Compost activator?

Question

What is it made of? Can I find the ingredience in my home? Is there organic ingrediences I can use to make it myself?

Answer 1

Try this article. I agree with you that to buy something when all that you need is lying out there free is foolish.

http://journeytoforever.org/compost_make...

Answer 2

If you toss the material you would compost onto the surface of the soil, it will compost there just fine. If there is a benefit from composting it it will be that it kills unwanted organisms. If composting does not generate enough heat to do that, composting is useless and you would be better to distribute directly to the soil surface.

When you are in zone 9, composting removes a lot of the carbon that would have aided to maintain your soil structure. Applying the compo stables directly to the soil preserves most of that for the soil.

Answer 3

The best compost activator could be grown from the soil where u r going to cultivate the crops.

If u have good agricultural soil, then I will suggest u to apply its layer after each layer of ur raw material. It will give u the best result.

Secondly, u can  use commercially available compost for better results.

After composting, u can always add nitrogen fixing, phosphate solubilizing or other biofertilizers or microbial pesticides. This will certainly enhance the results.

Answer 4

If someone is trying to sell you "compost activator" from a catalog, or store, it's a scam, save your money.

Bacteria, and microbes that break down the compost naturally live in the soil.  Just toss a shovel full of dirt, or manure, onto your compost pile, and whamo, you have "compost activator."

However if it would make you feel better, you can send me $19.95 for the "compost activator."  (pluss $6.95 shipping and handling)  I'll send you a teaspoon of dirt from one of my livestock corrals.  (I'm joking)  Just trying to make a point that you shouldn't pay for something that is completely free in nature.

~Garnet

Permaculture homesteading/farming over 20 years

Answer 5

compost "activator" is "live" compost

if you have a friend with a good compost heap - take a small bag of it, a little from each level

some commercially sold compost has been sterilized (with heat to kill the bacteria) so that it has a "good" shelf life while packed in a plastic bag - don't use this

of course you can start your compost heap and bacteria will float in from the air (a little slower), or throw a small amount of soil taken from anywhere that some plant is growing in (faster)

it helps if later you can introduce a few earthworms