Making Compost by Tawanda Moyo pt 3

Tawanda Moyo

Planning of the compost pile:

1. Collecting of material can be done over a number of weeks or months.

2. Keep different materials separate. The season for compost is at the end of summer (March) because there will be an abundance of green material which is difficult to find in large quantities at other times of the year.

3. If adequate quantities of material have been collected, then you are ready to start making your compost.

4. Use a drum to drench material to avoid water wastage.

5. Have your six pegs/poles arranged in the shape of 2 squares adjacent to each other.

Why? So as to turn your compost from one square to the other and back again.

Construction of compost

1. Put dry material where our pile would be built.

2. Do not attempt to make layers of different materials but make a good blend as we build.

3. Make the sides of the pile straight and vertical.

4. Maintain corners so that we can not end up with a pyramid but a cube.

5. Continue building up to the required standards.

6. Put a layer of thatching grass on top of the pile. This is recommended in high rainfall periods so as to avoid excess water from the pile and to prevent premature cooling.

Compost Demo



Indicators of good compost?
1. Smell - Good smell
2. Colour – deep rich brown humus
3. Texture – Crumbs, air passages