Step-by-step composting (The NY Times)

This post in The New York Times on composting is a gem.

I love these comments from ‘The New Gardener’s Handbook’ author, Daryl Beyers, who is interviewed about composting.

1.

“Whether you’re adding it to help improve fertility or water-holding ability: Compost, compost, compost. Until people truly grasp the importance of building healthy soil, they will struggle in the garden.”

2.

“Mix green with browns, in roughly equal measure. Green is shorthand for nitrogen-rich materials like fresh grass clippings or the lettuce plants about to bolt. Brown represents those higher in carbon, like dried leaves or twiggy prunings.


“If you let it sit on your kitchen counter for a week, does it start to rot? It’s probably green. If it dries up, it’s brown.


“You’ll know the balance is wrong if compost isn’t happening fast enough. Then try adding green. But if there is a funky odor or you see flies, add brown.”

3.

“The tumbler suits urban gardens, or those with limited space.
“You add material and tumble, and add more and tumble, but you don’t harvest until you’ve been tumbling a full unit for a few weeks, with no more additions,” said Mr. Beyers, who recommends a dual tumbler, or two tumblers. “You fill one up, start tumbling, and then start filling the second.”

I’m sure he’d love our YOLO Compost Tumbler.

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