How do you make a compost heap?

Question

Do you just put it on the ground or in a bin?

Is it safe around animals? We live in the country and have alot of animals around.

How long will it take to turn into compost?

What all can you put in it besides food?

Answer 1

You can pile it but putting it in a 4'x4'x4' bin will give you better results.

If you chop things fine and avoid meats and fats, there should be no problem with animals.

Speed of composting varies with the material you put in, the moisture content, how finely you chop, and the size of the pile. It may be months or years.

Try to put in two parts high-carbon material to one part high-nitrogen material. High-carbon material includes leaves, straw, sawdust, and wood chips. High-nitrogen material includes food scraps (no fats, oils, or dairy), grass clippings, urine, manure (from herbivores only). If you depart from the 2:1 ratio by adding more high-carbon material, you will slow down the process. Too much high-nitrogen material will cause the pile to stink unless you turn it over from time to time. Keep the pile damp but not wet.

Answer 2

Umm. my guess is to Heap Compost....duh

Answer 3

well lets see. mostly put in kitchen scraps that are not cooked or have no meat coffe grounds are best. worms love them.. slugs don't big plus there!!(though i am bad an do add the odd cooked thing..we get raccoons and they go in the compost whether i do or not, no rats though and the bears really are only interested in the garbage can and fruit trees)

layer lots of leaves and grass clippings, mine is a cold compost, i don't have time to get out and turn it all the time, i usually have dirt by spring.

i also layer newspaper in the leaves and grass/kitchen scraps . the worms love it and it seems to make it decompose faster. we have a double bin compost so when one is full i can usually start digging in to the dirt at the bottom of the other. if it grew it goes in there. some things require a little chopping up first.. like the woodier items and corn stalks. but if you layer them at the bottom you are usually ok.

i also shred flyers and junk mail and any other stuff paper from the house and add it too.

oh dryer lint(so long as you didn't use dryer sheets) hair clippings, floor sweepings, um pretty much anything that is of organic material and will decompose.... no bones though. the biggest problem i have is neighbours dogs.. but once i have the lid built it will not be a problem

hope that helps

Answer 4

I went to Loretto Motherhouse for a Writing Retreat and there was a bucket by the sink and we were told it was for compost. We put coffee grounds, egg shells,tea bags,banana peelings, any peelings at all, plus all table scraps(left overs). They have a compost area on the ground somewhere. But I would say you'd better keep your dog away for most like scraps

Answer 5

COMPOSTING AND MULCHING

It is the natural process of decomposition,that happens in Nature from which the soil is derived ,

for example a tree produces most of it own soil during its life time ,with the leaves its discards which fall on the ground ,and rots

the worms and the bugs eat it and their excrement is the black top soil mixed with other organic wastes

WE COPY THAT for composting or mulching

a compost heap is a good thing for a household because it accommodates organic wastes that other wise would have gone to land fills and 70 % of landfill pollution comes from organic wastes that people put in with their trash.

and the compost is useful t have in the garden for flower pot or the garden itself

COMPOSTING

First of all we have to classify trash at least keep the organic to one side ,like in a plastic bin with a lid ,

the permanent stuff like glass plastics ,can go to the landfill or we make a hole of a few square meters and make our own landfill ,every so often cover with sand and compact it .

As long as the organics are gone the production of harmful bacteria is next to none ,

Only things like batteries are very bad in the soil.

Don`t burn it ,that is very bad for the air .

if you are in a apartment ,if you have a balcony get a big plastic bin drill some holes in the side and lid ,

and add a bit of sand now and again to put over the trash ,you should really stir or move the stuff at times to aerate it and ensure that the decomposition is overall ,keep moist

there are special compost bins you can get for apartments ,best to keep on the balcony where there is airflow.

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a general note on compost

bones,tree trunks,cardboard,egg... clothes(if they are organic),p**p,leaves,kitchen waste,food scraps,newspaper,

kitty litter and even the dead cat

All can be put on the compost heap

as long as you seal it with a covering of leaves .or put a piece of plastic on top ,

keep it moist and in the shade ,it will then get hot enough to kill all parasites

the worms will develop,and take care of everything ,the moisture helps decomposition

the plastic keeps in the moisture and protects the worms from predators .like chickens ,birds armadillos,and even dogs .i have seen going in to eat my worm culture

you could add a bit of lime now and again

to make the process more potent

HOW

make the compost in a shallow hole ,so that it retains more humidity,

about 2 square meters is good ,and have it under a tree or put a little roof over i t,which does not have to be water proof ,so a palm thatch is enough,

and make sure the garden sprinkler gets there or spray some water on it ,at least once a week,don`t have it water logged or the worms will drown or leave

RECYCLING

Cardboard is also acceptable for recycling

so is glass if you classify it in colors,and

aluminum cans

MULCHING

we cover the ground of our vegetable plot ,with a thick layer of organic material like leaves ,saw dust ,news paper .,the thicker the better the composting process will turn it in to black topsoil

Which is the same principal as composting but it includes the whole garden surface instead of in only the compost heap

The top part of the soil where the topsoil is being produced houses a world or micro biotic life.

The humidity is preserved underneath and promotes the development of worms(there exists no better compost than their excrements)and a variety of micro biotic life which together with the mulch produce more topsoil.

the mulch also keeps the ground temperature even and guards against the impact of the rain ,which would other wise brings salt to the surface if on unprotected land

Mulch also prevents the soil from drying out because of the sun and, lay it open to wind erosion.