Green materials include fruit and vegetable scraps, used tea, coffee grounds, crushed eggshells, grass clippings, green plant cuttings, old flowers and many weeds. Brown materials are things like straw, paper and cardboard, dry leaves, woody prunings and sawdust (but not from treated wood).
Faster Composting
The composting process needs plenty of air so all the microbes responsible can breathe. One of the best ways to do this is to mix up or turn all of your ingredients once the heap has been filled. This introduces more air and mixes up all those browns and greens.
Lime also isn't necessary for compost to happen. Your pile will break down just fine without it. In fact, lime can slow down the process (it's sometimes even used to kill microorganisms when treating sewage sludge), and it can reduce the nitrogen value in compost.
If your compost bin is too dry it will stop decomposing as the bacteria and fungi responsible for the composting process won't be able to work effectively. Re-wet the heap by watering it - ideally with rainwater, but if you don't have any stored rainwater ordinary water will do.
You can put your compost pile in the sun or in the shade, but putting it in the sun will hasten the composting process. Sun helps increase the temperature, so the bacteria and fungi work faster. This also means that your pile will dry out faster, especially in warm southern climates.
Decomposition will be complete anywhere from two weeks to two years depending on the materials used, the size of the pile, and how often it is turned. Compost is ready when it has cooled, turned a rich brown color, and has decomposed into small soil-like particles.
After the pile reaches around 80-90 degrees Fahrenheit, you want to stop adding greens and limit the amount of browns so that the compost can cure. Keep turning the piles regularly to add oxygen.
Compost heat is produced as a by-product of the microbial breakdown of organic material. The heat production depends on the size of the pile, its moisture content, aeration, and C/N ratio. Additionally, ambient (indoor or outdoor) temperature affects compost temperatures.
To make good compost, you need a 50:50 mix of materials that are rich in nitrogen and carbon. Nitrogen comes from lush, green material such as grass clippings. Carbon comes from brown material, such as woody stems and cardboard. For every bucket load of green material, you need to add the same volume of brown.
Vinegar is acidic, which could be a bother to some of the worms, fungi and bacteria that help with the composting process. It also translates that it might make a slightly acidic compost, thereby lowering the pH of your garden's soil.
Adding Epsom salt to your compost pile
If you're wondering how to make compost, and keep your pile healthy, then Epsom salt has the solution for that too. 'The magnesium in Epsom salts helps to break down organic matter, making it easier for plants to access the nutrients they need,' Rodger says.
It will lose much of its value if materials are left to decompose too long. The more time compost is left to sit around, the more “colloidal” it becomes. In other words, it becomes more and more compact as the composting microbes continue to feed on the waste materials.
Turning too often (every day) disrupts the formation of the fungi and actinomycetes that do much of the composting work and may prevent the pile from heating up completely. For the fastest, most efficient decomposition, a pile should be left essentially alone to “cook” until it starts to cool.
Another issue of soils that receive excessive compost is the potential for increased soluble salts to levels that would cause salt toxicity. In high tunnels, soluble salts can accumulate to excessive levels because leaching is minimal. Composted manure is generally higher in salts than composted vegetative matter.
You may be surprised to learn that your compost pile needs just as much water as your live plants. Dry compost doesn't work. There are several ways to ensure your compost is getting the adequate amount of water needed to do its job.
You should definitely cover finished compost. Otherwise, if it's exposed to the elements, the compost will break down further and lose nutrients as they leach into the surrounding soil.
Composting works in sun or shade Piles in sunny spots will decompose quicker but also dry out faster and may need supplemental watering during hot dry weather. Those located in a shadier spot will stay moist longer but decompose slower.
A compost starter, also known as “activator” or “accelerator,” is composed of bacteria and fungi targeted at starting the decomposition process. You will find a lot of biological activities occurring during the process of decomposition.
Excessive nitrogen can cause your compost to heat up very quickly and even spontaneously combust, which becomes an obvious fire risk.