How I make compost
Compost bins ready
to be turned over and out
At about this time of
year (20th January - 14:50hrs..),
it is time to begin to make compost again. The fill side of
the
bins will take no more. Buckets of semi rotten kitchen waste
await composting. Trees, shrubs and grasses need to be
pruned,
cut back or generally tidied.
The first step is to remove the mature compost. Over the last year the mature compost will have shrunk to about two thirds of its original volume.
The first step is to remove the mature compost. Over the last year the mature compost will have shrunk to about two thirds of its original volume.
Removing the plastic sheeting reveals the dark crumbly mass of mature compost.
Mature compost
The plastic sheeting
has prevented
the maturing compost from getting too wet or too dry. It also
encourages invertebrate life to the surface. This creates a
very
fine crumbly compost. The top layer of the compost tends to
be
generally free of weed seeds. As a result, the top few inches
are
used to top dress container grown plants. It is also used to
mulch around the base of tree ferns. Poor light levels around
the
tree ferns helps to discourage the germination of any seeds that may be
present.
Crumbly compost
The mature compost is
loaded up
into a wheel barrow and transported to an empty border in the garden.
The compost is then on hand and ready to be used once
plantings begin in
the
spring.
Into the barrow and off to the
border.
Turning the compost
This is the only process when you make compost which is mildly unpleasant. At this stage the filling side of the bins will be a mix of semi-rotten tropical foliage, kitchen waste and worms. The composting process at work
The next few weekends are then spent cutting back grasses such as
Arundo donax and miscanthus. Various trees and shrubs around
the
garden are also pruned. These shredded grass stems and tree
prunings are quite woody relative to compost material derived from
tropical plants. Adding them to the compost bin at the
beginning
of the cycle allows them a full two years to break down.
Their
coarse nature also ensures good drainage at the base of the heap. 
Pre-shredded material
This material is shredded and mixed together with all the
kitchen waste that had accumulated.
Shredded material
This initial
re-filling will generate a little heat in the compost pile.
Steam rising from an agitated
compost bin
Once all the cutting
back and pruning is over, the compost heap is inspected every now and
then to check things are not too dry. These early additions
used to make compost are generally quite dry. If there has
been little rain, then the whole thing is soaked with water using a
hose
pipe. The amount of material produced initially, almost fills
the
compost bin as you can vaguely see in the picture above. This
is the stuff that will eventually make the relatively weed free compost
discussed at the start of this page.
The next few months in the garden are mainly concerned with creating the tropical displays. Additions to the compost heap are mainly in the form of grass clippings (mixed with shredded paper documents) and kitchen waste.
The first frost then finishes everything else off leaving quite a mess behind.
Frost damaged tropical border
This of course all needs to be cut down, chopped up and added to the compost bin. The stems are cut down using secateurs. These stems are then chopped into small sections using a machete*. This is done over a large container to avoid having to pick too much up.
*Because of the age we live in I feel compelled to state the obvious fact that a machete can cause serious personal injury, particularly if used when drunk.
The next few months in the garden are mainly concerned with creating the tropical displays. Additions to the compost heap are mainly in the form of grass clippings (mixed with shredded paper documents) and kitchen waste.
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Several months go by...
The end of summer/early autumn provides the next high volume wave of material with which to make compost . The leaves from Abyssinian bananas removed from plants dug up for winter storage are first in. These are soon followed by the leaves of cold hardy bananas that have been removed prior to wrapping.The first frost then finishes everything else off leaving quite a mess behind.
Frost damaged tropical border
This of course all needs to be cut down, chopped up and added to the compost bin. The stems are cut down using secateurs. These stems are then chopped into small sections using a machete*. This is done over a large container to avoid having to pick too much up.
*Because of the age we live in I feel compelled to state the obvious fact that a machete can cause serious personal injury, particularly if used when drunk.
Canna stems are reduced in size
The chopped stems and
foliage are then taken to the compost bin and emptied. Some
persuasion may be necessary to get it all in.
Squashing all the material into
the compost bin
The amount of
compostable material
produced by the first frosts fills the compost bins to capacity.
This stuff is generally quite wet and takes a while to
subside,
particularly if it has been piled high and trampled down.
This
particular addition of plant material will spend the shortest time of
all in the compost pile. This is then left until we get to
the
situation described at the top of the page again.
This concludes the bi-annual cycle of how I make compost.
This concludes the bi-annual cycle of how I make compost.
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