Making compost in the garden at home
In nature, there is no such thing as waste. For everything we would call waste, there is an animal, plant, fungus or bacteria that can recycle it. What some eat and excrete, is eaten by others and they excrete something else. When we compost, we actively set this cycle in motion. Not only do we gain many nutrients for our soils, but we also grow a huge amount of small microorganisms, good fungi and bacteria, insects and earthworms. The combination of nutrients and living beings is perfect for bringing life back into the soil, improving it and making it healthier.
Making compost in four steps
Making compost usually consists of four steps:
- collecting material,
- shredding,
- stockpiling, and
- re-mixing and re-shoveling.
In this blog, we will talk about collecting and shredding material. In the next blog, we will set out the compost and provide information on mixing and turning.
Choose a good place in the garden
To make good compost, it is important that the compost is easily accessible. Find a composting spot that won't be disturbed by your robotic lawnmower, perhaps in the shade under a tree or larger shrub. The space needs to be adequate, as the compost will be remixed and put back on after a few weeks. Usually you can choose three places, one as a collection place for the constantly fresh waste, the second for the composting process where the rotting takes place and the third for the re-mixing and re-shoveling of the compost after some time during the rotting process.
What materials are suitable and can be thrown into the compost?
In principle, all organic waste that we normally cut in the garden and take to the recycling area (green yard), all kitchen waste and everything natural, such as weeds and rotten apples and orange peels to textiles and fabrics such as underwear, if they are natural fibers.
The first step is to collect raw material. Keep in mind that collecting scraps and green waste has nothing to do with actual composting yet.
Set out a small (green) trash can with a lid for everyday kitchen scraps. Throw everything that is generated in the kitchen into the garbage can, take it to the collection point and throw everything there.
For the second step, you will need woody material like branches. Trim your trees and shrubs in your yard and throw everything at the collection site. If you don't have woody material, you can go to your local recycling center (green yard) and ask for wood, branches and fresh green cuttings. Take everything to your collection point.
When at the collection point...
Now we chop the wood material. We will use the larger pieces of wood and thicker branches for the biochar (information about this can be found in a separate blog entry). Therefore, you only need to shred small pieces. It is best to use a shredder or chipper. If you don't own one, you can either borrow one from your neighborhood or from friends or relatives. Sometimes you can also buy used shredders very cheaply through popular internet portals. If you can't find a shredder, you can also use pruning shears. This is a bit more time-consuming, but in the end it doesn't matter for composting.
Once the starting materials are shredded, they are stored until enough has been gathered to make a compost. This should already be a good pile, about 700-1,000 liters, maybe a meter to a meter and a half wide and a good waist high. If you keep bringing kitchen scraps to the collection site, you can mix them with the shredded greens so it doesn't start to smell.