When is the compost formed?

When is the compost formed?

compost ready

The compost will be ripe and ready to be used when we do not distinguish the starting materials (except the hardest, such as branches, pineapples or fruit bones). It should not have bad odors, it will be dark in color and will have low humidity. It will also have an ambient temperature, which is indicative of the decrease in microbial activity. It will therefore be a stable material and will be ready for use as fertilizer, although before that we will screen it, to use only the finest material and return to the stack the largest one that will serve as a structuring material.

Compost Properties

•     It improves the physical properties of the soil. Porosity and fluffiness, the ability to store water and retain nutrients.
•     Improves chemical properties. It increases the content of macronutrients (N, P, K) and micronutrients, cation exchange capacity and acts as a nutrient store for crops.
•     It improves the biological activity of the ground. It acts as a support and food for microorganisms, which feed on humus and allow its mineralization.

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To compost in composting containers we must follow the following steps:

To compost in composting containers we must follow the following steps:

•     Choose a warm and warm location.
•     Deposit a layer of dry and woody materials at the bottom of the composter (straw, dried leaves, pruning remains, ...), and on that layer add mature compost, already made, or a little manure, so that the microorganisms that They have started the process on the new material.
•     Alternate in the composter layers of wetter materials (fresh crop residues, grass, ...) with drier materials, and occasionally include some layer of old compost or manure.
•     Regularly it will be necessary to remove with an aerator , to mix well its content and to aerate it, so that it improves the decomposition of all the components, mixing especially the areas closest to the lateral ones that dry before.
•     If we see that the mixture of the different materials over time is very dry, we can water it and even add some biostimulant such as nettle slurry.
•     To incorporate fresh material into the compost that has been processed for some time, it would be advisable to make a hole in the material by depositing the new material inside it and covering with drier materials.

If everything went well and we have thoroughly removed the mixture, at 4 or 6 months in the lower layers of the composter , the fermentation and decomposition will be finished so we will obtain high quality compost prepared for use . In the case of composters that have a lower door they have the advantage that as the process is completed in the lower layers they can be unloaded and continue filling up.

We will have to control the humidity of the mixture to allow the microorganisms to work properly. To know if the humidity is adequate, we will take a handful of the material and tighten it. If it is wet and only drips one or two drops, it has the correct humidity. If it is very dry we should add water little by little. If it drips a lot, it means that there is plenty of water, which prevents good aeration of the battery, which can lead to rotting processes and bad odors.

Domestic composting is usually done by the passive method, that is to say without an exhaustive control of the temperature of the battery, although this is usually between 35 and 55 º C, sufficient temperature to eliminate most of the pathogenic organisms.

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How to compost: Complete guide

How to compost: Complete guide

In any home, a large amount of waste is generated daily. Containers, cardboard and glass are materials for which there are selective collection containers in most Spanish municipalities, so we can separate them at home and recycle them.

However , for organic matter, which occupies 40% of our household garbage, there are no specific containers (except in some cities), but instead is deposited in the “Rest” container where everything that is not collected is going selective

People who have an orchard or garden at home (either on a small plot or in a patio or terrace), generate in addition to kitchen debris, remains of plants and crops, producing a large amount of organic waste.

These remains can be used by making a domestic composting , thus making their homes more ecological and sustainable, making better use of matter and energy, and also obtaining a high quality fertilizer for the garden or vegetable garden.

What is composting?

Composting consists of a transformation of organic matter into a natural fertilizer which we call compost . This is produced by an accelerated biooxidation process of organic matter, by the action of microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) under aerobic conditions and producing a temperature rise.

How to compose

Traditionally, compost has been made in "the heap" where the remains of the field were deposited. Currently there are domestic composters that will help us better control the process, making it both more aesthetic, than a simple heap.

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Composting vs. Vermicomposting

Composting vs. Vermicomposting

Composting consists of transforming the organic remains of the garden, garden or kitchen into compost, material rich in microorganisms and nutrients that will fertilize the soil where our plants develop.

It is an exercise in the recycling of organic matter that can be carried out in the domestic environment, greatly reducing our final waste, since 40% of the garbage bag of any household is usually organic.

It is also a very interesting activity from the educational point of view for our children and a way to close the cycle of matter and energy in our urban garden. Therefore, we recommend to urban garden users, perhaps those who already have some experience, compost as a very enriching sustainability experience.

If we are determined to compost we have 2 options: composting or vermicomposting (or even combining both options).

When is composting more appropriate?

•     When we generate a large amount of waste ; it is the case of houses with garden or orchard in land. In these cases we will produce both dry material, rich in Carbon (leaves and branches) and wet material, rich in Nitrogen ( pruning remains, kitchen, grass etc ...), in sufficient quantities to carry out composting .
•     When we have enough space.

When is vermicomposting more appropriate?

•     When we generate less waste . Especially in urban gardens of terrace or balcony, where not much pruning is generated. In these cases, we will carry out our vermicompost based on kitchen remains.
•     When we have little space to perform this function .

Offers in vermicomposters :

Finally, if we have space, time and want to obtain a product of the highest quality, we can even consider combining both processes. In this way, we would first carry out a composting process of our waste and the resulting compost, we would use it in the vermicomposter , achieving a greater stabilization of organic matter, as well as better fertilizer properties.

In any case, the result will be a domestic compost that we will use to fertilize our garden, improving the microbial life of the soil, providing the nutrients that our crops need and closing the cycle of matter and energy in our garden.

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List of some potentially compostable materials :

List of some potentially compostable materials :

    Remains of fruit and vegetables: moderating the addition of citrus.
    Fresh grass: moderately (they give off a lot of moisture).
    Pruning remains: their contributions are more appropriate when we crush them to add it to the composter.

•     Cork stoppers: chopped into 3 or 4 pieces.
•     Dry leaves.
•     Coffee.
•     Tea bags.
•     Egg shells: crushed.
•     Bones.

It is also important to highlight those materials that we should not add to our composting containers , as some of them, beyond being able to be decomposed, could irreversibly damage our compost, throwing away all our work. In the following list you can find materials that you should never add:

•     Treated wood
•     Glass
•     Remains of the sweep (sweep at home).
•     Paper
•     Cardboards with color prints
•     Butts
•     Clothing

* Of course, you should never add batteries, foil, tetra-briks or medications.

This short guide should guide you to make your own compost, but if you want to deepen any of the aspects discussed, here is a list of background articles written in our magazine that will help you more conscientiously to guide you and answer any questions you have in relationship with the manufacture of compost.

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Vermicomposting

Vermicomposting

It is a good alternative for cases where we do not have enough space to perform traditional composting, or when our waste generation is reduced. In this variant of composting it will be convenient to use vermicomposters , which have several trays that are stacked on top of each other, allowing the worms to pass from the inferior to the superior trays through some holes, digesting these organic residues successively from the lower to the upper floors. Thus, in these special containers, we will end up having a material of exceptional characteristics for our garden, from the digestion and excretion of the materials that we will have deposited by the worms.

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Traditional composting

Traditional composting
We can carry it out when space, or rather, the lack of it is not a problem, and we must take into account various factors, such as: the choice of a warm location for the composter (for the correct development of aerobic microorganisms), and the alternate addition of dry materials (pruning remains, straw ...), richer in carbon and with a mainly structuring action, with fresh materials, richer in nitrogen.

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