How to make compost

This how-to video by the nonprofit group Kitchen Gardeners International (http://KitchenGardeners.org ) shows you step-by-step instructions for successful organic composting.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• compost
• composting
• sustainability
• food
• organic
• garden

[mklempner]

This is a good video but please FIX THE PROBLEM AT THE BEGINNING! The opening shot of the guy talking doesn't have any audio. Surely that will turn off many people who would have watched further...

[kitchengardeners]

@mklempner Hi. This audio problem wasn't in the the source file and only started to appear after the video had been viewed 200,000 times so I can't understand what happened. I've got a request in with the YouTube support people and hope they can correct it on their end.

[kayleeShoe]

The proportions are way off.

It should be 2 parts brown to 1 part green.

3 parts green to 1 part brown will give your plants wayyy too much nitrogen.

So, unless this compost is for tomatoes, which will benefit from all that nitrogen, you should go 2 parts brown to 1 part green.(2 parts carbon to 1 part nitrogen)

[kitchengardeners]

@kayleeShoe There isn't one definitive recipe for compost and different proportions can work. The ones included in the video are those proposed by Rodale (and other authorities) for a hot compost pile. It's true that there's a lot of nitrogen in 3 parts green to 1 part brown, but nitrogen is the "match" that sets a hot pile on fire.

[DarkTheShinyUmbreon]

Help I have a question will roaches and mice/rats get into this?

[tvswnet]

Haha, my recent "compost" efforts haven't gone terribly well...my compost has sprouted in several areas and I now have a sort of mystery garden, with my leftovers from salads and veggie dishes now sprouting in miscellaneous places (e.g., a potatoes sprouting in my basil patch, tomatoes sprouting where the beans are planted, etc.). I'm trying to move them to more suitable locations...hey, if they've sprouted, the least I can do is help them reach maturity. 8-)

[gibson625]

@kayleeShoe Way off on both counts.  Optimal composting ratio is 25:1 carbon:nitrogen. see geoff lawton's permaculture soils video

[slimepig]

HELP!!! fire ants invaded my compost pile! bad news is they invaded my pile, good news is they brought in some dirt. will using poison(amdro) to get rid o the ants ruin my pile?

[whotaughtyou]

COCAINE SCOIUANDTRACK

[W4V3MAKER]

Great video, but the proportions are wrong. I know it's not meant to be rocket science, but the "brown", as you call it, it the main source of nitrogen. 3 parts "brown" to 1 part "green" would surely be more beneficial in the long run. Nevertheless, however you do it, keep on keeping on.

[Praxxus55712]

I find it odd that people can see compost being made successfully but still complain that the method is wrong. I make compost with just green grass or just brown leaves or mostly chicken manure and all three are excellent compost and are fantastic composts. Stop following experts blindly and see with your eyes instead of your info sheets.

[jlavalla100]

HI nice video but my environmental science teacher said you need to put 1 part carbon to one part nitrogen?

[crispyglove]

Composting babies is bad!