We were doing everything wrong. But it’s not too late for you. You can learn from our mistakes.
Making compost is a cornerstone of sustainable gardening, yet few of us understand the great science behind it.
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Some decent tips, but they’re kinda compost 101 in my experience.
- If you have a compost heap, ensure it is wide, long and low (which ensures a high surface area to volume ratio), and introduce air by dragging a hoe or rake through it.
- If you use a compost tumbler or container, then rotate or stir it often.
- Keep the compost moist (but not wet) over the dry summer months.
- Keep your compost warm over colder months by ensuring it gets some winter sunlight.
- Add some “browns”, such as dry leaves, or shredded cardboard or paper; the carbon-rich browns, added to the high-nitrogen green waste, gives a better carbon to nitrogen ratio and results in better compost.
The “according to science” is kinda weak too. It’s mostly a comparison of aerobic vs anaerobic decomposition, rather than someone testing a bunch of different composting methods.
e: It looks pretty rough but I’ve always wanted to try “hot composting” where you use old fridges to store the compost but I don’t have a tractor/loader to move them about. Maybe if I wind up on a farm again. They also take up a bunch of space.
