I have been busy the last few weeks. I have looking for materials to make "black gold". Black gold is simply compost. Gardeners refer to compost as black gold because it is the best nutrient-rich organic soil amendment one could add to the garden. Plus, it is inexpensive. Compost is made from materials that would have normally been discarded.
Compost helps to improve plant growth by amending the structure of soil. It helps to break up heavy clay soils and adds water holding capacity to sandy soils. It truly is the secret ingredient to successful gardening!
A combination of "green" and "brown" materials, moisture, and air is used by microorganisms and worms to create compost.
To make a compost pile, it is best use a combination of materials that are shredded or chopped up. This makes it easier for microorganisms and worms to feed on the materials, which in turn breaks these materials down faster.
However, just because it was once living or came from a living being, does not mean it should go into a compost pile. Avoid raw and cooked meats, fats, oils, milk, cheese, manures, weeds with flowers/seeds, pesticide treated plants and grasses or you risk inviting creatures to dinner, a foul rotten smell, and killing off the good organism responsible for making compost.
All organic (living) matter is made up of a substantial amount of carbon and a small amount of nitrogen. To make compost, the system has to have the right balance of browns (carbon) and greens (nitrogen). Ideally, a 30:1 ratio of carbon to nitrogen results in a fertile, sweet smelling compost. For the home gardener, trying to figure out how to get to this ratio is more complicated that it needs to be.
I try to use equal amounts (by volume) of green and brown materials. However, I let my eyes and nose lead me to right balance. The key is to look at and smell the compost pile. If the carbon levels are too high, the compost pile will not decompose very quickly. When this happens, I add more greens. If the nitrogen levels are too high, the compost pile will be slimy and stinky. When this happens, I add more browns.
I find the hardest part about composting is getting enough brown materials. I live in a newer housing community with trees that are less than 10 years old. These small trees do not produce enough leaves in the fall to maintain the ideal ratio of carbon to nitrogen. Since my compost pile tends to be heavy on nitrogen rich greens and my plan for this year is to increase the amount of compost I produce, I have spent the last few days seeking alternative sources for compost material.
I have been sending emails to local coffee shops, woodworkers, and paper shredding companies to see it they would be willing to give me spent coffee beans, sawdust/wood shavings, and shredded paper for my compost pile.
Ask and you shall receive!
After my requests, I have added ~ 20 lbs of spent coffee beans to my compost bin, courtesy of Baltimore Coffee and Tea in Frederick, Maryland. I also found a local craftsman who was eager to share his wood shavings and sawdust with me (I just need to pick them up). Unfortunately, the paper shredding companies were of no help because shredded paper is incinerated for confidentiality reasons. My alternative: I decided to ask co-workers for their shredded paper. At first I got some long pauses and strange stares when making this request, but after reassuring everyone that I was not the puzzle type, I came home with a pile of shredded paper to add to my compost bin.
Every 3-4 days I add alternating amounts of green and brown materials and turn my compost pile. This is easy for me because I have a compost tumbler. All it takes is a couple of turns of the bin to mix the contents and add oxygen to the pile. In a few short months, I should have a nice heap of compost to add to the garden beds.
When finished, the compost should look, feel and smell like rich, dark soil. I should not be able to recognize any of the items I put in the compost pile. However, since I am constantly adding to my compost bin, I bought a compost sifter from Greenhouse Megastore ($6). I will sift through the compost just prior to adding it to the gardens. I will return the large chunks to the compost bin for further composting.
What an exciting last couple of weeks of turning what would have been trash into garden treasure. (and now, I am officially the weird girl at work)
Black gold: gardeners love it, worms love it, and plants love it. Make your own at home and protect the environment by "recycling".
Compost helps to improve plant growth by amending the structure of soil. It helps to break up heavy clay soils and adds water holding capacity to sandy soils. It truly is the secret ingredient to successful gardening!
A combination of "green" and "brown" materials, moisture, and air is used by microorganisms and worms to create compost.
- Greens = nitrogen rich materials that provide nutrients and moisture for the compost; nitrogen is used by organisms for protein production. Greens are often referred to as the "wet" component of compost.
- Examples: fruit and vegetable scraps, grass clippings, spent coffee grounds, eggshells, young weeds
- Browns = carbon rich materials absorb excess moisture, facilitate air-flow and prevent compaction of the compost; carbon is used by organisms for energy production. Browns are often referred to as the "dry" component of compost.
- Examples: brown leaves, sawdust, wood chips, paper, cardboard, newspaper, hair, nail clippings, drier lint
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| Compost bin with fresh materials for the microbes and worms |
However, just because it was once living or came from a living being, does not mean it should go into a compost pile. Avoid raw and cooked meats, fats, oils, milk, cheese, manures, weeds with flowers/seeds, pesticide treated plants and grasses or you risk inviting creatures to dinner, a foul rotten smell, and killing off the good organism responsible for making compost.
All organic (living) matter is made up of a substantial amount of carbon and a small amount of nitrogen. To make compost, the system has to have the right balance of browns (carbon) and greens (nitrogen). Ideally, a 30:1 ratio of carbon to nitrogen results in a fertile, sweet smelling compost. For the home gardener, trying to figure out how to get to this ratio is more complicated that it needs to be.
I try to use equal amounts (by volume) of green and brown materials. However, I let my eyes and nose lead me to right balance. The key is to look at and smell the compost pile. If the carbon levels are too high, the compost pile will not decompose very quickly. When this happens, I add more greens. If the nitrogen levels are too high, the compost pile will be slimy and stinky. When this happens, I add more browns.
I find the hardest part about composting is getting enough brown materials. I live in a newer housing community with trees that are less than 10 years old. These small trees do not produce enough leaves in the fall to maintain the ideal ratio of carbon to nitrogen. Since my compost pile tends to be heavy on nitrogen rich greens and my plan for this year is to increase the amount of compost I produce, I have spent the last few days seeking alternative sources for compost material.
I have been sending emails to local coffee shops, woodworkers, and paper shredding companies to see it they would be willing to give me spent coffee beans, sawdust/wood shavings, and shredded paper for my compost pile.
Ask and you shall receive!
 |
| Shredded paper and ripped up toilet paper rolls |
Every 3-4 days I add alternating amounts of green and brown materials and turn my compost pile. This is easy for me because I have a compost tumbler. All it takes is a couple of turns of the bin to mix the contents and add oxygen to the pile. In a few short months, I should have a nice heap of compost to add to the garden beds.
When finished, the compost should look, feel and smell like rich, dark soil. I should not be able to recognize any of the items I put in the compost pile. However, since I am constantly adding to my compost bin, I bought a compost sifter from Greenhouse Megastore ($6). I will sift through the compost just prior to adding it to the gardens. I will return the large chunks to the compost bin for further composting.
What an exciting last couple of weeks of turning what would have been trash into garden treasure. (and now, I am officially the weird girl at work)
Black gold: gardeners love it, worms love it, and plants love it. Make your own at home and protect the environment by "recycling".
Your not weird Maria, just Strange:)
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