Composting

For one of my son's merit badges he needs to do composting. I was wondering if some one could help me out. I built the composting box this week. But I really have no idea, what we can, or can't put in it other then leaves, grass and dead plants.

 

Fruit and vegetable peels, coffee grounds. Horse, poultry manure....

Here is some reading.

Building Your Compost Pile - Composting for the Homeowner - University of Illinois Extension

Mike NJ

 

ED - Just a suggestion but since it's his merit badge, make him figure out how to compost.

Composting is nothing but accelerating (or not) the natural rotting process. I know people that are compost gurus. They add microbes to their pile to hurry the process and they water and turn it on a regular schedule. I'm too lazy for that. I just pile it up, let Ma Nature do the watering and I flip it over now and then when I think of it.

We put just about anything organic that is not fish/meat or dairy (except eggshells). A couple of cautions - don't fuss with it too much, let mother nature do her job and don't add large amounts of grass clippings at one time. They will just turn into an undigested wad. The same goes for leaves.