Composting at Home in Iowa City - 1 views
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Jami Halliday on 20 Feb 12Start the pile with a layer of coarse material like branches and twigs to allow air flow to the pile. For a carbon source, add 6 inches of leaves and other woody materials. For a nitrogen source, add 2-3 inches of grass clippings, kitchen wastes and garden wastes. Mix these two layers to speed up decomposition and then cover with 2 inches of dirt to control odors. Dampen the pile with water as new layers are added or more frequently if the weather is dry. The pile should be concave in the center to prevent runoff of water. The moisture content is sufficient when the surface of the pile glistens. To speed up decomposition, mix/turn the pile once a week and periodically sprinkle it with water to keep it moist. When the interior of the pile is no longer hot and the material has broken down into dark, crumbly soil, the composting is finished. The process usually takes 3-6 months.