Making Compost - Organic Composting 101 (Lots Of Tips)

Tips, Tricks

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I've crammed a whole lot of useful info into this organic compost 101 video. For even more detail on making compost, read the full article: http://www.smilinggardener.com/organic-soil-management/organic-composting-101

Comments

Can you compost in a shady area ? In my case under a 100 foot oak tree.

I don't understand why are everyone doing composting in a separate container or an above the ground setup? Isn't composting directly in the soil by digging a pit suitable? I know the air circulation problem, but won't the earth take care of that?? Plz answer me if you can.

Is it necessary to add any manure to a compost pile , it is not easily readible for me.

I am doing this for the first time. I get the greens but the browns "carbons" are concerning me. All I really have is leaves and sticks. I live in the country of NC what other things can I use for my little 3X4 bin?

Hello I am not new to gardening but I am new to organic gardening. I have three organic apple trees in my back yard and there is a ton of leafs and apples from the trees. Can I compost all of that? I am building a palate compost bin today.

Do you put compost tea in your compost pile ?

Hello Phil Not everybody has got the space to build a compost pile, me included, so I chop leaves, grass and seaweed and put a few inches on my raised beds to overwinter. I also use this mix as 'chop and drop' on my flower borders. With just a thin layer there's no heat generated but all the work is done by the worms and other good guys in the soil. When it rains or snows the compost gets wet. Keeping it simple, working with nature.

Hello. I'm looking to start my own compost very soon. I live in the midwest United States, and we can have some harsh winters. What suggestions do you have about composting in the winter months. I'm worried that I won't be able to keep the compost warm enough.

I ran my corn stalks through a shredder and layered them in between my hay I got from cleaning out my chicken coop. Each new layer would get a sprinkle of Espoma (beneficial organisms) and water. I have to turn the pile every 3 days because it gets to hot at 180 degrees. Turning it brings the temp down to 125 degrees. I must have too much nitrogen from the shredded corn stalks.

Very informative. Thank you.

I have my compost in a recycle bin with a piece of wood on top... I use mostly juice pulp and produce scraps... I put some grass and soil in there too.

is it okay to have maggots in the compost? ... they're pretty big maggots... about an inch long and thick...

Great video Thanks

Shredded newspaper, dryer lint, brown and white paper all work. Paper towels as long as you didn't use then for chemicals

Thanks for the video I used some of you're methods as well as other's and all is to the good with my compost pile

I think you add a lot of info left out by other "How to compost" videos. Well done!

Not sure if you got any response, so I'm ansering, haha. There's LOTS of "brown" choices -- I use a LOT of shredded newspaper, it also helps heep the pile moist (I use it when I plant as well, line the hole with it. wet it, then cover with good soil to back-fill the plant). Coffee grounds or tea leaves/bags are EXCELLENT, as are old dry leaves, plain soil. Most coffee shops will give their used grounds, just ask them!

Thanks for the great tips, I'm a beginning gardener, and I'm really trying to do it all organic. :) Very informative video, you see like your extremly knowledgeable.

Nice. I started 2 weeks ago and haven't had to water, due to the rain in our area, but, 2 weeks and I already found a few worms doing their thing, and the bottom to middle of the pile is breaking down nicely. This is fun science!

So I got a juicer and would like to use the scraps for compost but I don't really have access to hay or any of the other brown things you mentioned. Are there other brown materials I could use?