Also known as brown manure, compost is essentially decomposed organic matter that is used regularly in the landscaping, horticulture and agriculture industries as a soil conditioner and fertilizer. It is also commonly used as a growth medium providing the necessary nutrients for plants and vegetation. As the global recycling awareness is increasing, so is the interest in composting as a means of Eco-friendly waste disposal.

Compost is not hard to make at all, though it does require a delicate balance in order to produce more compost in a shorter amount of time. It is said that making a balanced compost heap requires nothing more than equal amounts of “greens” and “browns” by volume. Providing your compost heap with the right amount of organic matter and inorganic additives will ensure that your end product is satisfactory. Here are some items found in a common compost heap:

Compostable Materials

• Biodegradable waste
• Coffee grounds
• Cocoa shells
• Green waste (grass, flower and hedge trimmings)
• Humanure (human waste)
• Leaf mold (shrub and tree leaves)
• Manure
• Spent mushroom compost (see here for info)
• Tree bark (stems and roots of woody plants)
• Egg shells
• Brown waste (dry paper, leaves and wood products)
• Fruit
• Vegetables

Inorganic Additives

• Loam (soil made of sand, silt and clay)
• Grit
• Urea (waste product retracted from urine)
• Vermiculite (natural clay-like mineral)
• Perlite (amorphous volcanic glass)

There are two primary types of compost heaps and we will be discussing the steps required below:

The Cool Heap Method

1. If you are able, start off your heap with a layer of compostable materials roughly 30 cm in height i.e. cardboard, nail trimmings, weeds from the garden and grass cuttings from the lawn. Items like crushed cereal boxes encourage air spaces within the heap, as well as placing some twigs and stems from woody plants on the bottom of the heap to promote air circulation – believe it or not, a healthy compost heap needs to breathe right!
2. Continue to add waste as necessary and remember, you want to have an equal balance of green and brown products – so if your waste is primarily kitchen waste (food, fruits, vegetable trimmings) be sure to throw in an equal amount of toilet roll centers and other paper/cardboard household products to keep your heap nice and balanced.
3. When your bin becomes full you have two options – you can either stop adding waste and let it mature, or you can take the composted amounts at the bottom to use for your gardening, mix up the rest and let it sit. If your heap seems dry then add some water, if it seems too moist, add some dry ingredients to absorb the moisture. Remember, it’s all about balance.

The Hot Heap Method

1. Get together a sufficient amount of material to fill your compost heap in one shot. Whether it be slightly rotted material from your cool heap, make sure you have an equal mixture of soft and tough waste to start things off.
2. Chop and separate tough items with shears.
3. Be sure to mix everything together as much as possible prior to putting it in your designated container – watering while you go to moisten dry items such as paper and cardboard.
4. Within a couple of days your heap should be hot to the touch. When it begins to cool down after a week or so – turn it by removing the material from the container and mixing it up. Add water if dry, and dry material if too wet. Put everything back in the bin.
5. There’s a good chance that your heap will heat up again as the aerobic microbes react to the new supply of air you mixed in. Repeat the previous step as often as you like – once a day, once a week.. the more you mix it, the quicker your compost heap will be ready and the better your end result will be. Once your heap stops heating up leave your heap undisturbed to finish composting.

When the ingredients you have put in your 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. It can be sieved before using if you prefer. Any large bits can be added back into your new compost heap.

Resource: GardenOrganic.org.uk