What type of heap to build?

You can make compost simply by adding compostable organic items to a compost heap when you feel like it. It will all rot eventually but it can take a long time, may not produce a very pleasant end product, and could smell.

With a little extra attention - taking the ’COOL HEAP’ option outlined here - you could improve things dramatically.

If you want to produce more compost in a much quicker time, and are able to put a little more effort into it, follow the ’HOT HEAP’ option.

 

The Cool Heap

1.  Collect together a batch of compost materials. Try, if possible, to get enough to make a layer a minimum of 30cm / 12inches or more in the compost bin. Weed the garden, mow the lawn, empty the kitchen scrap bucket; whatever it takes!

Aim for a mix of soft and tough items. It may help if you place a few woody plant stems or small twigs on the bottom first, especially if using a plastic bin, as this will improve the air circulation and drainage.

Go to Step 2, or jump to the ’HOT HEAP’ Step 2 if you can make the time.

2.  Start filling the bin. Spread the ingredients out to the edges. Alternate soft and tough items, or mix them together first. Unless items are already wet, water well every 30-60cm.

3.  Continue to fill the container. Items can be added individually, but a bigger batch is preferable. If most of what you compost is kitchen waste, mix it with egg boxes, kitchen paper, loo roll middles and similar paper products to create a better balance.

Go to Step 4, or take a detour via the ’HOT HEAP’ Step 4 on the way if you are energetic enough to turn it.

4.  When the container is full - which it may never be as the contents will sink as it composts - or when you decide to, stop adding to it. Then either just leave it to finish composting or go to Step 5.

5.  Remove the container, or everything from the container. If the lower layers have composted, use this on the garden. Mix everything else together well; add water if it is dry, or add more dry material if it is soggy. Replace in the bin and leave to mature.

 

The Hot Heap

1.  Gather enough material to fill your compost container or area in one session. Bring in manure, scraps from the market, neighbours’ weeds and so on to make up the bulk. Make sure you have a mixture of soft and tough materials.

2.  Chop up tough items using shears, a sharp spade (lay items out on soil or grass to avoid jarring) or a shredder / mulcher.

3.  Mix ingredients together as much as possible before adding to the container. In particular, mix items, such as grass clippings, that tend to settle and exclude air, with more open items that tend to dry out. Fill the container as above, watering as you go.

4.  Give the heap a good mix.

5.  Within a few days, the heap is likely to get quite hot to the touch. When it begins to cool down, or a week or two later, turn the heap. Remove everything from the container or lift the container off and mix it all up, trying to get the outside to the inside. Add water if it is dry, or dry material if it is soggy. Replace in the bin.

6.  The heap may well heat up again with the new supply of air you have mixed in. This allows the fast-acting aerobic microbes, ie those that need oxygen, to continue with their work. Step 4 can be repeated several more times if you have the energy, but the heating will tend to be less and less.

When your compost no longer heats up again, leave it undisturbed to finish composting.

When is it ready?

Compost can be made in six to eight weeks depending on what time of year, or it can take a year or more. In general, the more effort you put in, the quicker you will get compost.

When the ingredients you have put in your composting container have turned into a dark brown, earthy smelling material, the composting process is complete.

It is then best left for a month or two to ’mature’ before it is used. Don’t worry if your compost is not fine and crumbly. Even if it is lumpy, sticky or stringy, with bits of twig and eggshell still obvious, it is quite usable.

Tips To Really Get Your Compost Heap Cooking

It seems that most organic gardeners love the idea of making their own compost, but some gardeners have trouble making it really happen. Don’t give up! There are ways to give your compost heap a boost and get it heating up again – creating beautiful, nutritious humus for your veggie garden.

OK, so after six months your ‘compost’ has remained unchanged from it’s original state? Remember there are certain conditions your heap needs to be able to actively turn it’s ingredients into compost. They are air and moisture. Here are some things you can try.

1. Turn your heap over, exposing it to air, watering if dry.

2. If your heap dries out it will stop breaking down. Water the heap every few days in summer if conditions are hot and dry.

3. Add ingredients that are as small as possible. Use a shredder, mulcher or lawn mower to chop up larger ingredients such as prunings and larger leaves.

4. To speed up the composting process add lots of nitrogen-rich ingredients such as clover, manure laden straws, herbal activators (see below), washed sea-weed or fishmeal.

Herbs As Compost Activators – some herbs are well known as particularly impressive compost activators. Add them to your heap to speed up your results.

Comfrey(Symphytum officinale) is rich in calcium, nitrogen, phosphates and potassium. It has large hairy leaves that break down very quickly.

Dandelion(Taraxacum sp) also accelerates the breaking down of materials in the heap. It is rich in copper, potash and iron, all valuable goodies in your compost.

Valerian(Valeriana officinalis) has a reputation for attracting earthworms to the compost heap. Its leaves are also rich in minerals.

Yarrow(Achillea sp) can have the most dramatic effect in your heap, even in small amounts. It will enrich your compost with nitrates, potash, phosphates and copper, so is a very valuable addition.

Tansy(Tanacetum vulgare) has the ability to concentrate potassium from the soil where it grows. Adding Tansy to your compost means adding potassium.

If you have the room, it’s best to have two or more compost piles on the go. One that you are preparing by gathering materials, one that is semi-matured and one that has already turned into that gorgeous, black, earthy plant tonic – ready to use.

One more tip is to make sure air can get to the middle of your heap, especially if you don’t plan to turn it often. Place garden stakes or pvc pipes through the middle of your heap so that you can ‘jiggle’ them every few weeks allowing air to get to the centre of your heap.

Try some of these tips and I’m sure you will speed things up for your compost heap and you will be topdressing your veggies with your own compost in no time.