When set up properly, compost requires little maintenance. There are few jobs that you should do from time to time. First and foremost, they ensure that the compost rots faster and can be used sooner. How to maintain compost.

If set up correctly, the compost requires little maintenance

How to properly care for the compost

The be-all and end-all of compost care is to fill it properly. Mix dry and wet waste together and never put in too much of one type of compost at a time.

If the compost is rotting, moldy, or attracting a lot of flies and pests, you've put things in the compost that shouldn't be there.

Do not compost dog waste, meat waste and cooked leftovers. Caution should also be exercised with ashes and large amounts of lawn clippings and leaves.

Compost must not get too wet or too dry

Compost in the garden must be well aerated. You also need to avoid letting it dry out or get too wet. The following tasks must therefore be carried out as maintenance measures:

  • water when dry
  • cover in the rain
  • drain when too wet
  • aerate occasionally (insert fork)
  • Sprinkle in rock flour (14.13€).
  • occasionally sprinkle mature compost on top.

implement compost

Compost used to be turned over every year. The half-composted remains were dug up and placed in a second composter in reverse order. This brought the lower layers to the top and the compost rotted more evenly.

With the use of compost starters, this is no longer the norm today.
Nevertheless, it can be worth moving the compost heap from time to time to loosen it up.

Fertilize compost with lime?

Fertilizing the compost with lime is often recommended, but only makes sense if the humus would otherwise become too acidic. This is what happens when large amounts of leaves and grass clippings are composted at once.

When is compost ripe?

The compost is ripe when it has a loose, crumbly consistency. Depending on the material and composter, this can take between six months and two years.

tips

In professional composting plants, temperatures can reach up to 70 degrees. Domestic compost stays significantly cooler. If the compost is to be used as potting soil, you should steam it beforehand.

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