Posted on June 27, 2008
Filed Under Composting, Condo Living, Urban Gardening | Leave a Comment
There are many uses for compost, especially when you get into all the agricultural and environmental uses but since most of us are urban dwellers, we´ll spare you the details and stick to home gardening and how we can use compost to grow healthy plants of all varieties.
How to use compost in home gardening
For starters, you´re probably wondering how much compost to use versus regular soil. Well, ratios may vary depending on who you speak to but the good news is, you don´t have to worry about using too much. Even though compost is a highly potent mixture, there´s no risk of overdose or toxicity because compost manages the transfer, gradually releasing its nutrients into the soil. The key is to use compost that has fully matured however because unfinished compost will steal nitrogen from surrounding soils to help it complete the process of decomposition.
A general rule of thumb when it comes to using compost is to mix 2 inches of compost into the top 3-5 inches of soil. Depending on the condition and texture of the soil you are working with, compost can be worked into the soil up to a foot or so in depth.
For new gardens, add 4-6 inches of compost before planting. If your garden is already somewhat established, 2-4 inches of compost can be used before each new planting season. If you are working with existing plants, be careful not to break the root structures when you are mixing in your compost.
Balcony Gardens and Potted Plants use Compost too!
You don´t need a full-on garden to use compost. Potted plants of all kinds will gladly put your compost to use. Build yourself a gorgeous balcony garden of vegetables, herbs and flowers. Alternatively, forget the balcony and take your potted plants indoors. As long as you have natural sunlight, you can garden. Get yourself some potting soil from the local gardening centre and use about 1/4 the volume of compost to potting soil for strong, healthy plants. Twice a year, add about 1 inch of compost to the top layer of each pot or window box and your plants will love you. If you need room, remove some of the existing soil before adding the compost.
Use Compost as a Mulch Alternative
Compost is also a great alternative to store-bought mulch. By adding a layer of compost anywhere from 2-6 inches thick on top of flower beds and vegetable gardens, compost will act as a mulch, deterring the growth of weeds, reducing erosion, conserving water and attracting garden-friendly earth worms.
Your Lawn can use Compost too!
If you´ve got bald patches in your lawn, the best thing to do is add an inch of compost and work it into the soil before reseeding that portion. For overall quality of your lawn, you can spread a 1/4 inch layer or so of fine compost right over top of your grass. The compost will eventually sift down into your soil, adding nutrients and improving its structure. On the flip side, if you need to seed a whole new fresh batch of grass, the key is to add 3 inches of compost within a depth of 5-8 inches before seeding the area.
If you have any questions about how to use compost in your urban home gardening, be sure to post a comment. For more composting basics, check out the complete Composting 101 series.
Posted on June 26, 2008
Filed Under Composting, Perceptions, Urban Gardening | 1 Comment
Compost is a dark, crumbly, earth-like humus. Although it can resemble soil to the inexperienced gardener, it´s actually not and should not be used as a replacement for soil. Rather, compost is generally used to enrich soils, whether they be low in quality, old or damaged. Soils love compost because it offers all sorts of nutrients and compost is a great conditioner too. Not only are immediate moisture levels improved but compost is also a great absorber of water so overall moisture retention is improved as well.
Learn more about the basics of composting in our Series: Composting 101
Posted on June 25, 2008
Filed Under Composting, Urban Gardening, Urban Solutions | 2 Comments
Composting is easy to do no matter which method of composting you choose to follow, be it a standard backyard composter, a tumbler or worm composter. The beauty of composting is it´s such a natural process, that it pretty much happens all on it´s own, thanks to the natural microorganisms in food and nature. Even the most negligent composters will see results with time.
If you want to create rich compost, the key is to manage the products you put into the composter. It is essential to have both dry and wet inputs. These categories are also commonly referred to as brown and green inputs or carbon and nitrogen inputs, depending on the level of scientific explanation. In my opinion, dry and wet just seems the most logical and once you start composting at home, you´ll see what I mean.
Try to add equal, if not greater amounts of dry to wet ingredients to facilitate the composting process but don´t concern yourself too much with measurements as it doesn´t have to be an exact science. Below are some suggestions for wet and dry inputs.
Wet Compostables Include:
Fruits & Vegetables - peels, cores, stems, rotted
Egg Shells - rinsed and crushed
Coffee Grounds & Filters
Tea bags
Plant & Flowers
Potting Soil
***All wet inputs should be cut into small pieces (about 1-2 inches)
Dry Compostables Include:
Tissues
Toilet Paper Rolls
Paper Towel (non-oily)
Newsprint
Cardboard
Brown Paper Bags
Dryer Lint
Grass clippings (dry)
Leaves (dry)
***All dry items put into compost should be shredded or cut into smaller pieces.
Do Not Include:
Cooked food
Greasy Materials
Pasta, Grains
Fish, Meat, BOnes
Dairy
Alright, the hardest part´s over. Now all you have to do is rotate the items in the compost periodically to make sure they get exposure to oxygen and spray the pile with water if it gets a little dry. Your compost pile need only be damp like a wrung out sponge, not wet. This periodic maintenance can be done once a week when you drop off your weekly food waste. In a matter of months, you´ll be able to cultivate the rich compost you created and use it to build a lush garden for your yard or balcony or even some greenery for indoors.
Part 4 and 5 of the series discuss what is compost and how we use compost once we have created it?
Check out the complete Series: Composting 101
Posted on June 24, 2008
Filed Under Composting, Environmental Sustainability, Waste Management | 1 Comment
Composting is beneficial for countless reasons. For starters, 30-50% of the waste that is deposited in landfills is organic and can be turned into compost if processed properly at a centralized facility, or even better, your home composter. By composting in your backyard or by using an indoor composter, you can prevent unnecessary carbon emissions from the transporting of organic wastes like food and non-recyclable paper to landfills. But that´s not all! By diverting these organic resources from landfills, you can reduce the production of methane gas that is a bi-product of their decomposition in oxygen-deprived, water saturated landfill environments.
Composting as a solution to environmental issues is even more multi-faceted though. Along with preventing further environmental damage from our reliance on landfills, the compost that is created can be put to use and actually reverse existing environmental damage in some cases. In fact, the US Environmental Protection Agency has put together a comprehensive list of all the roles that compost can play.
According to the US EPA compost can…
If you can think of other reasons to compost, please share them with the rest of us by leaving a comment.
Now that you can appreciate why we compost, be sure to check out part 3 of the series: Composting 101, and learn how to compost.
Missed a section? Check out the complete Series: Composting 101
Posted on June 23, 2008
Filed Under Composting, Perceptions | 4 Comments
We understand that a great deal of confusion continues to surround the topic of composting, despite increasing publicity and interest in the subject from an environmental perspective. Frequently asked questions (FAQs) include:
To answer these common questions we have written a 5 part series called:
Composting 101
Part 1: What is composting?
In our daily research, we come across a lot of varying answers and the most comprehensive yet simplified description we have found thus far is from a report by Amanda Elliott of Statistics Canada entitled, Is Composting Organic Waste Spreading? We share Amanda´s Recipe for Compost below:
Composting involves the transformation and decomposition of certain organic wastes into a soil-like product called humus. Materials such as food waste, leaf and yard trimmings, paper, wood and manure are the best inputs for compost production. When transformed, compost can be added to soil to improve texture, water retention and fertility. Composting is a naturally-occurring process that diverts materials from landfills and produces a material that is beneficial for the environment.
If you come across a good definition of composting, be sure to post it in the form of a comment. The more information we share, the greater people´s understanding and participation in composting initiatives.
In Part 2 of our Series: Composting 101, we will discuss the many reasons why we should all compost our organic wastes.