What is composting?
Composting is a natural process by which microorganisms break down kitchen and yard waste into humus — a rich, dark material that enriches soil, boosts fertility and retards soil erosion.
What materials can be composted?
Compost ingredients generally fall under one of two categories: "browns" or "greens".
Brown (dry) ingredients include: dried leaves, dry grass, straw, sawdust, cold wood ashes, wood chips, all kinds of tissue paper, shredded newspaper, shredded paper cartons, and shredded egg cartons (the paper kind only).
Green (wet) ingredients include: fruit peels, vegetable peels, coffee grinds and filters, tea bags, egg shells, peanut shells, garden waste, plant trimmings, fresh grass cuttings, and table waste.
Some materials should not be composted. These include: bones, meat, fish, dairy products, sauces, oils, fats, pet waste, diseased plants, seeding weeds, wet grass, and inorganic materials.
It is recommended to have a 50/50 balance of green and brown materials. Green materials are rich in nitrogen and brown materials are rich in carbon. Bacteria thrive in the particular ratio of carbon to nitrogen that is provided by this mix of green and brown materials. This allows for efficient composting.
How long does it take?
Depending on the methods and materials used, it can take as little as one month, or as long as a year to produce compost.
What are the benefits of composting?
There are many benefits of composting. Composting reduces trash, provides free soil fertilizer, helps soil to retain moisture, feeds the soil, lessens soil erosion, improves garden yields, turns waste into a valuable resource, saves limited landfill space, and recycles nutrients back into the soil.
How does composting work?
Food scraps and yard waste are gathered and added to the compost bin where they biodegrade into a rich, crumbly material. The combination of naturally occurring micro and macroorganisms, air, water and heat combine to facilitate the process. The material is then used as a nutrient rich topsoil and natural fertilizer.
What is Bokashi?
Bokashi is beneficial microorganisms in a bran base. Our All Food Recycling System Kit with Bokashi uses the microorganisms to break down foods into a fermented material. Once fermented, the scraps, including meat and dairy as well as fruits and vegetables, can be added to a compost pile or buried directly in the soil, where they will completely and quickly decompose.
My EM has a strong odor. Is that normal, or has the culture gone bad?
The ph of the mother culture and your activation or extension, should be
below 3.7. If it is, your EM should be fine. You can expect your EM to smell
sweet and pickled, not foul or putrid. If it does, the microbes may have been
exposed to air or a contaminant, which can cause the EM to go bad. If this is the
case, it will smell obviously rotten. Always check the ph if the smell is
questionable, and make sure to extend and store your EM in a container with as
little air space as possible.
Can my bag of Bokashi go bad?
Bokashi, if kept sealed and with minimal exposure to oxygen, will last for
years. Not resealing your bag after you use it may cause a white mold to grow,
however, this mold does not mean your Bokashi is bad. If there is green, blue,
black or brown mold, this indicates putrefaction, and it should be thrown out.
I have been storing my EM culture in a pantry at room temperature, but
when I got it out to use it, large, white chunks were growing on the top of it.
Has my culture gone bad?
NO. The white is not bad mold, and your culture is still useful as long as the
ph is still below 3.7. There must have been air trapped in the container that
reacted with the microbes. In the future, squeeze the bottle to push out as much air
as possible before resealing the container.
How can EM help my farm and garden? Can it help me get rid of harmful
diseases, worms, or insects?
YES, EM improves the overall health of plants by providing an environment
that crowds out harmful agents and leaves benefits for plants, giving them a
stronger defense against pests and disease. However, EM is best used as a
preventative measure; it should not be used as your only insecticide or a
fertilizer! If you already have a bug or disease problem, EM should be used as a
supplement, but will not solve the problem alone. You will see greater results if
you begin preparation or planting with EM, rather than using with an already
existing problem |
