Compost
What is Compost?
Composting is the natural process of 'rotting' or decomposition of organic matter by microorganisms under controlled conditions. Raw organic materials such as crop residues, animal wastes, food garbage, some municipal wastes and suitable industrial wastes, enhance their suitability for application to the soil as a fertilizing resource, after having undergone composting.
Composting organisms require four equally important ingredients to work effectively:
- Carbon — for energy; the microbial oxidation of carbon produces the heat, if included at suggested levels. High carbon materials tend to be brown and dry.
- Nitrogen — to grow and reproduce more organisms to oxidize the carbon. High nitrogen materials tend to be green (or colorful, such as fruits and vegetables) and wet.
- Oxygen — for oxidizing the carbon, the decomposition process.
- Water — in the right amounts to maintain activity without causing anaerobic conditions.
What Are The Types Of Composting?
Composting means breaking down organic material. There are three kinds: aerobic, anaerobic, and vermicomposting. Each has its pros and cons. Households, farms, restaurants, schools, offices and places of business produce compostable materials. For example, food scraps, grass clippings, leaves, animal manure, and coffee grounds are all compostable. Composting is useful for making inexpensive fertilizer for lawns, gardens and farms. Here is a run-down of each type.
Aerobic Composting
With aerobic composting, air is introduced to help break down materials quickly. The compost needs to be turned every few days. This is where a “tumble” style of composter can save a lot of time and effort. Add scraps, then turn the handle or spin the composter to keep it aerated. You will probably want to add plenty of green matter that contains lots of nitrogen, such as grass clippings. As the bacteria break down the high-nitrogen-content scraps, the temperature of the compost will get higher. This speeds the process. Also, moisture may need to be added from a hose or watering can. The odors from aerobic composting will be bad if you don’t keep it moist and forget to turn it frequently. Also, you need to leave lots of air space in the composter.
Anaerobic Composting
You can tell, just by looking at the word, that anaerobic is the opposite of aerobic. Anaerobic composting takes almost no effort at all. Just chuck scraps into a compost pile or composter, and don’t fuss with it for a year or more.
However, hold your nose! Anaerobic composting stinks to high heaven. Without oxygen, some pretty nasty bacteria take over. This is what happens in a landfill, and it’s not healthy. Landfills produce so much methane, they can actually have explosions! Methane is a greenhouse gas that is bad for the environment. Many a garden party has been spoilt by a stinking, neglected anaerobic composter!
Vermi Composting
Vermi Composting uses worms, oxygen and moisture to safely break down organic material with few odors. Basically, worms do most of the heavy lifting, and bacteria also helps. Red worms are favorites for this type of composting. Vermicomposting is preferable to the other two methods, for these reasons:
- Very little odor (it should smell “earthy”)
- Very little, if any, dangerous anaerobic bacteria and methane
- No need to “turn” frequently
- Can be done indoors or outdoors
- Easy to harvest the fertilizer, especially with a tray-based composter
Fertiliser Control Order
All indian compost and fertilizer companies need to follow fertilizer control order released by Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in 1985.
For Standard Organic Compost:
For Vermi Organic Compost:
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