Using compost can enrich the soil.
Composting is a way to avoid wasting natural resources. Composting is turning organic material over time into a soil-like material with the help of insects and microorganisms. The process is completely natural, recycles certain material that otherwise ends up in the trash, and produces excellent soil and fertilizer. It will also reduce your garbage waste by fifty to seventy percent. Though composting can be done anywhere, composting in Phoenix, Arizona, brings about some special weather-related issues. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Buy a container, compost system, or an otherwise sealable container. Make sure, however, that the bin has an open bottom; the compost will need to make contact with the earth. Though composting can be carried out on the open ground, doing so is not advisable for urban areas such as Phoenix, Arizona. Rodents can become a problem, and occasionally a smell could permeate the house. Compost should be kept outside, as opposed to in the garage.
2. Add a layer of dry straw or twigs in very small pieces to serve as a base to the compost. Then add three parts "brown compost" and one part "green compost" material. Brown compost materials are dead or dry and generally brown. These materials include wood shavings, shredded cardboard, dead leaves or straw. Green compost materials are the moist, fresh, "live" ingredients such as coffee grounds, veggie scraps, grass clippings, seaweed etc.
3. Water the compost at least once a week. Because Phoenix, Arizona, is in a much drier climate, you will need to check the compost frequently in order to produce a good result. The compost should be as wet as a dried-out sponge. Lidded compost bins are particularly helpful in this type of weather; they help to control the moisture. Dry composts will not result in usable material. This step is probably the trickiest for the area. Also add water every time you add a new layer of compost materials.
4. Aerate every few days to enable oxygen to break down the waste. This action can be done manually by shoveling the materials around in the bin to make sure air has cycled through the material. Some compost bins come with a lever that will turn the bin to aerate.
5. Watch the temperature on the compost. A compost pile will put off heat in order to do its work. Generally, the best temperature for the reactions is between 90 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. When temperature reach higher than 140 degrees Fahrenheit, the activity will slow or cease all together. Summers in Phoenix can get incredibly hot. If the compost thermometer keeps rising above optimal temperatures, move the compost to the shade or a cooler area of the yard.
6. Check for completion between three months and one year depending upon the size of the compost. If the compost is complete it will be dark, soft and will smell sweet.
7. Put the compost in the garden as fertilizer, once it is complete.
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