Composting
Compost Sites
1.
City Compost Site is available for
Defiance City Residents only. Proof of residency is
required. It is located at State Route 281 East at the
GM Waste Water Treatment Entrance.
2.
3.
Garden Scape is available to anyone,
a fee may be applicable. It is located on State Route 66
North between Four County School and Archbold.
(419) 445-6561
Check with your village
administrator or local authorities to determine if your
town, village or city picks up leaves, brush, limbs or has a
location for dropping off.
Making Your Own Composting
Pile - Starting a compost pile is as
simple as following a recipe and the kitchen is from where
most of the compost ingredients will come from. Below are a
few composting basics, including what to use and what to
avoid.
How to Get Started and What
is Needed
1.
Compost Bin - Make a container or buy a container to
use for compost materials. The container or bin will 'store'
your food scraps or smaller compostable items.
2.
Pitch Fork - The best hand tool for turning your
large, outside compost pile.
3.
Location - Create your compost site at a level area,
well drained and close enough to access.
Compost Recipe Ingredients
Composting components equal
greens, browns, water, air and time. Organic materials
are suitable and the pile should be made up of the proper
ratio of carbon-rich materials (browns) such as dry leaves,
straw, wood chips and paper sacks, nitrogen rich materials
(greens) such as grass clippings, kitchen scraps; egg
shells, orange rinds, vegetable parings, fruit parings and
coffee grounds. The ideal ratio is 25 parts browns to
1 part greens.
Things to Avoid - Do not use any
meat, fat, grease, oils, dairy, bones, animal droppings,
lime or ashes. Do not use any part of a black Walnut
tree as it contains a plant poison that survives composting.
Eucalyptus leaves may also be toxic.
Composting: The Easy
Two-Week Method
·
Keep ingredients small, no more than
two inches in size.
·
Don't layer materials. Mix
ingredients either before or after shredding and chopping.
·
Pile in heaps of no more than 5 feet.
·
Turn the pile from the inside out, on
a daily basis for usable compost in two weeks. Turn
every other day for compost in three weeks.
·
When the pile is smaller and the
color is dark brown, your compost is ready to use.
Other Composting Tips
·
Keep the pile moist but not soggy. If
it is too wet, it will smell. If it is too dry,
decomposition will be very slow.
·
An ammonia odor may indicate an
imbalance mix of ingredients. Add sawdust to control odors.
·
Grass clipping break down quickly and
contain as much nitrogen as manure.
·
Avoid meat and fish scraps, these may
attract rodents and cause problems.
·
When the pile is smaller and the
color is dark brown, your compost is ready to use.