In the spring, when the lawn is scarified and cut back, a lot of plant material accumulates. Often the compost heap almost overflows. If you turn over the compost regularly, the volume decreases, you gain space for new garden waste and it all decomposes more quickly into organic fertilizer.
The best time to turn compost is on a dry day in spring
Why does compost have to be turned over?
If the rotting process stops, for example because the microbiotic life in the compost came to a standstill due to frost, no more humus is produced. However, the reasons for stopping composting are not only to be found in the weather conditions.
Causes can also be:
- Too high or too low moisture content of the material,
- lack of oxygen,
- infestation with fungi.
By turning the compost, these disturbances can be remedied and the plant material begins to decompose again.
Rearrange compost: Here's how
The best time for this work is a dry spring day. Prepare the following tools:
- grave fork,
- Shovel,
- free compost rent,
- compost sieve.
Method:
- Discard the mature compost and pass it through a compost sieve. You can easily build this yourself with a frame that you cover with rabbit wire.
- Work your way through the compost heap from top to bottom and place the compost on the sieve.
- The finished natural fertilizer falls through the holes and can be put aside. Plant material that has not yet been composted is included in the free rent.
- Pick out stones and branches while moving. You can chop them up and put them back in the compost.
- Layer the rot in a targeted manner. Coarse material goes at the bottom, then the half-rotted plants of the old compost come on top. Sprinkle some compost accelerator or mature natural fertilizer on top. A little rock flour (14.13€) prevents fungal attack.
- Take care of the compost and give it a few watering cans of water from time to time when it is dry. This speeds up rotting and finely crumbly, pleasantly scented fertilizer is formed by autumn.
tips
There are usually many weed seeds in the compost that have not been destroyed by the temperatures generated during decomposition. Therefore, work the natural fertilizer thoroughly into the soil. This prevents the seed from germinating again immediately.