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"Your #1 source for information about how to compost."
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 HOW TO COMPOST An Overview Getting Started Making Decisions Systems (Methods) Making Compost What a Good Pile Needs What You Need Extras & Additives What to Use - or Not! Building the Pile Maintenance When is it Finished? Troubleshooting Outdoor Digesters Anaerobic Aerobic Indoor Methods Vermicomposting (Worms) Bokashi Using Compost Just Do It Composting Science Physics Chemistry Biology Soil Science More Than Just Dirt Garden Soil Myth Busting Environmental Issues Garbage Gripes Water & Soil Remediation Nutrient Pollution Harmful Chemicals A Few Concerns Pathogens Pesticides Heavy Metals What You Can Do Additional Resources  |
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Making Great Homemade Compost
You don't really need to know much about the science of composting to turn out great compost. Getting a feel for it, however, is essential, and that takes time. No one's compost is exactly like anyone else's. Given all the variables -- pile size and content, particle size, turning frequency, moisture, rainfall, humidity, temperature and so on -- it may seem a wonder that people can compost reliably at all.Yet they do. Getting the proportions right in a compost heap, especially if you're trying for a hot pile, can take a fair amount of experience. All of the layering recipes are approximate and they don't necessarily agree with each other. Still, following one of those recipes is certainly one of the best ways to begin. After that, it's a matter of remembering how things went (a gardener's notebook can help with this) and making adjustments until something works. Other aspects of homemade composting are similarly hard to pin down. Precisely what's the best size for a pile? Well, somewhere between 3' x 3' x 3' and 5' x 5' x 5'. But that's a considerable range, and only you will be able to learn what works best for you. How many piles should you keep going? What's the best way to store materials before "building" a pile? Do you want the work of maintaining a hot pile or the ease of the cool pile? How likely is it that your piles will go anaerobic if they're not turned? Books and articles can help you with some of these questions. But in the end, you'll have to dive in and get your hands dirty. |
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