How to Start a Compost Correctly?

Starting your own compost? That's a question almost every garden owner asks themselves. Some are discouraged by the idea that they'll have to take complicated care of the compost, it will smell bad and make their ornamental garden look ugly. For them, a little compost isn't worth the trouble... However, this perception of composting is wrong. Setting up a compost isn't particularly complicated, properly maintained compost doesn't smell, and it certainly doesn't have to make your garden look ugly. There's a wide range of composters on the market from which almost everyone can choose. DIY enthusiasts can easily build a composting system exactly according to their preferences. Moreover, thanks to composting household scraps, grass, pruned branches and other bio-waste, you can reduce the amount of waste produced by almost a third.

Composting - what is it actually?

Composting is a natural process in which composted material breaks down through the action of living organisms in the soil, water and oxygen, into humus. Humans try to speed up this process by creating the most ideal conditions for the compost to mature quickly. The main players in compost creation are earthworms and other small creatures. Thanks to these creatures, household scraps, grass and other composted material very quickly become an almost invaluable resource in the garden - compost, which primarily contains humus. When growing plants, humus is indispensable as it retains water in the soil, captures harmful substances, balances acidity, stimulates growth and strengthens plant health. Properly matured compost can replace expensive peat.

Let's Get Started - Beginning with Composting

The first step in setting up a compost is finding a suitable location and choosing the right composting device. The compost should be situated in an easily accessible place, but at the same time it shouldn't disrupt the overall appearance of the garden. Ideally, the compost shouldn't be exposed to direct sunlight, wind, and heavy rain. The most suitable option is therefore a semi-shaded location under a shelter (if you're not planning to get a composter with a lid). When selecting a location for the composter, you mustn't forget that the "workers" - earthworms and other soil organisms - need access to the compost. The composter therefore must not stand on concrete or any other impermeable surface. The choice of composting device depends on the planned amount of composted material as well as the gardener's handiness. For smaller gardeners, plastic composters with a volume of approximately 400 - 600 litres are perfect. In our e-shop, you can choose a plastic composter in neutral black colour. In larger gardens, where composting larger amounts of grass, leaves and branches is expected, it's more suitable to build your own composter, for example from boards from old europallets, fence boards, etc. When making a composter, don't forget about an open bottom and the possibility to remove one side of the composter when turning the compost. There are no limits to the imagination of Czech DIY enthusiasts when making a composter. In our e-shop you'll also find a compost accelerator.

The Composter is in the Right Place - Let's Start Composting...

The composter, whether purchased or homemade, is now in its chosen location, and it's time to start your first compost. Small twigs should be placed at the bottom of the composter to bring air into the compost - aerating it from below. Additional compostable material can be layered on top of the twigs. If you're adding large amounts of grass, leaves, or vegetable scraps at once, it's good to mix them with a little regular soil. Odors can be prevented by good aeration of the compost using twigs or a layer of straw. By mixing soil with compostable material, small organisms and soil microorganisms have an easier job because they don't have to work through such large amounts of material. Layering compostable material and interspersing it can continue until the composter is full. Aeration using twigs or straw isn't enough, so the compost should be turned over at least 1-2 times a year. Thorough turning allows sufficient air into the compost, which is important for speeding up the maturation process. A sign that the compost needs thorough turning is also the smell coming from the composter. Your work will be easier with new forks developed specifically for turning compost. Thanks to their ergonomic design, comfortable grip, and quality materials guaranteed by the Fiskars brand, you'll want to turn your compost much more frequently. The compost maturation process can be accelerated not only by regular turning but also by adding compost accelerator or compost activator. In our e-shop, you'll find a wide range of these preparations for speeding up compost maturation.

What Goes Where - What Belongs in the Composter and What Doesn't

Bio-waste suitable for composting:

• fruit and vegetable scraps from the kitchen
• citrus peels only in small amounts
• dead flowers not affected by pests or diseases
• grass, leaves and small branches, wood chips, sawdust, shavings, bark
• wood ash
• tea bags, coffee
• paper - only easily decomposable - take flyers to recycling
• droppings from small farm animals (chicken manure, rabbit droppings)

What definitely doesn't belong in the composter:

• weeds and plants affected by pests and diseases
• potato tops
• fruit pits
• meat, bones, fats
• stones, construction debris
• coal ash
• plastics, porcelain, metals and other non-decomposable materials
• chemicals, medicines, paints
• dog and cat feces

Tip: Don't put overly wet material into plastic composters as it could lead to rotting.

Proper Moisture Plays an Important Role in Composting

Compost should be neither too dry nor too wet. Dryness could slow down composting processes, while excessive moisture could lead to rotting. Overly dry compost is recognizable at first glance. Its surface is greyish in colour, crumbly, and newly added material hardly decomposes or decomposes too slowly. Another sign of too dry compost is the presence of woodlice. First aid for dry compost is sprinkling with rainwater, turning it over and adding sufficient amounts of fresh and moist material. The rule says - always mix wet with dry. The opposite problem is waterlogged compost. You'll smell overly wet compost from a distance. You can easily verify waterlogging by squeezing a small amount of compost in your palm - if water runs out of it, that's bad. The main measure against waterlogging is preventing water from entering the compost - covering it with a roof. When waterlogged, it's not advisable to add watery fruit and vegetables to the compost. During this time, dry material (leaves, chopped straw or dry soil) belongs in the composter, which should be mixed with the moist material.

We Put the Right Materials into the Composter, Turn It Regularly, We've Overcome Problems - When Will It Be Ready to Use?

As already mentioned, thanks to human intervention, the composting time is reduced by almost half compared to the natural process. Under ideal conditions, it's possible to obtain the first compost after approximately 8 - 10 weeks of composting. However, this compost is not yet sufficiently mature and is mainly suitable for mulching. The compost reaches maturity, i.e. the optimal time for use, after approximately 7 - 12 months. At this time, the composted material should already be a dark brown, crumbly matter that will smell pleasantly of forest soil. The volume of mature compost is up to half smaller than the original amount of composted material. Homemade compost is added to substrate for growing ornamental plants, vegetables and houseplants instead of fertiliser or peat.