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Why Compost?
We all put things in our garbage bin that could be put to good use.
Did you know that food and garden materials make up around half of our
household waste? When this waste goes to landfill it is costly to us and it
harms our environment. The good news is that most organic material can
easily be returned to the soil as useful fertiliser, compost and mulch in your
own garden. This will reduce the amount of waste going to landfill by half!
Composting is fun!
Kids and adults of all ages can enjoy the art of composting, and
it is a great outdoor activity to share with the whole family.
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ADAM Principles
A
Aliveness - anything that has grown and been alive
can go in.
D
Diversity - put in a variety of ingredients such as food
scraps, dry leaves, sticks, hair and herbs.
A
Aeration - turn your compost with a garden fork or
spiral turning tool..
M
Moisture - keep compost moist (try the 50-60%
squeeze test).
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Aliveness
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Diversity
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Aeration
Turn your compost heap once every 1 -2 weeks to let the air in. This
way, heat can be contained inside the heap, allowing the compost to
break down quicker.
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Moisture
Moisture in all its many forms is the key to healthy vibrant, alive
ecosystems. All living things use and store moisture. We must think
beyond just water.
Your compost should be damp like a sponge, moist but not dripping
wet.
Food scraps, green grass and leaves, and fresh weeds carry
moisture.
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The Essential Ingredients for a
Good Compost Heap
Greens Browns
Fruit and vegetable scraps Straw
Tea leaves & bags Autumn leaves
Fresh grass clippings Wood ash
Coffee grounds Dolomite
Green leaves Wood chips
Vacuum cleaner dust Sawdust
Egg shells Shredded newspaper
Weeds Small sticks and twigs
Manure Bark
Dead flowers Brown paper bags
Hair
Add the greens and browns to the heap in layers. Layer the ingredients in such a way that
moisture and air can get through. If you maintain your compost well, you can add almost
anything to the mix including meat, dairy, cat and dog droppings, and weeds!
Its the millions of microbes in the compost multiplying and digesting the organic waste that
produce heat and speeds up the composting process. If your compost has the right balance
of wet and dry, heat and moisture, then your compost will cope with all these ingredients.
However, if in doubt and you are experiencing composting problems keep these ingredients
out until the compost heap is in balance again.
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Four Easy Steps to Follow:
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Common Compost Problems and
What to do About Them
1. Smelly Compost
Your compost can start to smell if it gets too wet or if there is not enough air in
the heap. A common cause is putting in too much food waste and not enough dry
ingredients.
2. Unwelcome visitors
There are millions of friendly critters in your compost which help to break down
the food waste. However, the larger ones are not welcome, so heres how to
reduce the attraction factor for vermin.
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3. Slow compost
If your compost is slow to break down, it could be lack of air, water or heat. There
are good ways to make great compost quicker!
Make sure your compost has enough worms. 2000 is a good start.
From your compost bin Compost material Drip line around tree
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Notes;
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Contact Pittwater Councils Waste Education Team if you would like more information on
reducing your household waste through composting and worm farming, recycling and green
cleaning. Telephone: 9970 1194 Email: EC Education_Team@pittwater.nsw.gov.au
Contact Kimbriki Recycling & Waste Disposal Centre for Free Eco Gardening Workshops,
Recycled Garden Products (mulches, soils and potting mix) and Compost Bins ($45)
Telephone: 9486 3512 Email: kimbriki@kimbriki.com Web: www.kimbriki.com