Compost Questions

[SteveClifton]

Hi Everyone

My name is Stephen and I am studying horticulture at college, I hav to do a assignment all about compost and need to include questionnaire about compost in it and I thought that as you guys enjo gardening you would be good people to ask. If any of you can answer AN of the questions in any way could you please email your answers next t the question number to me ( [e-mail]) with your nam preferably sometime in the next week as the deadline is coming up lol would be very very grateful. Thanks Steve These are the questions

1) What method of composting is best for a small garden? 2) What method of composting is best for a larger garden/estate wher there are large amounts of organic waste? 3) What is the best method for industrial/local councils/authorities? 4) Does composting have any disadvantages/drawbacks? a) What are they b) How can they be overcome 5) Has the popularity of composting increased or decreased. Do you hav any examples? 6) What can be done to best advertise composting and its advantages an increase its popularity. 7) Do you know of any new methods of composting being developed o new composting schemes?

Thank Yo

-- SteveClifton

[Doug Kanter]

Hit the books.

[Persephone]

And/or the Web. Enormous amount of information out there.

Doing your own research is VERY important for any student, college age or adult. You develop skills that will help you later in life. You will learn to analyze the information that you acquire; compare, contrast, evaluate -- IOW, develop a functioning crap detector.

Excuse mini-sermon...I hope it helps.

Persephone

[Phisherman]

There are a variety of methods. The easiest/cheapest is a 4-foot heap on the ground.

Make more heaps. I find that 4-foot heaps are the easiest to manage.

I guess machinery that can move large amounts of materials.

It could be ugly. You have to keep it moist for it to work.

Not sure. But I think every gardener *should* be aware of the benefits.

Tell your gardening friends.

Not sure. My method has worked great for many years.

[Persephone]

Oops - sorry if I blew it, Steve. Perhaps if you'd mentioned that, people would have responded. Guess it's too late now, boo-hoo.

Persephone

[Doug]

4' X 4' Pile minimum. Alternate green plant and dry plant and soil layers about 6" thick.

Same as above but with shredders and multiple piles to about 6'X6'

Same as #2 but use skiploaders and industrial shredders

yes

soil building, hard work

hard work. soil building

popularity? Composting is a natural process that has occured on Earth long before humans ever made a compost pile.

Sandwhich signs, Large billboards, and superbowl comercials

Vermiculture

>

[George.com]

and compost teas (google search it for more info).

rob

[Mike]

Steve,

I use compost from the city run facility. We place bags of leaves and other compostable items on a different day than our trash pickup. The city picks it up. It can't be any easier than that. The only drawback is that when we pick it up it is not fully composted. I pick it up in Fall and then use it the next Spring.

Good luck and I hope your study leads to less compost in the municiple dump.

Mike

[J.R. in MI]

Another drawback may be quality. I only put noxious weeds out for pickup. Everything else goes in my pile.