Maximum Yield USA May 2017 | Page 98

cycl tips & tricks “ON A LARGER scale, composting is a multi-step and closely watched operation with calculated inputs of air, water, and a mix of well- shredded materials that balance carbon and nitrogen levels.” Start with a bunch of old crumpled newspapers and a couple of handfuls of good chemical-free dirt, which should contain billions of little beings ready to colonize. You could also buy a compost starter, which is guaranteed to have all the critters you’ll need. Next, add organic waste including food scraps, yard waste, wilted flowers and leaves, and just enough water so that the mess feels damp but not wet when you stir it all up. Keep the bucket in a place where temperatures won’t get below about 50˚F. Every couple of days, stir the contents again so they are well-aerated and don’t get warmer than 122˚F. In a few weeks, you have compost. On a larger scale, composting is a multi-step and closely watched operation with calculated inputs of air, water, and a mix of well-shredded materials that balance carbon and nitrogen levels. Regular turning is essential. Aerobic bacteria need air and moisture, as do tiny arthropods, worms, and fungi. Until you decide to make a living at making compost, however, forget the large-scale logistics. Of course, the indoor composting process is not foolproof. Sometimes beginners end up with a disgusting mess. Toss it in the yard or, better yet, bury your mistakes. But, why did things go bad? Simple: the environment was either too hot or too wet and nasty anaerobic bacteria took over. No matter; wash your equipment with soap and start again. WHAT ABOUT BOKASHI COMPOST? The Japanese bucket system for food waste is a great indoor system for fast, anaerobic bacterial action. (Yes, the same nasty things that ruined your first indoor compost). It’s more controlled, miraculously odor-free, and, as I mentioned, works faster than the simple aerobic set-up described above. 96 grow cycle