How to make compost at home?

Compost is considered a fertilizer that plays a special role in plant growth. It is formed through a mixture of different ingredients. This type of fertilizer can change the chemical, physical and biological properties of the soil. Ingredients that make compost include grass clippings, plants, food scraps, food waste, organic matter, and manure. The mixture is rich in beneficial organisms, like protozoa, bacteria, fungi, and nematodes as well as plant nutrients.

Composting is considered an aerobic method of decomposition of organic solid waste. So it is applicable to recycling organic material. The process turns organic matter into humus, which contributes as a good fertilizer for plants.

How to make it:

There are many things in our daily life that we throw away without using. Did you know that you can make compost at home out of all these things? Vegetable peels, garden weeds, grass clippings, garden waste, food scraps, yard waste, twigs, fruit peels, and cow dung are all waste materials that can be composted very well. You can speed up the composting process by using a compost bin.

Elements:

Four equally important elements enable composting organisms to function effectively:

• Carbon:

  Carbon is essential for energy; Microbial oxidation of carbon plays a key role in generating the heat that is needed for other parts of the composting process. High carbon materials are brown in color as well as dry.

• Nitrogen:

  The contribution of nitrogen to the growth and reproduction of more organisms to oxidize carbon is undeniable. High nitrogen content starts to turn green as well as wet. Colorful fruits along with vegetables can also be included.

• Oxygen:

  Oxygen is very important for the decomposition process of carbon. Oxygen levels above 5% are necessary for aerobic bacteria to carry out the processes necessary for composting.

• Water:

  Adequate amounts of water play an immense role in maintaining activity without creating anaerobic conditions.

Organisms:

By providing the right mix of oxygen, water, nitrogen, and carbon, organisms are able to break down the organic matter in compost. They are divided into two broad categories: chemical decomposers which enable chemical processes to be carried out on organic waste and physical decomposers which play an important role in processing the waste into smaller pieces through several methods like crushing, shredding, chewing, and digestion.

• Chemical decomposers:
• Bacteria - Of all the microorganisms found in compost, bacteria are the most abundant and play an important role. Bacteria release plant-available nutrients such as phosphorus, magnesium, and nitrogen by processing carbon and nitrogen.
• Fungi - Fungi such as molds and yeasts provide functions to break down materials that bacteria are unable to, such as lignin and cellulose in wood materials.
• Protozoa - Protozoa play a special role in the biodegradation of organic matter as well as the uptake of fungi, microorganisms, and non-active bacteria.

• Physical decomposers:
• Ants - build nests that make the soil more porous and are useful in transporting nutrients to different areas of the compost.
• Beetle - able to eat decaying vegetables.
• Earthworms - they take up partially composted material and contribute to excreting worm castings and also make nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium available to plants. As they pass through the compost, they create a tunnel that contributes significantly to increasing ventilation and drainage.
• Rotifer - feeds on plant matter.
• Millipedes - help break down plant material.
• Snails and slugs - feed on live or fresh plant material. It is very important to remove them from the compost before use as they have the potential to damage plants and crops.

Also, the role of various flies, sow bugs and springtails is immense in composting.

Factors of the composting process:

• Aeration:

  The requirement of large amounts of Oxygen for aerobic composting is observed in the early stages. Aeration is essential for aerobic composting as it is a source of Oxygen. If the supply of Oxygen is insufficient, decomposition slows because there is limited growth of aerobic microorganisms. Furthermore, ventilation contributes significantly to the removal of water vapour, gasses, and excess heat trapped in the pile.

• Nutrients:

  C, Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K), and N are of immense importance as primary nutrients for microorganisms. Particularly important is the Carbon and Nitrogen ratio of the raw material. The optimum Carbon and Nitrogen ratio for raw materials should be between 25:1 and 30:1, although ratios of 20:1 and 40:1 are also taken into consideration.

• Temperature:

  Two temperature ranges are notable in this species namely mesophilic and thermophilic. 20-45°C is acceptable as an ideal temperature for the initial composting stage, with thermophilic microbes taking over in later stages, a temperature range of 50-70°C is likely to be ideal.

• Lignin content:

  Lignin plays a special role as a porosity enhancer, capable of creating favorable conditions for aerobic composting.

• pH value:

  The natural buffering effect of the process of composting lends itself so that the acceptance of material with a wide range of pH can be done. The pH level should be within eight.

Useful tips:

• It is helpful to cut the ones you want to add into small pieces.
• It is important to mix brown materials with green materials.
• Keeping damp like a sponge is very important.