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Hey Y’all! Welcome Back! Today is all about composting! We will be talking about 2 different methods of composting! Hot compost and vermicomposting. While both of these have their benefits, It all depends on how long you want to wait and what you want to get out of your compost!
Hot Compost:
Let’s get started with hot compost. Space is a big factor here; a good size for a hot compost is 4 feet by 4 feet. You should also keep the compost in full sun, temperature is the major factor in this compost. You will need about a 25:1 ratio. 25 parts carbon to one part nitrogen. Keep the pile moist, not soaked this will help the microbes thrive and keep them breaking down the organic matter. The pile should be about 130-140 degrees at all times, when the temperature starts dropping below 130 degrees aerate the pile to make those microbes start working again.
Carbon- Rich Materials:
Straw
Shredded Paper
Dry Leaves
Small Twigs
Nitrogen-Rich Materials:
Used Coffee Grounds
Fruits and Vegetable scraps
Grass Clippings
Weeds(If they haven’t gone to seed)
Manures
How to make a Hot Compost:
Making a hot compost isn’t hard at all. Layering isn’t necessary in this method. Making sure you have the right ratio is most important to make sure the microbes can do their work and you can get good compost in 3 weeks based on your climate.
You can use many different things for your hot compost bin, the easiest would be scrap wire which should be 4 feet tall and 4 feet wide. Make sure all the components are finely chopped to help the process speed along. Keep your ratios right, pile all the organic matter up, and keep it moist. If the pile is over-watered it can cause the pile to smell very badly. If the pile does get over-watered just add more carbon to the pile like shredded paper or dry leave to help control the moisture.
There you have it! A perfect guide to making a hot compost bin! You can have ready-to-use compost in about 3 weeks if all is done correctly!
Vermicomposting
This composting method is using worms to do your dirty work. While this method can take a lot longer, the compost from this method is generally better for the plants. Since you are making worm castings, which is an amazing fertilizer for your garden plants and it is even safe for your potted plants!
Getting Started:
Find a container to put the worms in. I did a big one outside but you can use a plastic tote, an old fish tank, or a wooden box, there are also worm towers you can buy like this one,https://amzn.to/3TT25ji. These can make it easier to harvest worm castings, whatever you want to use will work. Find bedding for the worms which should include soil and paper or cardboard. You can also use fallen leaves for this step. You can buy worms, https://amzn.to/3Txq4Dw , or like I do, go worm hunting for earthworms. I live on a farm so this is easy for me, I also have a healthy population in my garden which I steal from.
Keeping the worms
Making sure the worms are happy and healthy is your main priority with this composting method. Be sure to keep the worm farm in a cool and dark location. Between 55 and 80 degrees, anything higher can kill your worms.
Starting the worm farm:
Starting the worm farm is very easy, they only need a couple of things; food, air, and water. To start the worm farm, you will need soil and either fallen leaves or shredded paper. Begin with laying the paper at the bottom of your farm, be sure to dampen it. I should feel like a damp sponge, not dripping. Then add the soil, this makes them want to go down and have some grit to eat all the food you will give them. I recommend you start with about a pound of worms, if you have a pound of worms you should feed them about 2 pounds of food a week. After you have given them their food, you can cover them up with either some damp paper or a burlap cloth of some kind. I like to use a piece of cardboard. It helps keep the worms damp, and they can also eat their way through the cardboard, just make sure it isn’t too thick. I use an old cereal box.
Feeding the worms:
Feeding the worms, they like food scraps from fruits or veggies only if they haven’t had fats or butters on them. I feed my worms once a week during the summer but I like to check to see if they have eaten all the food before adding more. During the winter they do eat less so be sure to check if they have eaten all the food before adding more so you don’t have a stinky situation on your hands! I feed in a 2:1 ratio, which means that if you have one pound of worms, they can eat 2-2.5 pounds of food in a week. Remember worms do not eat meat or fish, so keep this out of the compost
Harvesting the castings:
I like to use a fine sifter, to sift out the worms from the castings. You can put the worms back in the compost container and let them eat more! You can use them in the garden or even in potted plants. The castings are high in nitrogen.
Deciding which is best for you
Knowing that you know the benefits of each compost type is for you to decide the best method for you! Hot compost might be better for you if you don’t want to wait and you have room for the compost pile, but if you have less room Vermicomposting might be the way for you to go. Both of these composting methods have their benefits! I hope you use one of the compost methods this year! Happy Gardening and Composting, Everyone!
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