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how to make

compost

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Making your owncompost isn’t asmysterious as many

new gardenersmight think.

It’s the naturaldecomposition of organic matters thatrevert back to theiroriginal state andprovide a greatbasis for much of our gardening.

Start with 3 wooden pallets up-ended and tiedtogether or staked.

Make sure the ground is clean and free from debris.

Step 1

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There are two basicmaterial requirementswith compost: Carbon

and Nitrogen

Carbon gives the volumewhile Nitrogen providesthe fuel.

The ratio of 

carbon:nitrogen is 4:1.

Collect all your carbon

sources. If you don’thave much then try andsource some from otherareas around yourcommunity.

Step 2

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Sources of CarbonCardboard

Hay & Pea Straw

Dead Prunings

Corn Stalks

Newspaper

Pine Needles

Shredded Paper

Sawdust

Leaves

Dryer Lint

Old Potting Mix

If you need morecarbon try sourcingshredded paper

from offices, hayfrom a rural suppliesoutlet or directlyfrom a farm andpine needles from aplantation.

You could evenapproach a local millfor bags of sawdust.

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Nitrogen will fireyour compost upand help generate

some microbialactivity to keep theheap ticking along.

Collect all your nitrogen

sources. If you don’thave much then try andsource some from otherareas around yourcommunity.

Step 3

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Sources of 

NitrogenSeaweed

Manures

Coffee Grounds

Vegetable ScrapsLawn Clippings

Hair

Weeds

If you need morenitrogen you couldask your local

restaurant if you cankeep a bucket intheir kitchen forvegetable scraps.

Or, approach a caféfor some of theircoffee grounds.

Or, talk to a lawnmowing contractorabout keeping sometheir clippings.

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What else can go

in the heap?Wood ashes

Egg Shells

Onion Skins

Vacuum Dust

There are manyother materials thatcan go into a

compost heap buthave little or nobenefit apart frombeing recycled

Here they are… 

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What can’t go in

the heap?

Dog or Human Poo

Meat (Cooked or Raw)

BonesOils and grease

Dairy Products

There are also manymaterials that can’tgo in the compost

heap because theyeither attract verminor they harm theother materials.

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Starting acompost pile isall about

layers.A layer of carbonfollowed by alayer of nitrogen. Top itwith anotherlayer of carbonand so on… 

Use your largest materials on the bottom of your heap. This isgood for two reasons; (1) It helps keep air moving throughthe heap, and (2) there is more chance for them to

breakdown on the bottom than at the top.

Step 4

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Somegardenersrecommend

that you mixmaterials priorto setting upthe compost.

My advice isthat it doesn’tmatter if youplan to turn theheap at leastevery week.

Keep layering the materials with mobs of bulk (carbon) andthen added fuel (nitrogen).

Keep a hose on hand to water the heap as it grows. After eachaddition of nitrogen water that layer in really well.

Step 5

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The final heapwill look quitebusty but it will

drop down asthedecompositionbegins to start.

Leave the heapin this state fortwo (2) weekswithoutturning. Keep itmoist.

Top the heap off with a good smothering of fresh lawnclippings and water again – just in case.

I place a piece of PVC pipe in the middle of the heap to help

keep some airflow through the pile.

Step 6

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Two weekslater… 

As you can see,I’ve beenadding foodscraps on topof the heapover this time.

Now it’s time to do the first turn and it will give you someidea of how it’s going. 

Step 7

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There a two ways to turn a compost pile. If you have spacethen run with 2 or more bins forking the contents from one toanother.

If space is at a premium you can do it with one bin using thistool.

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You shouldnotice whenturning your

heap, thatsome of thematerials arequite warm andare covered ina white

powderysubstance. Thisis good… 

Once it’s turned, you can leave it for up to a week beforeturning again. However, the more you turn the compost heapthe quicker the materials will decompose.

Step 8

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After 4-6weeks of continual

turning yourcompost shouldbe at a pointwhere it’sready to use.

When all the materials are no longer recognisable and theheap looks more like organic soil. The heap should no longerbe hot but it may still be a little warm.

How do you know when it’s finished? 

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Once you havethis greatorganiccompost, whatcan you do withit?

Don’t use compost directly as potting or seed raising mix. Youwill need to add some other ingredients so that plants get thebest start. There’s a recipe on the next slide… 

Caution… 

• Make your own potting

& seed-raising mixes• Mulch garden beds

• Use it as a soilimprover

• Turn it into a composttea liquid fertiliser

Compost

Uses

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Recipes

Your own compost

Peat moss or coir fibre

SandVermiculite or Perlite

Makingyour own

potting

mixes

Ingredients

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