Composting
As a JOB
Composting
As a JOBComposting
As a JOB|
Siberian
Iris care |
Okay, this is the rocket science of composting. Some people go to great lengths over this part. I, Marilynn, officially disavow this kind of fussing with things!!! But here's the info if you want it: In a compost pile, there are billions of microorganisms which are perfectly happy to do all of your work for you unless the conditions are drastically wrong! But like all lifeforms, there are optimum conditions in which they thrive as opposed to just surviving and "slogging to the Factory every day". Most compost piles are a combination of brown (dead) material and green (recently alive) stuff. The ratio of this is important if aiming for optimum conditions. There should be a ratio of 30/1 with the 30 representing Carbon and the 1 representing Nitrogen, according to Cornell University's Carbon/Nitrogen Page. To English-ize that, there should be a lot more dead stuff (Carbon) than green stuff (Nitrogen). The ratio changes as composting progresses. Finished compost typically has a 10/1 ratio. Of course, by the time the compost is finished, it's ALL very dead. This can get even more complicated: The bioavailability of carbon and nitrogen can vary from pile to pile. The porosity of the mixture is also important for optimum conditions. Too porous and it dries out too fast, while if it isn't porous enough it can turn into a stinking mass of yecch that doesn't really seem to go anywhere! This is also related to the C/N (Carbon/Nitrogen) ratio: A pile of only leaves is prone to drying out, while a pile of only grass clippings will usually stink but not rot. Other things to look for include the pH of the compost. Compost microorganisms like a pH of between 5.5 to 8. As the composting progresses, however, the pH naturally changes. When it is done, the compost will typically have a pH of 6 and 8 (being slightly less acidic than it started). If the compost gets too acidic, aerating it should bring down the acidity. Liming it is not recommended because it'll make it stink! Also, it will cause ammonium nitrogen to escape the pile as ammonia gas, reducing its nutrient content. To monitor the pile's pH, according to Cornell's pH page, you should take samples from multiple parts of the pile, since it is not likely to be the same all over. You can use a soil test kit for this. But for real enthusiasts, it is also possible to monitor it by making a tea out some of it, doing other steps including weighing it twice, and figuring the pH according to a complicated formula! The formula's on Cornell's page, for those so inclined. While this certainly isn't ALL of the rocket science of composting, hopefully I have covered the major points well enough. Actually doing all of that w*rk to get compost (which will happen on its own in most cases) isn't something I have direct experience with, so many thanks to Cornell University's Composting Website and its developers, which/who are the source of the technical information on this "Rocket Science of Composting" page.
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Composting