How to Compost Your Vegetable Pulp
- 1). Locate your compost pile in an area of bare ground that has good drainage. A spot in shade or partial shade is best. Place it close enough to the house so that it is convenient for use, but not close enough to bother you or your neighbors with the compost pile's look or smell.
- 2). Deposit 6 to 8 inches of organic material such as vegetable pulp, grass clippings, small twigs or fruit and vegetable peelings or cores for the first layer of the pile.
- 3). Add 2 inches of garden-safe animal waste -- such as horse or cow manure -- or 1 cup of a 10-10-10 or 12-12-12 commercial fertilizer as the second layer. Do not mix this in with the first layer; rather, just place it on top of the organic matter.
- 4). Place the third layer over the fertilizer; this should consist of 2 inches of clean garden or topsoil. Do not use anything recently treated with herbicides or pesticides. Repeat the layers, creating a compost pile that is no smaller than 3 feet by 3 feet wide, but no bigger than 5 feet by 5 feet for optimum moisture retention and aeration.
- 5). Water the pile thoroughly, making sure it is saturated. Keep the pile moist; do not let it dry out as it begins to break down. It should feel moist to the touch at all times.
- 6). Wait two weeks to allow the pile to begin to settle. During this waiting period, save the vegetable pulp for the compost pile by either freezing it to rethaw or by placing it in an airtight container until it can be added to the pile.
- 7). Use a rake or hoe to "turn" the compost pile when the two weeks has passed, mixing and inverting the layers to allow air into the pile. Add the saved vegetable pulp and any other organic material you wish to add; water the pile thoroughly again.
- 8). Turn the pile weekly when new vegetable pulp and organic materials are added to the pile; this allows for faster breakdown of the materials.
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