The increased organic content may also lead to increase in the number of weeds due to the nutrient content. In such a case, the farmer should consider the use of the numerous organic methods of pest control. Most families have pet rabbits just invest in outdoor rabbit hutch plans, the rabbits will aid in controlling the weeds by eating the weeds as food. Lest we forget, as much as the insects and pests are annoying, they are important in the garden. The benefits are so immense that some farmers have built a bug hotel in their lawns/ gardens. The method of composting utilized is entirely dependent on the amount of space, composting components, composting time, neatness of the compost pile, and the cost of composting.
The method of composting depends on the availability of composting raw materials. These availability leads to the classification of composting methods as continuous and batch composting.
Continuous composting is a technique that works best if you have a steady stream of new material to work with. If you are composting the scraps from your household, this is probably the system you will want to use. You can start with a small amount of compost and a handful of soil (or compost starter). Then, as you get extra ingredients, just add them to the mix. The compost will blend together — fresh ingredients will blend with more mature compost that is at an advanced stage of decomposition
The other method is called batch composting. If you have a large amount of organic waste (such as a pile of leaves or several bags of yard clippings) it can be enough to fill up your entire compost bin all at once. As the compost decomposes, this pile of compost will gradually shrink. Finished compost often takes up about 30 to 50 percent less space than the original ingredients. It can be tempting to add additional materials to the batch as it starts to shrink and turn into compost, but if you add additional waste, the entire pile of compost will take longer to finish.
Sourced from: http://www.compostinstructions.com/methods-of-composting/
The methods of composting can be classified based on the time taken to compost and the temperature utilized. These classification is found in two main groups; cold/ slow and hot/fast composting.
1. Cold / Slow Composting is for people who have more carbon (brown) material than nitrogen (green) material, and are not concerned about a slow composting rate, a desire for weed seed destruction, or a need for plant disease suppression.
The advantages of cold/slow composting include ease of implementation, lower level of management required.
The disadvantages of cold/slow composting include slow rate of decomposition and potential for pests to excavate buried wastes. Additionally, if the raw materials contain weed seed or plant pathogens, these will not be destroyed in the composting process.
2. Hot / Fast Composting will yield the fastest rate of composting and best control of weed seed and plant pathogens. Hot composting is also the most intensive method and requires several elements to succeed, including:
• A minimum of 1 cubic yard of material to start the pile.
• a blend of greens and browns (C:N Ratio)
• proper moisture content
• Frequent turning to provide aeration.
• particle size of less than 2″ – 3″
Sourced from: http://sarasota.ifas.ufl.edu/compost-info/tutorial/methods.shtml
Composting requires the use of composter that fits your garden needs. There are many types of composters in the market, each with its merits and demerits.
1. Indoor Vs Outdoor Composters
Compost bins come in a wide variety of designs. One of the biggest differences is whether the composter is designed to be used indoors or outdoors. Outdoor compost bins are intended to be placed outside, or in a covered space where odor is not important (such as a barn or garage). On the other hand, indoor compost bins are designed with odor controls built in. These features tend to either reduce the size of the composter or drive up its price. Indoor compost bins are either airtight or include a special filter to control smell. The filters have a limited lifespan and need to be replaced every 6 months to a year. They are often made from activated
2. Single vs. Multiple Chamber Composters
A single chamber compost bin is the most common. This type of composter has several benefits – large chambers are an optimal size for generating heat, single chamber compost bins have minimal cost, and assembly is usually very simple. On the other hand, single-chamber composters have one major weakness: when the compost bin fills up, there is nowhere left to add waste while the contents decompose. Often, it requires more than one single chamber composter to run staggered batches of compost.
3. Multiple chambers
Multiple chamber composters were created to deal with this problem. They offer 2, 3, or more separate compartments for compost. As each compartment fills up, it is possible to seal that compartment and keep adding waste to a different chamber. This allows old waste to completely break down in one part of the composter while new waste is added elsewhere. Uninterrupted composting in the full compartments will quickly yield finished humus, while the additional capacity prevents a backlog of raw waste.
Sourced from: http://www.compostinstructions.com/methods-of-composting/
