Static composting can take as long as a year to complete. Since you’re routinely adding new material to the top of your pile and you’re not really mixing the entire pile, then you may have compost ready to use near the bottom of your pile. If you have the space or the means, access the [...]
Posts Tagged ‘decomposition’
“Rotline” Question of the Week: My static compost bin is almost full. How will I know when the compost is ready to use?
Posted in "Rotline" Question of the Week, How to, Master Composters, tagged ammonia aroma, ammonia smell, compost, compost pile, Composting, decomposition, gardening, harvesting compost, static compost on December 7, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
“Rotline” Question of the Week: Do I need to chop up my compostables before adding them?
Posted in "Rotline" Question of the Week, tagged compost, Composting, decomposition, food scraps, grinding, Master Composters, research, sustainability on August 26, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Chopping up your compostables will speed up the decomposition process. The smaller the surface area of the material generally the faster it will break down. One easy way to do this is to chop up your materials as you collect them. For example, when you are cooking, you can chop up your scraps as you [...]
Rotline Question of the Week: What are the benefits of hot composting versus cold composting?
Posted in "Rotline" Question of the Week, tagged active, cold composting, compost, decomposition, hot composting, pathogens, static, Temperature, weed seeds on August 17, 2010 | 1 Comment »
Hot Composting Hot composting, also called “active composting”, is when you turn your compost bin often. With high temperatures, weed seeds are often killed, many pathogens are destroyed, and the decomposition process speeds up. Cold Composting Cold composting, also called “static composting”, is when the compost bin is not turned or is turned very rarely. [...]
Rotline Question of the Week: Aerators? What are those for?
Posted in "Rotline" Question of the Week, tagged "Rotline" Question of the Week, aerators, anaerobic compost, compost, compost aeration, compost microbes, Composting, composting accessories, decomposition, gardening, home composting, smelly compost, soil amendments, Solana Center, turning bins, water on June 24, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Too lazy to turn your compost bin? Is your bin not easily turned? Does your compost bin smell yucky? If you answered yes to any of these questions, a compost aerator could be the right tool for you! Aeration (or the addition of air) is a very important ingredient in your compost pile. The microbes [...]
Crock Pot Composting – make the ultimate worm food!
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged carbon, compost, Composting, crock pot composting, decomposition, food scraps, Heat, moisture, red wigglers, Temperature, vermicomposting, worm bin, worm bins, worm castings, worm food, worms on May 19, 2010 | 1 Comment »
Crock Pot Composting How to make the ultimate worm food! By: Diane Hollister, Master Composter Worms have no teeth, so they can’t consume the kitchen scraps you feed them until the scraps are broken down a bit. You can do this yourself very easily by putting your food waste in a crock pot. Here’s what [...]
Why should I compost? I’m not growing vegetables.
Posted in Master Composters, tagged alternate daily cover, anaerobic, biodegrad, carbon dioxide, carbon sequestration, compost, Composting, decay, decomposition, food scraps, garden compost, gardening, green house gases, greens, healthy soil, home composting, landfill, Master Composters, methane, moisture, organic material, pollution, runoff, soil, soil amendments, Solana Center, sustainability, vermicomposting, waste, water conservation, water retention, yard clippings on November 18, 2009 | 2 Comments »
by: David Emmerson, LCCHS Science Teacher and Solana Center Master Composter Kitchen waste, yard clippings, paper, coffee grounds, and other organic materials that are produced in the home are all considered “biodegradable”. This term has a positive connotation, especially to us environmentalists. It means that they can be broken down into their raw materials by [...]
Rotline Question of the Week: If it is cold outside, will my compost bin still heat up?
Posted in "Rotline" Question of the Week, tagged "Rotline" Question of the Week, compost, compost bins, Composting, decomposition, greens, Heat, hot composting, mesophiles, microorganisms, nitrogen, psychrophiles, Temperature, thermophiles on November 17, 2009 | 3 Comments »
It is a common misconception that a compost pile heats up because of the sun. Sure, if it is hot outside, the pile will be warmer than if it is cold outside, but the sun is not what causes a compost pile to hit the triple digits. The microorganisms residing inside of the compost pile [...]
“Rotline” Question of the Week: What should I do with my compost bin while I’m on vacation?
Posted in "Rotline" Question of the Week, tagged "Rotline" Question of the Week, browns, compost bin, compost bin sitter, decomposition, greens, Heat, moisture, new worm bin, red wigglers, red worms, Solana Center, vacation, vermicomposting, worms on September 17, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
With holiday season approaching, we have received a lot of questions about what to do with your compost bin while on vacation. No need to hire a compost bin sitter! If you have a backyard composting bin (Biostack, tumbler, etc.) your bin will be fine while you are away on a trip. Your bin will [...]
“Rotline” Question of the Week: Do I need to shred or grind my materials to compost them?
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged "Rotline", augers, blender, chippers, clippings, compost bins, Composting, decomposition, grinding, plant trimmings, shredders, shredding, soil, soil amendments, Solana Center, speeding up the process, vermicompost, worm bins, worms on August 15, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Shredding and grinding materials speeds up the process of composting. Smaller pieces will break down faster in your pile because it increases the surface area. This makes the material easier for bacteria to break down the material. You do not have to shred or grind your materials. The process will just take longer. If you [...]
“Rotline” Question of the Week: Do I need to add worms to my compost bin?
Posted in "Rotline" Question of the Week, tagged "Rotline", castings, compost, compost bins, decomposition, Heat, humus, optimum conditions, organic material, Solana Center, thermophilic bacteria, worm bins, worms on March 24, 2009 | 2 Comments »
Worms are generally used in closed-system compost bins. Worm bins are used to house the worms, which will digest your materials and create castings. When using a worm bin, you will need to add worms to the bin. Compost bins are generally open-bottom bins and do not require worms. In a compost bin microbes called [...]
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