March 14, 2008, Newsletter Issue #333: Composting
Tip of the Week
To save on waste and provide a nutritious soil amendment for your garden, consider making a home compost pile. This is a good way to recycle precious nutrients back into the earth. To make a compost pile that will break down quickly to form finished compost, you will need:
* Green materials, such as grass clippings, vegetable trimmings, and weeds. Green waste is high in nitrogen and helps heat up the compost pile fast.
* Brown materials, including dry leaves, straw and woody brush. Brown material is high in carbon.
* Enough moisture to keep the compost pile as damp as a wrung out sponge.
* Air to help build up more heat so that the material will decompose faster.
* A source of good bacteria to help break down the compost. A scoop of garden soil should be all you need, but you can also buy a compost activator.
Put all of your ingredients together in a pile of four to five cubic feet. A pile of this size heats up quickly in the center, reaching up to 140 degrees Farenheit. Turn your compost pile regularly to help it break down evenly.
About LifeTips
Now one of the top on-line publishers in the world, LifeTips offers tips to millions of monthly visitors. Our mission mission is to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Expert writers earn dough for what they know. And exclusive sponsors in each niche topic help us make-it-all happen.
