Black Gold
Thanks to Kim for this weeks contribution
We’re at the tail-end of International Compost Week – so here are some hints and tips on making ‘Black Gold’
I often get asked to look at people’s compost bins… probably because one of my favourite fleeces has ‘Somerset Compost Volunteer’ emblazoned on it.
I forget I’ve got it on and then wonder why strangers in supermarket queues sidle up to me and ask ‘what do I do about rats?’ (see below for answers).
Making good compost is like baking a cake – get together the essential ingredients, weigh them out (I don’t mean that literally) and if you get the mix right, ‘cook’ it at the right temperature for enough time, you get a fantastic result. But if you don’t you can end up with a cold, slimy, smelly mess!
So, you need…
2:1 mix in volume terms of nitrogen-rich ‘ wet green’ stuff (veg peelings, non-invasive weeds, grass cuttings, coffee grounds) to carbon-rich ‘dry brown’ stuff (dried leaves, small twigs, cardboard, shredded paper)
Water (or even better, male urine which REALLY gets it going.. and keeps wildlife away!)
Air - most of the critters that turn your waste into black gold require oxygen
Patience: the time your heap takes to complete the process will depend on several factors - it’s possible to have compost in two months but can take up to a year. Large heaps will produce more heat and will break down more quickly but you can speed up the process by turning or ‘forking through’ compost regularly to mix and aerate it. Chopping things up before adding them also helps them break down more quickly.
Worms, bacteria, fungi, bugs and beetles – but don’t worry as they will find their own way there.
Compost Problems
One of the main contributors is that in the autumn/winter you will have too much ‘brown’ stuff and in the spring/summer, too much ‘green’. So if possible, try to save a pile of autumn leaves, twiggy bits etc. on one side so that you can mix some into each layer of ‘green stuff’ in the summer. Adding some torn up corrugated cardboard is also a great way of adding both carbon and air to your mix.
If you’ve got slimy/smelly compost it probably means you have got a claggy layer (normally grass clippings) that’s creating a barrier to air and water. You need to mix more brown stuff into the offending layer. Mixing shredded paper with your grass clippings as soon as you put them on the heap prevents this and really accelerates the composting process. It can also happen if your compost isn’t getting hot enough – more often a problem with ‘tumblers’. Try to make sure they are in a reasonably sunny spot so they get a boost of heat.
If you have rats, the trick is to disturb them every day – run a stick along the edge of the container or give a pile a good poke with a stick. They will leave… but probably just to move on to someone else’s compost heap. You can avoid the problem by not putting cooked food into your compost. However, please be careful when poking – slow worms also love compost heaps.
Happy composting!