Tips and FAQ for composting

   
Tips:

• Add half cut lemon to pile which keeps flies away.
• Add a spoon of buttermilk/curd/cow dung to make process fast.
• Avoid cooked food if you are composting at home to avoid smell,it will also make process slow.
• Pile should be moist (not soggy or dry). If its dry add more vegetables and if its too wet add dry leaves/cocopeat . Simple logic to keep your compost healthy.
•  Break material in small pieces to make process faster.
• Add both dry and wet in same quantity by volume.
• If citric fruits added more then you can add 1 to 2 spoon of baking soda in pile ,it reduces odor.
• Try to avoid ripe papaya ,watermelon pieces they release lots of water which can make pile wet. If added then add extra more dry items(dry leaves,sawdust/cocopeat).
• Wet waste (fruits veggies) takes 2 to 3 days time to release water,so if you see your pile is dry on first days don't add water they will get moist soon.
• Any time when you see your pile getting wet ,add more dry leaves/sawdust (Its mean pile has less carbon and more nitrogen,balance it right away).
• If there are many flies in compost bin,add 1 spoon of turmeric and salt mix.You can also add neem powder if available.I tried turmeric and salt mix ,it really works very fast.

      Below tips are from Sushmita Franklin ,who is doing composting for last 10 years.

• If you make the traditional hair wash by boiling reetha, Amala and shikakai then the remains after straining the water are best for compost as they keep away the bugs including the cotton bugs in plants.
• Recently I have seen fresh peas in the market. They are sweet and juicy and the shells are excellent for composting. They somehow make the entire compost dry and ready in half the time. Every year I buy several kilos and use the shells in 3-4 pots half filled and I get excellent compost. Peas I blanch,dry and freeze.

FAQ:

1).What is composting?
Ans. Composting is a natural process that occurs in your garden and in the countryside. It is nature's way of recycling all organic material. By composting at home you are encouraging this natural process and enriching your garden.

2). when you say holes, is on the sides or on the bottom of the pot? how to tackle the waste coming out of these holes?
Ans. I have one pot with hole on bottom and other on side which comes when we bought it from nursery. Holes are to provide oxygen. Sometimes you will see some liquid coming out,which is called 'Leachate' and it is very nutritious liquid for plants.I have kept one plate which we keep under any pot for plants.

3). Is this true that ' as adding food items can aid to growth of various infectious bacteria ' while doing composting at home?
Ans. No, This is a safe process and most sensible thing which someone can do at home to reduce garbage problem.At home add only uncooked food ,as it can lead to smell and make process slow.If you have correct amount of carbon, nitrogen n oxygen, no infectious bacteria at all,not even smell.
Will be adding more, work in progress.

Please see below link to check composting process at home.
How to do composting at home