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 [...]
Posts Tagged ‘greens’
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 | 1 Comment »
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 | Leave a Comment »
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 are [...]
“Rotline Question” of the Week: Composting Pumpkins?
Posted in "Rotline" Question of the Week, tagged "Rotline" Question of the Week, browns, compost bins, Composting, greens, home composting, nitrogen, pumpkin, pumpkin composting, vermicomposting, worm bins on October 30, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
It is pumpkin season, but now that you don’t need your carefully carved pumpkin any more, don’t throw it away! Pumpkin is a great addition to both your compost and worm bin!
To add pumpkin to either bin, it is important that it is broken down into smaller pieces. Chop, cut, or saw the pumpkin into [...]
“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 continue [...]
Rotline Question of the Week: Can you have too many greens in your compost pile?
Posted in "Rotline" Question of the Week, tagged "Rotline", "Rotline" Question of the Week, browns, carbon, carbon to nitrogen ratio, compost, compost bins, Composting, food scraps, greens, Heat, nitrogen, odor, Temperature on September 10, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Sometimes, composters find themselves lacking in browns (carbon rich materials like straw, mulch, shredded paper, etc.) and having a surplus of greens (nitrogen rich materials like kitchen scraps, coffee grounds, freshly cut grass, etc.). But is it bad to have too many greens? What happens if you have too many greens in your compost bin?
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“Rotline” Question of the Week: Is hay or straw best for my compost?
Posted in "Rotline" Question of the Week, tagged aeration, browns, carbon, compost, compost bins, Composting, greens, hay, Heat, Master Composters, nitrogen, soil amendments, straw, Temperature, weeds on August 4, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Hay is considered a nitrogen source, or a green, and can be added to your compost bin. Because hay often has weed seeds in it, make sure that your bin is reaching a hot temperature, 100 – 140 degrees Fahrenheit. If you are passively composting and not achieving high temperatures, you can bag the hay [...]
“Rotline” Question of the Week: Where can I get more browns?
Posted in "Rotline" Question of the Week, tagged browns, carbon to nitrogen ratio, chippers, compost bins, Composting, greens, hay, Master Composters, mulch, shredders, straw, yard trimmings on June 11, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Greens, or nitrogen-rich materials, are often easy to come by. When using an outdoor compost bin, many people have trouble locating enough browns to maintain an appropriate nitrogen to carbon ratio. Here are some suggestions from one our Master Composters for locating some local browns for your pile.
Yard trimmings: dried leaves, wood chips, dried plant [...]
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