Homemade manure or compost is invaluable in the garden – it is a great soil reformer, mulch, and growing medium.
To make good manure, you need 50:50 mix of rich elements that are nitrogen and carbon.
Nitrogen comes from lush, green materials such as grasscloth. Carbon comes brown materials, such as woody stems and cardboard.
For every bucket load of green material, you need to add the same amount of brown material. Chopped the wood stems before adding them so that they break more easily. Scrumple paper and leave egg boxes or loo rolls intact – this help to keep the compost aerated.
Most compost can contain many nitrogens, especially if the main source is harvested from deforestation – the result is smelly mud and if your bin has too much carbon, the composting process will be very slow.
Follow all the below steps which help you to create great compost.
Step 1: Stand your compost bin directly on the soil – worms and other micro-organisms will accelerate the composting process. Find out which compost bin is best for you. Chicken wire at the base will keep rodents out. Keep in mind that, the mixture should be equal to green and brown substances.
Step 2: With the Garden fork, you can speed up the process by turning the heap occasionally, so that it mixes the external elements inside. Cover your bin to keep rain out.
Step 3: When the mixture is brown and crumbly and slightly sweet smelling, the process is complete. This will take around six months if the heap has been turned regularly but can take much longer.
Here is the list of material that you can use as for homemade compost
Nitrogen-rich waste (green)
- Grass clippings
- Annual weeds
- Fruit and veg peelings
- Nettle leaves
- Teabags
Carbon-rich waste (brown)
- Prunings
- Hedge trimmings
- Paper or newspaper (loosely scrunched up is best)
- Cardboard
- Straw
- Sawdust
- Pet bedding
- Paper towels
- Paper bags
You can also add the following
- Eggshells
- Natural fibers (wool or cotton)
- wood ash (not too much)
Don’t add the following
- Diseased plants
- Perennial Weeds
- Cooked food
- Citrus (slow to rot and very acidic, which reduces worm activity)
- Raw meat
- Dairy products
- Gloss or color-printed paper
- Ash from coal fires
- Cat or dog feces
- Autumn leaves – these are best used to make leaf mold
Benefits of using Organic Fertilizers or Manure
If you have any doubt or suggestions, feel free to write in comments. Thanks for sharing this information with your friends too.
