T – Page 213 – Crazy About Compost

What Composting System is Right for You? (video)

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eU4rK-aKoSM What composting system is right for you? There's 4 main methods for composting: dig a hole, compost bin, worms, compost tumbler. They all have their pros and cons, so here we go: Dig a hole - $0 +Cheap +No maintenance -Risk of animals/pests digging it up -Hard to obtain any compost -Might annoy neighbors Compost Bin - $25+ +Cheap, easy to do it yourself for free +Can handle large volumes +Can thoroughly process any and all organic materials -Unsightly? (It's worth it though, trust me) Worms - $30/lb, $100+ +Works year round +Worm castings are a great soil amendment +Fun for educational purposes -They need attention to ensure they're happy -Somewhat expensive to start Compost Tumbler - $175+ +Secure from pests/animals +Turning the compost is easy (although not necessary)…

When is Your Compost Ready to Use? (video)

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0Hf_IcS_5U When is your compost ready to use? Some questions to ask yourself include: How does it look? Can you recognize any of the material? How does it smell? Is the material warm? Here I have a few different samples of compost...vermicompost, tumbler compost, commercial compost, and trench compost. What do you think of these samples? I feel like my tumbler compost and vermicastings could both go even longer before using them, but that they're still OK if I were to use them now. In fact, I'm going to use these samples for my next "Clash of The Composts!" experiment coming soon... stay tuned!

Just How Important Are Biodegradable Plastics?

It seems like over the last year or two, all the major companies have been jumping on board not only with a "green" product line, but with biodegradable plastics. I'd like to focus on the three major food service items that have been getting makeovers: cups, utensils and trash bags. To narrow it further, forget about items listed simply as "degradable"... what isn't? This is deceptive. "Biodegradable plastics" or "compostable plastics" that will completely compost in a commercial compost facility are what to look for. PLA (polylactic acid) is one of the most common corn based plastics used. Are they worth it? I'm not so sure. Assuming they're non-toxic and biodegrading as described, most people will not be able to compost these items in their backyard piles. This instantly reminds…