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Part1:Howtocompostathomeusingcontainerpots|EcoWalktheTalk

Wednesday,July21st,2010|Postedbyadmin

Part1:Howtocompostathomeusingcontainerpots
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ByBhavaniPrakash
OfthevariousrecyclingpracticesthatIpersonallyfollow,themostsatisfyingoneisconvertingmykitchenwasteintocompostavery
valuableresourceformyplants.MyfamilyisoftenamusedwhenIexclaimwithgleeattheslimy,guey,rottingvegetableand
fruitwastethatIcollecteverydayandcallitmypreciousgold!Whentheparadigmshiftcomesabout,wewillbegintoseeall
wasteorgarbageassomethingtremendouslyusefulforusandtheenvironment,andrealisethetragicfutilityofbaggingitin
wastefulplasticbagsforlandfillsorincinerators.
WHATISCOMPOSTING?
Compostingistheprocessbywhichmicrorganismsbreakdowncomplexorganicmatter,suchasyourhouseholdkitchenwasteinto
simpleandusefulnutrientsforthesoil.
WHYCOMPOST?Compostinghelpsto
recyclekitchenandgardenwasteandreducethevolumeofwastegoingtolandfillsandincinerators
convertorganicmatterintoavaluableresourceforyourplantsorcommunitygarden.Itactsasasoilconditioner,fertiliser,anatural
pesticide,anaddstohumusinthesoil.
betterthehealthofthesoils.Compostbreaksupclayeysoilandimprovestheirstructure.Incaseofsandysoils,itenableswaterand
nutrientretention.Healthiersoilsmakeforhealthierplants
mulchwhenusedtocoversoilanddeterthegrowthofweeds
evenmakesomemoney,ifthereisamarketforcompostinyourarea
HOWTOCOMPOST?
Ifyougoogleforhowtocompostthenetwillnodoubtthrowmaydifferentways.Somewebsitesrecommendbuyingtumblersand
specialbins.Idliketoshareaverysimplemethodwhichworkswellforme,usingresourcesIalreadyhaveathome.Onceyou
understandthebroadconcepts,youcanchooseyourowncontainers,andexperimentwithyourkitchenwastetosuittheclimatewhere
youliveandthekindofwasteandvolumeofwasteyouwishtorecycle.Beboldandgetstarted!YoulllearnalotalongthewayasI
did,andImsureyoulldiscoverthatitsalotsimplerthanitsounds.
Compostingusingcontainer/flowerpotsandsoil
Thingsyoullneed:
*Usedflowerpot(anymaterialsuchasceramic,terracottaorplastic)
*Soil(evendegradedoroldsoilfromyourgardenwoulddoifnotyoucangetplantingsoilfromthenursery)
*Alid(Iuseoldmetalplatesorlidsastheyarewaterproof,butusedcardboard,oldthickpolyethenesheetsoroldragsof
carpetwoulddotocoverthepots)
*Adishtokeepbelowthepotforindoorcomposting
*Kitchenwaste(whichwelltalkaboutinWhattocompostandWhatnottocompost)
1.Takeanyusedflowerpotwithholesatthebottomfordrainageandaeration.Putalayerofcoconuthusk(orothermateriallike
cork)thatdecomposesmoreslowlyatthebottomtopreventtoomuchmoisturecomingoutofthepot.Coverwithalayerofsoilabout5
cmthick.
2.Putallyourkitchenwasteforthedayoverthissoil.
3.Coverthewastewellwithsoil:
4.Youcanstartalloveragainwithanotherlayerof
wastethenextday
5.Andrepeatbycompletely
coveringwithanotherlayer
ofsoil.Thiswillensurethere
areminimalfliesandsmell.
Asyoukeeplayeringwaste
andsoilalternately,youwill
havetostirthecontentsonce
ortwiceaweektoensure
properaeration.
6.Alwayskeepthepotcoveredwithametallidorthickcardboardoroldragsofcarpet.Itendtousemetalbecauseitswaterproofand
Icancontroltheamountofmoistureinthepotbetterwhenitsexposedtosunandrain.
YoumaywanttokeepaseriesofpotsandlabelthemPot1,Pot2,Pot3andPot4.Asthefirstpotfillsup,youcanmoveontothe
second,thirdandfourth.Bythetimethefourthisfull,youllfindthatithasbeen68weeksinatropicalclimateandthefirstpotis
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Part1:Howtocompostathomeusingcontainerpots|EcoWalktheTalk

properlycomposted.Temperateclimatesmaydelaycompostingtoabout36
months.Checkthecompostthatisbeingmadeinthepotsandremembertostir
regularlyonceortwiceaweek.
Keepadishunderthepottocollecttheexcessmoisturethatwillbereleased.This
waterispreciousandcanbeusedasfertiliserforplants.Ifyourekeepingthepot
outdoorsdirectlyonthegrass,thewaterwilldirectlygotothesoilandfertiliseit.
Thosewithlargergardenspacecandigaholeanddothesameprocess.Keeping
thecompostpitcoveredisagoodideatokeepawaypestsandflies.
WHATDOESCOMPOSTINGREQUIRE?
AirStironceortwiceaweekasrequired.Thismethodisaerobiccompostingasitrequiresair.(Theother
methodisanaerobiccompostingwhichisdoneinanairtightcontainer).Lackofoxygencanleadto
unpleasantsmells.Youmaymostlikelygetharmlessfruitfliesinthebin,whichagainwilldisappearwhen
youcoverthefoodwastewithsoilandmixandaeratewell.Also,amixofsoftandhardmaterialsinthepile
willenablebetteraircirculation.
Moistureifthecompostingmixtureistoowet,itwillgetsmellyandbecomepronetofungusandslime.
Addmorebrownslikeshreddedpaperorcardboardtoabsorbtheexcessmoisture,whichwillalsohelpto
creatairpockets
HeatThecompostitselfwillgenerateheat.Youmaykeepthepotindoorsoroutdoors.Igetbetterresultsoutdoors,astheresmore
externalheatwhichhelpsdecomposematterfaster.
Ithelpstochoporshredthematerialsintosmallerpiecessothedecompositiontakesplacefaster.Materialswhichtakelongerto
decomposeshouldideallybeplacedatthebottomofthepileandinmoderatequantities.
WHATMAKESAGOODCOMPOST?
*Itsmellsgood,likethesmellofsoilandrain
*Itiscrumblywithoutlumps.Iflumpy,youcansievethecompost,andusethefineresidue.Thelumpscanbethrown
intothenewcompostpotasastartermixture.
*Itisnttoomoistanddoesnthaveanyfungusormoss.Itisnttoodryeither.

HOWTOUSECOMPOST?
Compostisbestusedasatoplayeraroundplants.Iusemycompostoncein68weekswhenthepotisdone,byapplyingatwoinch
layeronthesoilbed.Thecompostcanbeuseddirectlyonagardenbedorforcontainerplants.Ivenotexplorediftheresanexpiry
datetothecompostasmygardenisalwaysinneedofnewcompost.
WHATTOCOMPOST?
Greensaregenerallythewetandlivematterwhichdecomposequicklyandgivetherequiredmoisturetothecompost.Theycontain
andprovidethenitrogenproteinsrequiredforthemicrobestodigestandthrive.Withoutgreens,thedecompositionwilltakemuch
longer,andthecompostwillbecometoodry.
*Vegetableandfruitpeels
*RottingVegetableandFruitScraps(uncooked)
*Plantcuttings/Hedgeclippings
*GrassClippings(withouttheseedheads/roots)
*TeaBags
*CoffeeGrounds
*CrushedEggShells
*Flowers
Brownsprovidesthecarbonrequiredforthemicrobestomultiply.Lesscarbonwouldmakethecompostsmelly(duetorapidly
fermentingnitrogenintoammonia),overlymoistandfungusprone.
*Driedleaves
*Choppedstrawandsmalltwigs
*ShreddedPaper(nonglossy)
*CoffeeFilterPaper
*Cardboard(withouttheuseofcommercialglueslikeformaldehyde)
*ShreddedPizzaboxes(removethecookedfoodresiduesontheboxestotheextentpossible)*DryerLint
*VacuumCleanerBag(contentsshouldbesorted)
*DryerLint(providedmostoftheclothesarenaturalfabric)
*CornCobs(choppedintosmallpieces)
*UsedKitchenPaper
*KitchenandToiletPapercardboardrolls
*CottonWool(noncontaminated)
*Sawdust(nonchemicallytreated)
*Hair(notasclumps,veryslowtodecompose)
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*Shreddedcottonorwool(insmallquantities)
Brownsthatcanbecompostedbutprefertosendforrecycling
*NewspaperThepaperitselfwilldecompose,butnewspaperinkcanbeladenwithheavymetals.Sounlessyouaresure
thattheinkisnontoxicorsoybased,itisbetternottoaddtothecompost,especiallyifyouwantittobeorganic
*Cardboardwithlotofprintsuchascerealboxesarefullofinklikenewspapers.Somakesuretheinksarenontoxic.
Ifindoubt,sendforrecycling
*Cotton,silk,woollenclothingduetosheervolume,itsbettertosendforrecyclingwhereitcanbemadereusedor
recycledintootheritems
WhatsagoodGreenstoBrownratio?
Thegeneralruleofthumbisequalamountsofgreensandbrownsshouldbeputinthecompostmixture.Thiswillroughlyenablea
CarbontoNitrogenratioof30:1inthefinalcompostwhichisrecommendedbymostgardeners.
WHATNOTTOCOMPOST?
*Cookedfoods(moreonWhatsthematterwithcookedfoods?below)
NonBiodegradableandHazardousWastewhichshouldnotbeputinthecompost,butsentforrecyclingorforcareful
disposal:
*Plasticsofallkindbags,bottles,clingfilm,wrappers
*Drinkcartons(astheyarelayeredwithplasticortinfoil)
*Styrofoam
*Glass,Porcelein,Ceramic
*Glossypaper,magazines(tendtohavehighchemicalcontentintheinksandlaminations)
*Metalincludingcansandfoilpaperandwrappers
*Leather(astheyaretreatedwithtoxicchemicals)
*Rubber
*Cigarettebutts
*ewaste
*Electricalitemsbulbs,tubelights,batteries
*Oilwastecookingoils,fatsasinbutter,margarineandfuel
*Wood(isusuallychemicallytreadedandwilladdheavymetalcontenttothesoil)
*Paints
Whatsthematterwithcookedfood?
Youmayask,doesntcookedfoodbiodegrade?Yesitdoesbutitislikelytocauseproblemsinthecompost.Forone,itcansmellreally
badwhenthefoodstartsdecomposing,especiallyifyouaddmeatorfish.Itmayalsoattractverminsandpests.
However,byusingtherightcompostingsystem(suchasonethatwewillshowinPart2ofthisblogpost)youshouldbeableto
compostcookedfoodaswell.Youmayalsousetheaboveflowerpotsmethod,butyouwillhavetousesomekindofcultureto
acceleratethedecompositionofcookedfoodssoonecanavoidsmells.
HowtomakeorgetacceleratorsorBiocultures?
Bioculturesarenotrequiredwiththeabovemethod,butwithcookedfoodsitisnecessarytoacceleratethedecomposition.
1.YoucouldaskforBokashiatthenursery.Bokashiisabrancontainingyeast,fungiandbacteriawhichfermentscookedfood,
especiallymeatandfishinafewdaystime,withoutriskingpestsorflies.HeresanEhowinstructionshowinghowtomakesomeat
home.
2.AnotherBioculturerecipethatcanbemadeathomeisEhowsHowtomakeactivecompostmicrobes(usingricewashandmilkto
obtainlactobaccillusserum)
3.IhaveseenorganicfarmersinIndiausedilutedcowdung(5%dilutioninwater)overtheircompostforasimilarpurpose.
Iveyettotrythesethreemethodsmentionedaboveforcookedfood.Ifyouhavehadsomesuccesswithcompostingcookedfoods,do
sharethemwithus.
Hopetohearfromyouaboutyourexperiences,commentsandqueriesonthetopic.Wishyousuccessinthejourneyofturningkitchen
garbageintorichesforyourgarden!Happycomposting!
**********************************************************************************************************************
Credits:IlearntthismethodofcompostingfromthearticlebyZhouMiaoFeiintheSingaporenewletterLapisNewsJuly
September2009editionastranslatedfromMandarinintoEnglishbymyfriend,RuyuGan,apermaculturist.
Furtherlinks:
Forthemanybenefitsofcomposting,heresaveryinformativearticlefromPermacultureResearchInstituteofAustraliaentitled,
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CompostMiracleswhichhasfoundthatCompostmicroorganismsnotonlyconvertorganicmaterialintohumus,buttheyalso
degradetoxicchemicalsintosimpler,benign,organicmolecules.Thesechemicalsincludegasoline,dieselfuel,jetfuel,oil,grease,
woodpreservatives,PCBs,coalgasificationwastes,refinerywastes,insecticides,herbicides,TNT,andotherexplosives.
Thisishearteningtoread,butwouldsuggestavoidingthisinyourhomecompost!!Nevertheless,averyinsightfulpiece.
ReadExcerptsfromawonderfulbookcalledTheRodaleBookofComposting
EWTT:Part2:Howtocompostathome:UsingtheDailyDump

EWTT:PoonamBirKasturi:DesigningtheDailyDump

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