I would like to print the information about composting, but it
won't print. Can you fix your system so it will print articles? I
enjoy your emails. Thanks. MAry
In My Garden Blog
Southwestern Deserts
August 27, 2009
By
Cathy Cromell,
Phoenix, AZ
Landscape trimmings transforming into dark, crumbly compost.
Composting is Easy!
Garden beds containing nonnative flowers and vegetables need rich soil. You can purchase organic matter to incorporate into the garden, although making your own compost is satisfying and earth-friendly. Thirty to 40 percent of material trucked to landfills is "greenwaste" (grass clippings, dried leaves, plant trimmings, kitchen scraps). You can compost this organic matter easily on-site and reduce the burden on landfills, as well as all the energy and air pollution associated with transporting it there!
Compost Benefits
Compost improves soil structure, promoting better air and water penetration. In sandy soil, compost improves moisture retention; in clay soil, it enhances drainage. In all soil types, compost increases fertility and encourages the presence of nature's superior soil builders: earthworms.
Mix a Batch of Compost
All organic matter will eventually decompose if you pile it in a corner and let it work on its own time schedule. If you prefer a speedier approach, follow these guidelines:
-- Chop or shred all material. The smaller the pieces, the faster the decomposition.
-- Mix 1/3 nitrogen materials and 2/3 carbon materials.
-- Lightly hose everything as you mix so that it is moistened to the consistency of a damp sponge. Don't wait to hose down the completed pile from the top: water seeks a quick channel to the ground and most of the material won't get wet.
Nitrogen ("green") materials:
Fruit and vegetable peelings
Coffee grounds and tea bags
Grass clippings
Green foliage trimmings
Manure from barnyard animals (chicken, cow, goat, horse, rabbit)
Carbon ("brown") materials:
Woody plant trimmings
Shredded paper
Dry leaves
Don't add:
-- Weeds with seed heads or runners, such as Bermuda grass (can resprout in the garden)
-- Meat, bones, grease, oil or dairy products (become rancid and attract undesireables)
-- Waste from pigs, dogs, cats or birds (may contain pathogens transferable to humans)
-- Sawdust from pressure-treated wood
How Big?
A compost pile needs sufficient size to retain heat and moisture. It should be at least one cubic yard (3 feet by 3 feet by 3 feet). Locate compost piles in the shade and cover with a tarp or plastic sheet to retain moisture.
Is it Compost Yet?
The more frequently you turn and rewet the pile, the faster it will decompose. Most composters who turn regularly, reap finished compost in about three months. If you start with a "good" system (small pieces, appropriate proportions of nitrogen and carbon, well-moistened) and then let it sit without turning, it takes about 6 to 12 months to obtain usable compost.
Compost is ready to add to your garden when it is a rich, dark brown, and crumbles easily. Layer 4 to 6 inches of compost on top of the bed and thoroughly dig in to a depth of 12 to 18 inches. To use compost as mulch for landscape plants, layer several inches around the base, taking care that it doesn't touch stems or trunks.
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Comments on Composting is Easy!
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We welcome your questions and comments about this column. If you have gardening questions unrelated to the column, please ask them on our message boards.
Mary
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Cathy Cromell
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Mary,
I'm sorry you're having trouble printing. I just ran this report off
my printer and it worked without a hitch. Are you trying to print
from the NGA website? That's where I printed from:
http://www.garden.org/regional/report/arch/inmygarden/3229
I've forwarded your comment to the IT dept and if they have any
suggestions, I'll post them.
Cathy Cromell
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I'd be interested in hearing about anyone's experiences, positive
and negative, with different styles of bins, tumblers, and kitchen
composters.
AZJEM
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I started composting in Phoenix, Arizona last spring. I didn't have
any extra money to spend on bins, tumblers, etc., so I made my own.
I situated my two compost bins against a 7-ft. high block wall on
the west side of my property. I carefully measured, then stacked up
fence blocks so I could stand wood pallets on edge supported by the
concrete blocks. I created two bins side by side, so I used three
pallets - one on the outside edge of each bin, plus one to subdivide
the bin into two bins. Then I propped another pallet across each
"doorway" - held in place with a wedged-in brick (to keep my dog
from digging in the compost piles). That's it! Free stuff, and it
works like a charm! I already had the excess building materials. I
put in my grass clippings, any other garden waste (pine cones, pine
needles, weeds, etc.), kitchen scraps (except meat, dairy, fish, or
fat), contents of my vacuum cleaner bags, dryer lint, dog hair, my
hair from the shower drain, fallen citrus and nuts from my trees -
almost everything except bird poop or dog poop. Google "composting"
and you'll find lots of good reference pages on how to compost.
Depending on where you live, you may need to water your piles, or
cover them to keep out the rain if you have too much moisture.
That's not a problem here in the desert. I bought a pitch fork, and
I toss the contents from one bin to the other about every week or
two, sprinkling with the hose as I do it. There are tons of little
bugs crawling in and around the compost piles, and it's just making
more "gold" everyday. Now about the bottom half of my 5-ft. high
piles is all good compost, ready for my new vegetable/herb garden
next spring. Try it - it's easy and fun, and you don't need to buy
anything to get started.
stella
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Do you know anyone in the Phoenix area that has been successful with
vermicomposting? I would like to try it but am afraid that the worms
won't survive our climate. I wouldn't mind having the composter in
my garage, but the temperatures are still pretty hot there, too. I
am not sure if I am ready to bring that part of the outside in just
yet.
Jane M
I have a tumbling composter (foot tumble)similar to the one found
here:
http://www.compostbins.com/compost-bins/compost-tumblers/envirocycle
composter.cfm
As long as I keep it tumbling (a good workout, if you switch legs
that tumble the container)and make sure I've added some mixed
materials (I even add fresh kitty litter) and keep it moist, I get
the most lovely soil you could imagine for my garden.