There are two types of organic waste – brown and green. Both are essential for composting.

  • Brown Waste: http://www.compost-info-guide.com/browns.htm Typical brown materials include: Brown, dry leaves, Dried grass, Cornstalks (shredded), Straw, Sawdust (in moderation as the carbon content is way too much)
  • Green Waste: http://www.compost-info-guide.com/greens.htm Typical green materials are: Fresh (green) Grass clippings, Kitchen scraps (fruit, vegetables, coffee grounds, tea bags), Weeds, Green leaves, Leftover fruits from the garden.

A word of caution: a pile of kitchen garbage by itself will never become useful compost; it simply becomes a smelly pile of garbage. It needs the brown waste. Fresh manure is allowed as long as it is from a horse, chicken, rabbit or cow. But NOT dogs, cats, human as these could have diseases carrying germs; What else not to add: Meat, fish, animal fats – attracts rats etc; newspaper – best recycled as it might have been treated with chemicals)

What are the seven secrets of good composting:

o   30 units carbon to 1 part nitrogen is the best compost mix that micro organisms like to feed on. It is equivalent to 1 part vege waste to 1 part (dead leaves, twigs, hay and paper) – the dried “brown” waste which helps in forming air pockets. These contain oxygen which is essential for those micro organisms to survive. This ratio varies with different people making home compost and it is best to come up with your own formula. Some composters are known to use as much as 1 part green to 4 parts brown.

o   All layers should be moistened with water but shouldn’t be wet as wet produces smelly slime that gets compressed and eliminates oxygen from the core of your compost mix.Ensure it is always damp and never drenched, keeping the mixture as moist as a squeezed out cloth but no more.

o   Shredding everything helps

o   Turning the mix from the outside to the inside is important although there are differing viewpoints. I find turning for the first and second day and then every 4 days about twice and then not turning at all, works for me. But here are differing viewpoints: http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/organic/msg1214252411790.html

o   Cover with tarpaulin to keep the heat in and to keep direct sunlight out.

o   The ideal Mass is about 4 to 5 feet wide x 4 to 5 ft across of raw material which might not be possible in India. Composting bins are our best bet.

o   A few words of caution:

Keep adding organic waste – 1 part green to 1 part brown – for about a week and no more to start the process. After that it is best to start another composting bin rather than adding to one that is already composting;

Don’t disturb the bin in between the recommended turning periods as temperatures in its core need to reach about 65 degrees C for it to decompose properly. Too much turning cools the pile and stops the process.

Information for this article from:

http://www.compost-info-guide.com/building_pile.htm

http://www.thegardenofoz.org/composting101.asp

How to Make Homemade Compost | eHow.com

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