How to Raise Organic Vegetables : Organic Composting Tips
Compost can help the plants in your organic garden thrive. Learn how to make and use organic compost in your garden, with tips on what type of yard and kitchen scraps to put into your compost pile, in this free gardening video lesson.
Expert: Gale Gassiot
Bio: Gale Gassiot makes her own organic compost or “gardener’s black gold.”
Duration : 0:1:17
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Composting Gardens, episode #363
http://www.TheRawFoodWorld.com, Today Angela and I went to the composting gardens in Ojai, CA. We didn’t even know this place existed and were very excited to learn about it. Enjoy…
Duration : 0:8:52
Composting At Home – Simple Techniques
So you have decided to start composting at home. That is an excellent choice as it will cut down on the amount of refuse you are sending to the landfill.
Also it is a fine way to save a few bucks on chemical fertilizer. The fact is that you want to stay away from chemicals as it iis really not good for the soil long term.
Actually it is very simple, just pick a spot in your yard. Someplace out of site is usually best, Compost won’t produce a smell but it can be tough on the eyes.
After you choose your spot add a layer of sticks or some other course material. That way you will get good aeration from the bottom.
Then add some of your kitcen waste this is called green matter. Old egg shells, fruit peels, coffee grounds and the filter, nut shells. Just about that is organic can go in the compost pile.
Next you will want to add some brown matter. This is lawn leaves, grass clippings, herbivore droppings. Such as horse, cow, chicken. Stay away from cat and dog droppings, to many chemicals.
You may want two start a second compost pile for yard plants. cat and dog feces will be great for this, just don’t use on plants that grow food you intend to eat.
Composting at home is a fine idea that will save you a few bucks on fertilizer and growing your own produce will save you money at the grocery store.
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Kinsman Garden Composting Part 2
Jason Greenwood continues to amend the soil in a garden spot in the Kinsman Garden in Duncan. BC. What a pleasure to watch Jason turn waste and a few plants into amazing topsoil.
Duration : 0:10:4
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How to Compost : Learn Organic Garden Composting Online : How to Use Compost in Your Garden
Get tips for using your own homemade organic compost in your garden, plus learn how compost can help your plants and flowers thrive, in this free organic gardening video.
Expert: Gale Gassiot
Bio: Gale Gassiot makes her own organic compost or “gardener’s black gold.”
Duration : 0:2:1
Compost Bins
To View the Next Video in this Series Please Click Here: http://www.monkeysee.com/play/398-compost-controling-smells
Duration : 0:2:53
NatureMill Automatic Indoor Composter – Demonstration part 1
http://www.cleanairgardening.com/autocomposter.html
This automatic indoor composter is a fantastic way to make your compost indoors! It can be set on a timer, or on an continuous cycle to mix and rotate your food scraps into rich compost (when brown and green material is mixed together properly).
This video will be the first of a series into which we demonstrate the usage of the composter, and actually make a batch of compost for you, to see how it works. This will give you a full view of how to work and operate the composter.
For more information on this composter, click the link at the top of the page.
Duration : 0:2:36
Starting a Compost Pile
To View the Next Video in this Series Please Click Here: http://www.monkeysee.com/play/406-how-to-use-compost
Duration : 0:3:46
Compost Kitchen Scraps
To View the Next Video in this Series Please Click Here: http://www.monkeysee.com/play/404-things-not-to-compost
Duration : 0:3:19
Compost is Gold From Garbage
Making compost is like cooking a meal for your family. You need a recipe, the correct ingredients in the right amounts, the correct temperatures and time to let it all simmer. The entre will be a load of wonderful sweet smelling, rich dark brown loam that you can feed to your plants with pride.
Composting is the controlled decomposition of organic matter. If left to natural means this process can be extremely slow, but by following the recipe and using the correct equipment you can considerably speed up the process. The following ingredients are necessary:
Carbon
Nitrogen
Oxygen
Water
However some materials are not appropriate for residential composting. Most backyard systems will not reach high enough temperatures necessary to kill the pathogens and vermin present, so certain items such as meat scraps, dairy products and pet droppings are not to be used.
High carbon sources are necessary to generate heat. High nitrogen sources are necessary to allow the decomposing bacteria to thrive.
Browns are high carbon materials and may include;
Dry straw, hay and grass clippings
Fallen leaves
Newspaper – shred the papers for better results
Greens are high nitrogen materials and may include:
Green plant material such as garden residue, fresh hay, grass clippings, and weeds
Manure; such as horse, cow, chicken, or mushroom. No pet droppings!
Fruit and vegetable waste
Seaweed (rinse well to remove any salt)
Coffee grounds and filters
A few leaf species such as live oak, the southern magnolia and holly trees are too tough and leathery for decomposition, also avoid all parts of the black walnut tree as they contain a plant poison that will survive composting. Experience tells us to avoid using poison oak, poison ivy, and poison sumac in your compost.
Another ingredient which is often overlooked is moisture. Water the pile enough to keep the contents moist but not saturated. In a week or two, the pile should heat up to approximately to 160 degrees Fahrenheit. At this temperature many of the weed seeds and pathogens will be killed.
A compost bin or tumbler is ideal for most gardeners. A tumbler will give you the quickest results due to the ease of aerating the compost, so figure at least 8 to 10 weeks for decent compost to be ready to use. By spinning the compost tumbler at least once a week you will keep the compost aerated, because it is necessary to provide oxygen to the mixture to achieve the best results.
If at this point the temperature of the compost has fallen, turn the thermostat up by adding more nitrogen in the form of greens such as grass clippings or leaves from your produce trimmings, if manure is available it will get things cooking again. New material can always be added to the mix, although it will slow the process down.
Home composting uses a variety of techniques, from extreme passive (cold) composting (throw everything into a compost pile and leave it alone) to active (hot) which consists of monitoring the temperature and turning or rotating the pile on a regular basis.