Materials that are high in nitrogen are typically moist, “green” materials, such as lawn/grass clippings, fruit and vegetable scraps, animal manure and green leafy materials that rot down very quickly. Materials that are high in carbon are typically dry, “brown” materials, such as sawdust, cardboard, dried leaves, straw, branches and other woody or fibrous materials that rot down very slowly. This is because the bacteria responsible for the composting process require these two elements in those proportions to use as nutrients to construct their bodies as they grow, reproduce and multiply. In all composting, including the Berkeley hot composting method, the ratio of carbon to nitrogen in the compost materials needs to be between 25 to 30 parts carbon to one-part nitrogen by weight. With the 18-day Berkley method, the procedure is quite straightforward and can be summarised into three basic steps:ĭetailed, step -by-step instructions of the Berkeley hot composting method are provided later in this article, but before we can begin composting, we need to get the right mix of materials into our compost! Getting the Best Composting Material Carbon-Nitrogen Balance Compost is turned from outside to inside and vice versa to mix it thoroughly.If composting material is high in carbon, such as tree branches, they need to be broken up, with a mulcher for example.The compost heap needs to be 1m x 1m (3′ x 3′) wide and roughly 1.5m (5′) high.The C:N (carbon:nitrogen) balance in the composting materials is approximately 25-30:1.
It will effectively destroy disease pathogens (such as powdery mildew on pumpkin leaves), weed seeds, weed roots (such as couch and kikuyu) and weeds which reproduce through root bulbs (such as oxalis). The other approach to composting is hot composting, which produces compost in a much shorter time. But there’s a better way to do composting… The Difference Between Hot and Cold Composting It can be sped up by turning the compost, that is, moving around the material at the bottom of the heap to the top and vice versa to mix it up and get more oxygen in there, but it’s still a long wait. It’s a very slow process and typically takes 6 to 12 months. Regular composting, also known as cold composting, involves placing a variety of organic materials in a compost bin, enclosure, or even just in a large heap, and leaving it there until it breaks down several months later.