Comfrey, nettles and yarrow are herbs that are dynamic accumulators, plants capable of concentrating nutrients at much higher levels than the surrounding soil. When added to compost, these herbs break down, releasing their concentrated nutrients, helping initiate the composting process in a new compost pile, or restarting it in an existing pile that has slowedContinue reading “Three Useful Herbs Which Can Be Used as Natural Compost Activators and Much More”
Tag Archives: composting
Can Biodegradable Foam Packing Peanuts Be Composted?
Foam packing peanuts are a lightweight packing material which is used to fill the empty space in boxes and containers, to cushion the contents and protect them from damage during shipping. They’re a welcome addition in freight packaging for the additional protection they provide, but the problem is what to do with this packing materialContinue reading “Can Biodegradable Foam Packing Peanuts Be Composted?”
The Definitive Guide on How to Compost Everything from the Garden and Kitchen
Just about everything can be composted using cold (slow) composting, hot (fast) composting, worm farms (vermicomposting), bokashi composting and Hügelkultur composting. The table in this article lists how to compost just about every garden and kitchen material that can be recycled, and which composting systems can be used to compost it. One of the mostContinue reading “The Definitive Guide on How to Compost Everything from the Garden and Kitchen”
What Happens If You Don’t Turn Your Compost?
Many gardeners compost their garden waste, but quite a few don’t make the regular effort to turn their compost! Composting is a process where microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi and protozoa are utilised to break down plant matter and other biodegradable materials into a dark, crumbly, decomposed organic matter that resists further breakdown, known asContinue reading “What Happens If You Don’t Turn Your Compost?”
Can Eucalyptus Leaves be Composted or Used as Garden Mulch?
In Australia, one of the most common trees are eucalyptus trees, also known as eucalypts or gum trees. These evergreen trees manage to drop a decent amount of their leaves, branches, twigs and gumnuts below their canopy. Since this debris doesn’t rot very easily, it can persist for a very long time. It’s tempting forContinue reading “Can Eucalyptus Leaves be Composted or Used as Garden Mulch?”
Why Do Earthworms Gather at the Top of Compost Bins or Worm Farms and Try to Escape?
Compost worms in worm farms and earthworms in compost bins can often be seen gathering in large numbers inside the lid, often trying to escape. This usually happens when it’s about to rain. Before it begins to rain, the air pressure (barometric pressure) in the atmosphere drops, and the worms can sense this, so theyContinue reading “Why Do Earthworms Gather at the Top of Compost Bins or Worm Farms and Try to Escape?”
How to Identify and Treat Herbicide Contamination of Commercial Soil, Compost and Manure
Over the last decade, there have been increasing reports from gardeners that their vegetables and flowers have been damaged or killed after adding manure or compost to their gardens, or when they’ve planted into new soil they had delivered. In fact, the problems of contaminated composts adversely affecting horticultural crops first surfaced in 1999. TheContinue reading “How to Identify and Treat Herbicide Contamination of Commercial Soil, Compost and Manure”
Can You Put Earthworms in the Compost Bin?
In nature, earthworms consume decomposing plant matter, and if a compost pile is constructed, they will often move into it on their own when the plant material is broken down and the compost is completed. When compost materials are piled up, or a compost bin is filled, bacteria will begin the breakdown process, which canContinue reading “Can You Put Earthworms in the Compost Bin?”
What Are the Small Flies in Compost Bins and Are They a Problem?
Many gardeners are familiar with the experience of lifting the lid off a compost bin and seeing a cloud of small flies rise into the air in front of them. These little flies are vinegar flies or drosophila, and the reason why they’re found in the compost bin or worm farm is because they feedContinue reading “What Are the Small Flies in Compost Bins and Are They a Problem?”
What Materials Can You Put Into Your Compost Bin and What Not to Compost
Composting is Mother Nature’s ultimate recycling process which converts everything that was once living back into soil. We can compost a lot of organic matter in our homes and gardens, and use it to improve the quality of our soil, rather than toss it out into landfill. For successful composting, it’s important that we useContinue reading “What Materials Can You Put Into Your Compost Bin and What Not to Compost”
What is Chop and Drop Gardening (Sheet Composting)?
Permaculture is all about working efficiently and in harmony with Nature. We can garden far more efficiently, with far less effort, and improve the soil at the same time by emulating Nature’s soil building processes through practising Chop and Drop gardening. How do most sustainable gardeners garden? At the end of each season, many gardenersContinue reading “What is Chop and Drop Gardening (Sheet Composting)?”
Why You Shouldn’t Use Sales Receipts in Your Compost or Worm Farm
Remember Bisphenol A, also known as BPA, the toxic endocrine-disrupting chemical which leached out of plastic drink bottles that has now been banned worldwide? Well, the bad news is that it’s still around and you have more contact with it than you imagine! Thermal paper used in cash register sales receipts and ATM receipts isContinue reading “Why You Shouldn’t Use Sales Receipts in Your Compost or Worm Farm”
Why You Shouldn’t Use Bleached or Glossy Paper in Your Compost or Worm Farm
As gardeners, we often told that we shouldn’t use office photocopying paper or glossy magazines in our worm farms, compost or the garden in general. Many gardeners ask why not? There are very good reasons not to, which we’ll explore in this article! By understanding a little about the different methods of paper production, weContinue reading “Why You Shouldn’t Use Bleached or Glossy Paper in Your Compost or Worm Farm”
How to Use a Bokashi Soil Generator to Turn Food Waste into Nutrient-Rich Soil
What do you do with your bokashi bin contents if you don’t have a large garden to dig them into? As discussed in the previous Bokashi Composting article, you can always put the processed bokashi food waste into your compost bin or into your worm farm (a little at a time till the worms getContinue reading “How to Use a Bokashi Soil Generator to Turn Food Waste into Nutrient-Rich Soil”
Bokashi Composting, How to Process Waste That Can’t Go in Your Compost or Worm Farm
Are you into recycling but are still throwing away some food scraps because you can’t put them in your compost bin or worm farm? Large amounts of citrus and onions, or any food that contains fish and meat should not be put in your worm farms. Likewise, your compost bin is not meant to beContinue reading “Bokashi Composting, How to Process Waste That Can’t Go in Your Compost or Worm Farm”
How to Make Compost in 18 Days Using the Berkeley Hot Composting Method
Regular composting, also known as cold composting, involves placing a variety of organic materials in a compost bin, enclosure, or even just in a large heap, and leaving it there until it breaks down several months later. It’s a very slow process and typically takes 6 to 12 months. It can be sped up byContinue reading “How to Make Compost in 18 Days Using the Berkeley Hot Composting Method”