The best ratio is 1 part green to 1 part brown material. Shredding, chopping or mowing these materials into smaller pieces will help speed the composting process by increasing the surface area. For piles that have mostly brown material dead leaves , try adding a handful of commercial fertilizer to supply nitrogen and speed the compost process. Moisture is important to support the composting process. Compost should be comparable to the wetness of a wrung-out sponge.
If the pile is too dry, materials will decompose very slowly. Add water during dry periods or when adding large amounts of brown organic material.
If the pile is too wet, turn the pile and mix the materials. Another option is to add dry, brown organic materials. Oxygen is needed to support the breakdown of plant material by bacteria. To supply oxygen, you will need to turn the compost pile so that materials at the edges are brought to the center of the pile. Turning the pile is important for complete composting and for controlling odor. Wait at least two weeks before turning the pile, to allow the center of the pile to "heat up" and decompose.
Once the pile has cooled in the center, decomposition of the materials has taken place. Frequent turning will help speed the composting process. Bacteria and other microorganisms are the real workers in the compost process. By supplying organic materials, water, and oxygen, the already present bacteria will break down the plant material into useful compost for the garden. As the bacteria decompose the materials, they release heat, which is concentrated in the center of the pile.
You may also add layers of soil or finished compost to supply more bacteria and speed the composting process. Commercial starters are available but should not be necessary for compost piles that have a proper carbon to nitrogen ratio 1 part green organic material to 1 part brown organic material. In addition to bacteria, larger organisms including insects and earthworms are active composters. Some people recommend late fall as a good time to spread compost over a garden bed, and cover it with a winter mulch, such as chopped leaves.
By spring, soil organisms will have worked the compost into the soil. Others recommend spreading compost two weeks before planting time in the spring. There is really no wrong time to spread it. The benefits remain the same. If your supply of compost is really limited, consider side-dressing, a way to use compost sparingly by strategically placing it around certain plants or along certain rows.
This is best done in late spring and early summer so that the rapidly growing plants can derive the maximum benefit from the compost. To side-dress a plant, work the compost into the soil around the plant, starting about an inch from the stem, out to the drip line, taking care not to disturb the roots.
For shallow rooted plants, leave the compost on the soil surface. Fall is the best time to apply the compost, although an application in early spring is almost as effective. A compost mulch can benefit trees and shrubs just as it does other plants. The mulch will hold the compost in place and keep it from drying out. Adding compost to the planting hole of small perennial plants is valuable, particularly perennial food plants.
Annuals will also benefit from a dose of compost at planting time. Compost is the ultimate garden fertilizer. It contains virtually all the nutrients a living plant needs and delivers them in a slow-release manner over a period of years. Compost made with a wide variety of ingredients will provide an even more nutritious meal to your growing plants.
Compost is the best material available to enliven your soil no matter where you live. Farmers around the world will testify that healthier soil grows healthier plants that naturally resist disease, insects, and other environmental pressures. An immature product could compete with seedlings for nutrients or even burn young plants. An unpleasant, ammonia odor is a telltale sign of immaturity.
If the compost at hand is still a bit too fresh, incorporate some air by turning with a shovel. Dumping a bag onto a tarp or into a wheelbarrow will add air, as well. Let it sit a couple of days, then check progress.
Follow manufacturer instructions, especially about amounts to use. Depending on the feedstocks that make up the blend, some compost products may be richer than others.
Most plants will welcome a little mid-season pick-me-up, too.
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