Compost: Your Questions Answered

by Douglas Green

How To Make Great Garden Compost Garden author Doug Green answers the most often-asked reader questions about making compost. There's nothing theoretical here - it's all practical how-to information you'll need to know about making compost in your own backyard garden. What compost does. Where to compost Things to compost. So how do I exactly make compost. Cool composting Hot composting. When is compost ready What about composting leaves? What about composting grass clippings? How do I spread compost around established plants? What about composting diseased plants? What about perennial weeds? Does the compost pile have to be in the sun to heat up? What about weed seeds? What about hard stems or woody prunings? Can I add animal manure? Can I add sawdust and wood shavings? Can compost get too hot? Is garden compost the same as bagged manure in a garden center? Does a compost pile breed pests? Does a compost pile attract rodents? Does a compost pile attract animals? Do I need special equipment such as thermometers? Will I get sick from handling compost? What about composting plants with toxic leaves? Why are there ants or fruit flies in my compost pile? I have a compost pile and it keeps shrinking. There are wasps in my compost, what do I do? What about commercial compost accelerators? I hear about ratios of carbon and nitrogen, what's this? Compost making systems Sheet composting Choosing your own system So what is compost tea? Compost tea is not.. A simple recipe for making compost tea Spreading compost tea Does compost tea stop leaf disease? Do you really have to test the soil. Will compost eventually break down hard-pan clay soils? Do I have to replace the soil in my yard to improve it? How can you ever make enough compost? The bottom of my compost/manure bin is stinky, why? Adding wood chips and sawdust to soil. Do I need to clear away the mulch before I add compost to the soil? What are your thoughts on compost accelerators? What is the best way to improve clay soil with lots of rock? Is there a way to make compost tea without an air pump? What about liquifying vegetable & fruit scraps with water and pouring around plants. When the compost bin is full how long do I have to let it sit. Tree roots get into my compost pile.

84 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 23, 2012