Compost is a decomposed organic Choosing a Bin Nitrogen or “Green Materials”

material that can be added to soil to  Nitrogen or protein–rich matter provides raw
help plants grow. Food scraps and There are many types of bins that can be used for home materials for making enzymes. Examples are
yard wastes together currently composting. Old water drums can do, but drill 1.5–cm aeration manures, food scraps, kitchen waste, and green
make up more than 28% of what we holes in rows at 15–cm intervals around the body. Some leaves.
throw away, and should be compost bins are enclosed on the sides and top, and open on  "Green" materials are those that adds nitrogen
composted instead. Making the bottom thus the compost materials are directly in contact to the pile. These include kitchen scraps and
compost keeps these materials out of landfills where with the soil. If using this bin, imbed or burry about six to eight coffee grounds, animal manures, except dogs
they take up space and release methane that inches of the bin into the ground. and cats, and fresh plant and grass trimmings.
contributes to global warming.
Select a Location A healthy compost pile should have much more
carbon than nitrogen. A simple rule of thumb is to use
Benefits of Compost: Choose a site that is level, well drained and accessible. If one–third green and two–thirds brown materials. If the
 Improves soil structure, aeration and water carbon–to–nitrogen ratio is too high (excess carbon),
possible, place the bin over bare soil to ensure worms and
retention other beneficial organisms can make their way into the pile. decomposition slows down. If the carbon–to–nitrogen
 Adds important micronutrients and increases the ratio is too low (excess nitrogen), this will result to a
bacterial activity in the soil. Add Good Composting Materials smelly pile.

 Enriches soil, helping retain moisture and suppress Composting ingredients can be leaves, hay, straw sawdust, Making the Compost
plant diseases and pests. grass clippings, manure, vegetable trimmings and most green
 Reduces the need for chemical fertilizers. plant cuttings. Start with a 4–inch layer of brush, twigs, hay or
straw at the bottom of the bin. This aids drainage and
 Encourages the production of beneficial bacteria Carbon or “Brown Materials” helps aerate the pile. Then add a 4–inch layer of brown
and fungi that break down organic matter to create  Carbon–rich matter gives compost its light, fluffy material, then a thin layer of garden soil.
humus, a nutrient–filled material. appearance. It is also called the "brown materials,”
these include dried plants, fallen leaves, shredded tree Then add a 4–inch layer of green material topped
 Reduces methane emissions from landfills and
branches, cardboard or newspaper, coffee filters, with a thin layer of compost or soil. Moisten each layer
lowers your carbon footprint.
coffee grounds, egg shells, and peelings. by misting it lightly with water. Keep adding materials in
 The bulkiness of the brown materials allows oxygen to alternating layers of greens and browns until the bin is
penetrate and nourish the organisms that reside in the full.
pile. Too much nitrogen makes for a dense, smelly and
slowly decomposing anaerobic mass. Cover the pile with wood, galvanized iron sheet or
plastic sheet. Covering helps retain moisture and heat
which are essential for composting. Covering also
prevents the compost from excess water from rains.
The compost should be moist, but not soaked and
saturated.
 Keep compost moist by watering it occasionally. The When to Use the Compost Department of Agriculture`
pile should be damp enough that when a sample taken AGRICULTURAL TRAINING INSTITUTE
from the interior is squeezed by hand, a few drops of Generally, compost is ready when it becomes dark and Cordillera Administrative Region
moisture will appear. BSU Compd., La Trinidad, Benguet
crumbly and most materials are already broken down and with a
Telefax No.: (074) 422-7460
pleasant, earthy, soil–like smell. E-mail: [email protected]
Turn every few weeks with a pitchfork or shovel, this
helps aerate the pile. Oxygen is required for the process to
work, and turning “adds” oxygen. You can skip this step if
you have a ready supply of coarse material like straw. Once
you established your compost pile, add new materials by
mixing them in, rather than by adding them in layers.
Mixing, or turning, the compost pile is key to aerating the
composting materials and speeding the decomposition A Guide to Simple
process to completion.
BIN COMPOSTING

Source:
 Composting. Retrieve from https://learn.eartheasy.com/
guides/composting/

Developed and Produced by:

Department of Agriculture`
AGRICULTURAL TRAINING INSTITUTE
Cordillera Administrative Region
BSU Compd., La Trinidad, Benguet
Telefax No.: (074) 422-7460
E-mail: [email protected]