Composting. Need help to speed up the process?
By coolseeds
@coolseeds (3919)
United States
May 8, 2008 11:04pm CST
It is great to have ready access to compost if you grow or care to grow better plants. All you have to do is make a pile of vegetation and stir it up every now and then. It is as simple as that. 
There are some things you can do to speed up the process. You can apply fertilizer to assist the break down of the pile. I use organic fertilizer but you can use whatever you prefer.
When I feel like working out I will use the shovel to dig and work the compost pile. If I do not have the time then I will use a small mantis type of tiller to till the compost pile.
Another way to enhance the pile is to add worms. You can purchase redworms or capture your own. They will eat the vegetation and provide useful nutrients in exchange.
I also put soil and clumps of clay into it. This adds bacteria that will help break down your pile. The clay will get broken up and becomes nutrients. Otherwise clay soil is almost useless to grow in.
If you want something small it would be easy to drill holes into a trash can. Put the vegetation into it and roll it every few days.
Composting can be a good form of exercise if nothing else. I dig in the pile sometimes just for the work out. You can kill 2 birds with one stone this way. Multitasking will give you more time for yourself.
There are some things you can do to speed up the process. You can apply fertilizer to assist the break down of the pile. I use organic fertilizer but you can use whatever you prefer.
When I feel like working out I will use the shovel to dig and work the compost pile. If I do not have the time then I will use a small mantis type of tiller to till the compost pile.
Another way to enhance the pile is to add worms. You can purchase redworms or capture your own. They will eat the vegetation and provide useful nutrients in exchange.
I also put soil and clumps of clay into it. This adds bacteria that will help break down your pile. The clay will get broken up and becomes nutrients. Otherwise clay soil is almost useless to grow in.
If you want something small it would be easy to drill holes into a trash can. Put the vegetation into it and roll it every few days.
Composting can be a good form of exercise if nothing else. I dig in the pile sometimes just for the work out. You can kill 2 birds with one stone this way. Multitasking will give you more time for yourself.6 responses
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
9 May 08
We have no need to compost, especially now that we are going to be growing hydroponically, but I have always taken an interest in composting, and have been particularly interested in the probiotic Japanese method called Bokashi where fermented organic matter made from clay powder, molasses, water and wheat bran works as a compost starter. Have you ever worked with it?
@coolseeds (3919)
• United States
9 May 08
Bokashi sounds very interesting. I use a bucket system for certain items I do not want in the compost pile. Cat litter comes in a bucket with a lid that seals. I put morning glories and other nasties that will probably take over the compost pile into them. I put the lid on and let them sit until they turn to liquid. Then I dump it onto the compost pile.
However my method doesn't use any microbes other than the ones already in the soil.
@slickcut (8141)
• United States
10 May 08
I have been wating to make a compost pile for a long long time..I just do not know where to start one..I have looked at those compost things where you spin the compost but they are so expensive..I know what to put in mine and all that but where to start it is my biggest problem...
@coolseeds (3919)
• United States
10 May 08
You can drill holes in a plastic trash can and roll it. That is the easiest way if you do not want to make a pile. You just roll the trash can.
@coolseeds (3919)
• United States
10 May 08
Certain tomatoes are very easy. I have some cherry tomatoes that reseed themselves beside my compost pile every year. They don't get any attention other than picking the tomatoes off of them.
If you continually add organic nutrients to your soil you can virtually eliminate a need for synthetic fertilizer.
Good Luck
@oscarbartoni (2581)
• United States
9 May 08
One of the best ways to get compost in the quickest time is to make sure to chop up the organic materials in as small of pieces as possible so that the bacteria can eat for more surface area. As for bacteria starter , just put some good garden soil or finished compost in the pile and make sure to keep the compost moist and aerated (either by turning or probing so that oxygen can get to the middle of the pile so that the good bacteria can breath).
@coolseeds (3919)
• United States
9 May 08
Very true. I have read many stories about people who put their vegetation into a trash can and use a string trimmer or weadeater to chop it up.
@ferdzNK (3211)
• Philippines
9 May 08
I've partially heard of one procedure to speed up composting that is to use bacteria something like drannhh describe, but since cultured bacteria are expensive, here in the Philippines they have come up with an alternative solution. That is to use left over rise, this is put in a jar with water cover it and left for a few days to ferment. Unfortunately, I never jot it down and miss the most details. I hope somebody here know something about this.
@GreenMoo (11834)
•
10 May 08
Nettles, comfrey and urine are all excellent compost activators. Add a layer of nettles of comfrey as normal, and encourage your male friends to wee on the compost pile as often as possible!
If you only have small quantities of waste, those spinning barrel composters are excellent. As you've said, you can make them in old barrels yourself. Even better is when they're mounted on a frame & you can collect the liquid through a drain in the bottom for use as a fertiliser.
If you are adding worms to your compost you may find that setting up a wormery is more efficient. Make your own by layering bedding material like shredded paper with your waste, ensuring there is drainage and making sure that they can't escape. There are loads of plans on the internet if you're interested. My two worm bins are fabulous and break down my waste into usable material far faster than the compost heap.
