdowns, branches, trimmings, and sticks we have scattered around the property. This weekend I built a 20' long, 5' wide, 2-3' high pile of (mostly ...
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Can I put a compost pile under a tree?
The most convenient spot for my new compost pile happens to be under a young apple tree. I would put it there, but I have a few questions first.
Will I be able to make successful compost in heavy ...
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Is there any reason not to add commercially produced flowers to compost?
Is there any reason to avoid putting flowers purchased from the florist in compost?
The flowers were gifts but are now wilting. Would florists or growers use anything on the flowers to preserve them ...
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Safe to use Chicken Manure in my compost?
I was talking to someone about adding chicken manure to my compost and they said that I shouldn't do it because it's dangerous. I had assumed that as long as I let is compost for 6 months to a year ...
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Should I return dead houseplant leaves to the pot?
I have a hippeastrum which is about 4 years old. When the flowers and leaves die, I've been cutting them off and putting them back into the pot on top of the soil. This is in the hope that they rot ...
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Can I put coffee filters into my compost?
I've heard that coffee grounds are a good "green"(nitrogen rich) to put in your compost, but I was wondering if I could throw the filter in there as well? They are the standard "accordion side" white ...
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Is there a way to compost these spruce needles?
I have a pile of about 4 bushels of spruce needles, and want to use them. Is there a way to compost them to use on garden plants? Do I have to add lime or ashes or other alkaline material? I know I ...
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How is compost made in the kitchen?
I just made this small compost container but I'm not certain how to use it. Should I just put the scraps in there and "let it do its thing" or are there other steps needed?
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Should my compost bin be on or off the ground?
I recently made a compost bin. I simply drilled a bunch of holes on all sides of a plastic bin and was ready to go. I have been using it for a while now with it sitting flat on the ground. Should I be ...
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Can I compost peanut butter (pros and cons)?
I recently wondered if I could compost peanut butter. I would assume it is fine since it is an organic material. If you can compost it, what are the pros and cons to doing so? Is there anything else I ...
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How many coffee grounds are too many coffee grounds for composting?
I have a pretty steady access to about 4 pots of coffee worth of coffee grounds each day. I have heard coffee grounds are great for a compost pile, but I am wondering how much is too much? Is there a ...
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How long does it take for the compost to ripen?
I’ve got a compost bin (a big plastic box with air holes) that’s used by two or three families. We have been putting kitchen scraps and stuff into the composter for about a year now (mostly ...
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Adding horse manure that has a lot of wood shavings to my compost?
If I am going to add horse manure that has a lot of wood shavings to my compost should I do anything special to make sure everything decomposes well?
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What's the best way to increase the carbon content of compost heap in a grassy garden?
I've a small compost heap (1.2m x 1.2m x 0.8m), which is mostly formed of grass clippings. Thanks to this answer to another composting question, I now understand the C:N ratio.
Unfortunately, there ...
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Rats have transferred poison into my compost. Is the compost usable on vegetables?
Delighted to observe that the rat poison we put down was disappearing.
Less delighted to find some weeks later that they had moved it all to a larder in the compost. The poison is Slaymore (as far ...
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Is it okay to pile compost on to the base of a tomato plant?
In previous years, I've noticed my tomatoes have root-like buds towards the base of the stem, but haven't wanted to experiment in case I wreck them.
Anybody had any experience of this? Is it worth ...
