Composting Class at Skillin's!

Hello again,

Saturday September 26 at 10 AM brings a Composting Class to Skillin's at all 3 locations! (check http://www.skillins.com/ for our location info). In honor of that class we want to write just a little bit about composting for you to consider.

If you can come to the class let us know at info@skillins.com! Or let us know anytime if you have any questions about composting!

Composting is as old as time and by composting we can replicate nature's process of returning plant matter back into the necessary component of healthy soils. Adding compost to soil gives soil the organic matter that creates the environment for the growth and activity of millions of microbes that make plant nutrients available to be used by plants.

Products needed

Compost Bins Bins come in a variety of style and types. The pyramid style is an upright bin with a removal cover for adding rare materials on the top and a door on the side to remove the finished compost. This style allows you to continue adding and at the same time removing the finished product. Tumblers are the other typical style great for smaller yards and gardens and are ideal for batch composting, putting in the rare materials allowing it to completely compost then removing it all before starting the next batch.

Bio Excelerator Excelerator contains billions of microbes especially cultured for composting. These are partially important when composting end of season brown, drier vegetation and plant debris that can be more difficult to fully decompose.

Compost Thermometer Maintaining a composting temperature of 110 degrees is critical to complete composting. As the temperature start dropping it is important to turn your compost adding fresh material to the center of the pile to compost. Repeat this process until all material has been composted.

Compost Aerators Compost must be turned in order to create a fully composted material and like any job the right tool makes a good task that much easier. Compost Aerators are design for easy piercing of the compost and when pulled back up wings fold out pulling compost with it creating a turning of the material. If your compost pile is big enough a gardening fork can also be a great aid.

Terry Skillin
Skillin's Greenhouses
September 25, 2009