Composting materials

Question 1

Requirement for a good compost:

Answer 1

At least half materials should be woody

Ratio of Greens : Browns - 1 pt grn : 1-3 pts brn.

OR C : N = 15-30 : 1

Larger materials need to be reduced down/shredded

Right balance of air and water (for right temp & pH)

Question 2

Organic materials that can be added to soil:

Answer 2

Leaf mould (mulch or dig in)

Spent mushroom compost (mulch or dig in)

Farmyard manure (mulch or dig in)

Garden compost (mulch or dig in)

Composted green waste (mulch or dig in)

Chipped bark (mulch ONLY)

Composted straw “Strulch” (mulch or dig in)

Green manures (mulch or dig in)

Crop debris (mulch or dig in)

Question 3

“Brown” (carbon-rich, woody) composting materials:

Answer 3

Bark

Wood chipping

Scrunched up newspaper

Dry, brown leaves

Prunings

Cardboard

Question 4

“Green” (nitrogen-rich) composting materials:

Answer 4

Grass clippings

Uncooked fruit & veg

Dead annals

Tops of perennials

Green leaves

Seaweed

Dried blood

Bonemeal

Manure (VERY high levels of N)

Compost accelerator (VERY high levels of N)

Question 5

Compost - DON’T use:

Answer 5

Human/pet waste

Cooked food

Weed with seeds

Perennial weeds

Plants treated with herbicide

Diseased plant material

Plastics