Q&A for How to Make a Compost Pit

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  • Question
    What do you mean by the 4 in (10cm)?
    Lauren Kurtz
    Professional Gardener
    Lauren Kurtz is a Naturalist and Horticultural Specialist. Lauren has worked for Aurora, Colorado managing the Water-Wise Garden at Aurora Municipal Center for the Water Conservation Department. She earned a BA in Environmental and Sustainability Studies from Western Michigan University in 2014.
    Professional Gardener
    Expert Answer
    Your layer of compost won’t exceed a depth of 4 in (10 cm) in the pit. If your pit is 12 inches (30.5 cm) deep, your compost layer will be 4 in (10 cm) and the fill dirt will be 8 in (20 cm).
  • Question
    What is a compost pit?
    Kate Zhang
    Community Answer
    It's basically a compost, but simpler. It is used when you only need compost in a certain area. The compost is done underground rather than in a compost bin. Therefore, it is easier for the good compost dirt to be transferred. You can just place the plants in the compost pit and you will have good dirt for months.
  • Question
    How is it useful to the environment?
    Community Answer
    Compost is useful to the environment because it reuses the nutrients in organic waste (like food and yard clippings) rather than throwing them away in a landfill, where your yard won't benefit from them at all.
  • Question
    In how many days/weeks will the organic matter be decomposed into manure?
    Community Answer
    Manure does not come from composting. Manure typically refers to the feces of certain kinds of animals, which are most commonly used in compost. So your compost will never turn into manure, although you might add manure to it. Underground composting happens more slowly than above-ground composting. If you're using the compost for food-products, i.e. using it in a vegetable garden, you should wait at least a year for the compost to cure and for pathogens and bacteria to be killed. If you're using the compost for a flower bed, you really only need to wait until it has broken down small enough to get through a 1/4 inch sieve. This indicates a good level of decomposition.
  • Question
    What are the nutrients that I can get from a compost pit?
    Community Answer
    The kinds of nutrients your composted materials will provide depends on the composting materials used. Generally, compost enriches soil with nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, carbon, and more.
  • Question
    Do compost piles have strong odors?
    Community Answer
    They shouldn't. The smell should be earthy if it is decomposing well.
  • Question
    How much time will it take?
    Community Answer
    It depends on many factors, but it can take about a year to develop compost.
  • Question
    What can we add to our compost pit?
    Community Answer
    All biodegradable stuff like leaves, fruit peels, egg shells, etc.
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