Green waste is organic material that naturally decomposes. Therefore, many hobby gardeners fill their compost with the leftovers. However, there are some aspects that you need to be aware of. Otherwise incomplete decomposition processes take place.
The compost should not be completely covered with the green waste
What is green waste compost?
This type of compost consists exclusively of organic waste that accumulates when pruning or mowing. The substrate is free of household organic waste and is characterized by a coarse structure. This is due to the high proportion of woody plant materials. Lawn and shrub cuttings complement each other well on the compost. In addition, the wood residues contain little nitrogen compared to grasses, so that there is no excess. The mature substrate is free of weeds, as there are hardly any seeds in the starting material.
Faulty decomposition processes
Hobby gardeners often observe incomplete decomposition of the green waste after a year. The compost stinks and is not suitable for further use in the garden. One reason for this is insufficient ventilation, so that undesirable decomposition processes take place.
This is what happens when there is no oxygen supply:
- aerobic bacteria and fungi die off
- anaerobic lactic acid bacteria and yeasts multiply
- these only break down sugar and protein, producing putrefactive gases
Autumn leaves and clippings
Leaves lying on the lawn do not have to be collected separately before the last mowing in autumn. You can leave it where it ends up with the grasses in the lawnmower's collector. In this way, it is broken up and ensures a loose structure in the lawn clippings. If you need to store the foliage, wire mesh rings will come in handy. They ensure airy storage. The leaves enrich the starting material with carbon and offer good conditions for successful composting.
Fill compost properly
Make sure that grass clippings do not compact too much on the compost. Scatter the material onto shrub trimmings to create a well-ventilated stratification. As an alternative, you can mix grass clippings, leftover leaves and finely chopped twigs and branches.
tips
Store the fall wood cuttings in a separate heap next to the compost. This way, you always have shredded material available to compost the cuttings.