Organic Gardening Compost Making

Compost is a must for home gardening. The home gardener can make compost from any organic matter, lawn clippings, leaves, and kitchen waste such as peelings, leftovers and coffee grounds
. (Good source coffee). Compost is a mixture of manure, dried leaves and other carbon matter.  Compost is the aerobically decomposed remnants of organic materials (those with plant and animal origins). Compost is used in gardening and agriculture as a soil amendment. Compost is used commercially by the landscaping and container nursery industries. It is also used for erosion control, land/stream reclamation, wetland construction, and as landfill cover. Compost is also used as a seed or plant starting medium m generally mixed with a small portion of sand for improved drainage. Given enough time, all biodegradable material will compost. However, not all compost feed stocks are appropriate for backyard composting. Most backyard systems will not reach high enough temperatures to kill pathogens or deter vermin. So pet droppings, non-vegetarian animal manure, scraps of meat, and dairy products are best left to operators of high-rate, thermal composting systems. If someone were to use compost for a good source of  nitrogen, say  for  nutrition of worms, plants, etc., it would indeed affect the growth in a positive manner.

Home gardeners use a range of techniques, varying from extremely passive composting (throw everything in a pile in a corner and leave it alone for a year or two) to extremely active (monitoring the temperature, turning the pile regularly, and adjusting the ingredients over time). Some gardeners use mineral powders to absorb smells. Although a well-maintained pile seldom has bad odors. Composting is the process of producing compost through aerobic decomposition of  biodegradable organic matter.The decomposition is performed primarily by aerobes, although larger creatures such as ants, mematodesand oliqchaete worms also contribute. This decomposition occurs naturally in all but the most hostile environments, such as within landfills, extremely arid deserts or cold weather such as cold winters or polar regions, which prevent the microbes and other matter  from thriving. Composting can be divided into the two areas of home composting and industrial composting. Both scales of composting use the same biological processes, however techniques and different factors must be taken into account. Composting is the controlled decomposition of organic matter. Rather than allowing nature to take its slow course, a home gardener  provides an optimal environment in which decomposition can thrive. To encourage the most active microbes, a compost pile needs the correct mix of the following ingredients:   Carbon, Nitrogen, oxygen(in the case of aerobic ,composting)  Water.

The goal in a composting system is to provide a healthy environment and nutrition for rapid decomposition, the bacteria. The most rapid composting occurs with the ideal carbon to nitrogen ratio of between 25 and 30 to 1 by dry chemical weight. In other words, the ingredients placed in the pile should contain 25 to 30 times as much carbon as nitrogen. For example, grass clippings average about 19 to 1 and dry autumn leaves average about 55 to 1. Mixing equal parts by volume approximates the ideal range. Commercial-grade composting operations pay strict attention to this ratio. For backyard  compost, the charts of carbon and nitrogen ratios in various ingredients and the calculations required to get the ideal mixture can be intimidating There are many rules of thumb exist to guide in composting  in approximating this mixture. 

Given enough time, all biodegradable material will compost. However, not all compost feed stocks are appropriate for backyard composting. Most backyard systems will not reach high enough temperatures to kill pathogens and deter vermin, so pet droppings, non-vegetarian animal manure, meat scraps, and dairy products are best left to operators of high-rate, thermal composting systems. These substances include non-veg

Depending on how quickly the compost is required, the heap can be turned one or more times to bring the outer layers to the inside of the heap and vice versa, as well as to aerate the mixture. Adding water at this time helps keep the pile damp. One guideline is to turn the pile when the high temperature has begun to drop, indicating that the food source for the fastest-acting bacteria in the center of the pile has been largely consumed. When turning the pile does not result in a temperature rise, there is no further advantage in turning the pile. When all the material has turned into dark brown or nearly black crumbly matter, it is ready to use. 

Poultry manure provides lots of nitrogen but little carbon. Horse manure provides both. Sheep and cattle manure don't drive the compost heap to as high a temperature as poultry or horse manure, so the heap takes longer to produce the finished product. Mixing the materials as they are added increases the rate of decomposition, but it can be easier to place the materials in alternating layers, approximately 15 cm (6 in) thick, to help estimate the quantities. Keeping carbon and nitrogen sources separated in the pile can slow down the process, but decomposition will occur in any event. 

Cold composting is the type of composting done in most domestic garden compost bins in which temperatures never reach above 30 C (86°F). Cold composting is characterized by individuals putting their kitchen scraps in the garden compost bin and leaving them untended. This "scrap bin," having a very high moisture content and without aeration, is likely to turn anaerobic and generate foul odors, including significant adverse greenhouse gas emissions. When composting this way, a gardener can improve the process by adding some wood chips or small pieces of bark, leaves, twigs or a combination of these materials distributed throughout the mixture. This material helps to improve drainage and airflow. This type home composting can be done  using wire bins or slatted wood structures or wind row if the gardener has enough space.