Successful composting methods: Take a look!

When it comes to defining how to compost, it's really difficult but yes there are a wide variety of composting methods available for you. One needs to take into account that these routines have different sets of requirements with regard to maintenance, size specifications, advantages and drawbacks. For successful composting, you need to select the right kind of composting method on the basis of the space you possess and more importantly how fast you require the finished compost.

Hot Composting

Hot composting methods, it develop finished compost in a matter of thirty to ninety days after beginning the bin. For more effective results, it is quite important that hot compost piles should be over 3.5 cubic feet to make sure that the pile temperature is in the vicinity of 100 and 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

You may ask at this point of time: What is the role of high temperatures? It is worthwhile mentioning that high temperatures play a pivotal role in killing pathogens, weed seed and plant diseases. It is always a good thing to combine or alternate nitrogen layers and carbon materials. This will give rise to a more comprehensive and fast composting.

Nitrogen includes vegetable scraps, fresh lawn clippings and coffee grinds. On the other hand, carbon materials consist of cardboard, dried grasses, sawdust and leaves. It is of paramount importance that you combine or turn the complete pile or bin every week. To keep the bin or pile moist, you need to add water.

Cold Composting

Cold composting is the method to use if there is no urgent requirement for the finished compost. The best part about cold composting is that there is not much you need to do in terms of maintenance. As a matter of fact, you just need to add vegetable scraps, fruit, dead garden plants, dried grass and few organic products and nature will do the rest for you.

Cold composting may not be quite as effective in killing dangerous organisms and weed seeds but it does play a prominent part in suppressing soil-borne diseases. You need to keep in mind that dealing with temperatures of higher proportion at the time of hot composting have an ability to get rid of the beneficial bacteria, which is generally given a task of suppressing such sort of diseases. Before you add materials to the bin, it is recommended that you chop them first. When you are all set to use the compost, filtering of un-decomposed material may be required and you can implement it through a screen.

Vermicomposting

The apartment dwellers and those who are restricted to indoor composting prefer Vermicomposting methods. One of the most important features of these methods is that earth worms quicken up the compost time. Worms play a very significant role by eating organic waste like fruit scraps and vegetable and also moving the materials with the help of their digestive tracks, developing nutrient rich castings. Make sure that you select a composting container of around 2 cubic feet, adding shredded newspaper for the worms bedding. In addition, also add vegetable scraps and fruit occasionally. Harvest finished compost in around 90 days later, when worms are ready to turn food scraps and bedding into compost.

Considerations

Irrespective of whatever composting method you go for, make sure that you never add dairy products and meat to your bin. This is because of the fact that dairy products and meat have an ability to attract insects to compost piles, causing insect related issues in garden beds. You are going to find the effects of it in the finished compost, which basically takes the shape of a soil amendment, topsoil or growing medium. When you opt for vermicomposting, there is a strong possibility that the worms may not like dairy products and meat, leaving those materials and give rise to foul odors, which can be quite annoying if composting indoors.

It is your responsibility to ensure that the compost bin stays away from direct sunlight. Another important thing that you need to be careful of is that there is a need to have a consistent level of light whether in a closet or under a sink. There is no point putting in food items like fish, chips and any citrus fruits such as lemons and oranges.