家庭堆肥基础知识
New to composting or looking to improve your practices? 继续阅读或下载我们的 User's 指南 to Backyard 堆肥 (PDF)入门. 你也可以参加我们的 家庭堆肥工坊, 看 recording of our compost workshop or og真人app 关于堆肥的问题.
什么是堆肥?
在自然生态系统中, dead plants and animals decompose into the soil, where the nutrients are recycled into new life. 堆肥 is when humans manage natural biological decomposition. 完成的堆肥是稳定的, 腐殖质类有机物，含有多种微生物. 微生物和有机物产生健康土壤的结构和肥力, holding on to water and making nutrients available to plants. 许多 environmental benefits of composting organic waste include reducing greenhouse gas emissions, 本地回收养分, 并为我们的社区创造健康的土壤和食物资源.
堆肥原料
“Greens” and “棕色（的）s” are the two types of ingredients in compost. For every container of food scraps, add three containers of 棕色（的）s. 一份绿色与三份棕色的比例给微生物分解者提供了碳和氮的平衡饮食，以分解没有气味的食物残渣. Using plenty of 棕色（的）s makes it more pleasant for you, 加速堆肥过程, 也阻止了野生动物.
绿色蔬菜富含氮元素;
- 水果 & 蔬菜残渣
- 面包、谷物、 & 意大利面
- 蛋壳 & 少量鸡蛋
- 咖啡渣 & 过滤器
- 茶包 & 散茶
- 新鲜割下的草
- 新鲜的花园剪枝
Chop scraps into small pieces to speed up decomposition. 看看我们的其他 收集食物残渣的小贴士.
棕褐色植物富含碳;
- 干树叶
- 稻草 & 干草
- 木屑 & 剃须
- 小棒 & 树枝
- 干草 & 花园剪
- 撕碎的报纸
- 纸巾 & 餐巾
- 硬纸板，纸质蛋盒
Collect 棕色（的）s in the fall when they are abundant. 考虑用袋装割草机或修剪机切碎树叶，以防止它们在堆肥堆中压实. Keep 棕色（的）s dry in an extra compost bin, 放在有盖的垃圾桶里, 或者在防水布下面, and store them next to the compost pile for easy access.
堆肥的容器
Containers keep the pile tidy and help keep out pets and wildlife. 用四分之一英寸的硬布(铁丝网)内衬你的垃圾箱，以防止啮齿动物. 记住，无论您是否使用容器，分解都是一个自然的过程. There are many options for containers. 这里只是一些例子. 查看我们的 User's 指南 to Backyard 堆肥 更多想法. Pick one that will best suit your needs.
- 托盘箱: 获得四个木材装载托盘(地区中转站通常有免费托盘). Wire three pallets together at the corners, leaving one side open. 用四分之一英寸或半英寸的硬布(金属丝网)在垃圾桶的底部和侧面排好线。. 在第四个托盘上铺上硬布，用电线或铰链固定作为门. Optional: add pallets to create a 2- or 3-bin system. 获取详细说明.
- 制: 玻璃杯作为一个完全封闭的堆肥系统的第一步，在垃圾箱或堆中完成. Start with a scoop of finished compost or soil to inoculate with microbes. Add food scraps and 棕色（的）s, turning occasionally to mix. 当它满的时候, 倒进垃圾箱或一堆, 用棕色覆盖, and let sit for several months before using.
- 店里买的本: The 地区废物转运站 sells 堆肥箱. Simply assemble the bin, and starting with 棕色（的）s, begin layering 材料s. 考虑在垃圾桶底部放一块四分之一或半英寸的硬布(金属网). The mesh should extend past the walls of the bin by a few inches.
位置
Locate your compost pile in a well-drained area that is easily accessible. 考虑一下你是否需要在冬天使用堆肥，或者你是否会把食物残渣带到农场 下降的位置 在下雪的月份.
打桩
- If you’re using a bin that is open on the bottom, 考虑在垃圾桶底部放一块四分之一或半英寸的硬布(金属网). The mesh should extend past the walls of the bin by a few inches. 用石头或泥土固定.
- 接下来，加一层棕色的面粉来吸收水分，让空气进入面粉堆的底部. 粗糙的材料，如木屑或交叉的干植物茎或棒，很适合这一层.
- 现在你可以加入绿色食物残渣和其他新鲜潮湿的材料了. Mix or layer in plenty of 棕色（的）s.
- 每次你加绿色蔬菜, 最后再涂上一层棕色来过滤气味，阻止苍蝇和野生动物. Make sure no food scraps are visible from the outside of the pile.
管理堆
Just like you, the microbes in your compost need food, water, and air. The pile should be as moist as a wrung-out sponge. Any wetter and odor-causing microbes will take over—which stinks! 加入大量不同大小的棕色可以创造空间，就像旋转或混合堆一样. You can occasionally turn the pile by moving it into an empty bin, 在玻璃杯里旋转, or stirring it with a pitchfork or aerator tool. While optional, turning speeds up decomposition.
商业堆肥堆达到高温，迅速分解材料，破坏病原体和种子. 大多数家庭堆肥堆都太小，不能产生太多的热量，需要几个月才能完成. Seeds and pathogens aren’t guaranteed to die in a “cold” compost, 所以要保留肉, 杂草, and diseased plants out of the mix. 用于热堆肥, 你至少需要一立方码的材料和正确的碳氮比.
冬季堆肥
想象一下，踏着雪地走到你的床上，呼吸新鲜空气，做做冬天的运动! 或者，你可以从家里的堆肥中休息一下，把你的废料带到一个卸货点. 残羹剩饭 will pile up when they freeze. Start winter with an extra or empty bin to accomodate the volume. The pile will shrink significantly come spring. 继续添加棕色!
收获 & 使用堆肥
It takes several months to a year for a cold compost pile to finish. 如果你不想等整个堆肥堆完成，就从堆的底部取出堆肥. 当堆肥准备好了，它闻起来像泥土，看起来像深色的覆盖物或土壤，或者碎巧克力蛋糕! You may still see broken egg shells, small sticks, or other chunks. 可选:筛选! If you prefer a less chunky product, screen it. 使用网状托儿所托盘或通过将1 / 2英寸的硬件布钉在木材框架上制作屏幕. 将堆肥筛过筛网，并将大块的完整材料放回堆肥堆中.
使用堆肥
- 草坪上: Compost will reduce watering needs and help prevent erosion. Apply a layer up to a quarter inch deep. 水彻底.
- 花园床: Add compost every year before planting. 施2-4英寸(缺陷土壤更多)作为追肥或转向土壤. Apply a top dressing again in the fall.
- 种植: Mix 1 part compost with 2份土壤 to use as potting mix.
- 建立了树 & 灌木: 在春季或初夏，在离植株基部几英寸的地方铺一层1到2英寸的堆肥.
- 盆栽植物: 在种植时向土壤中添加堆肥(堆肥与土壤的比例不超过1比2). 或者在上面铺上一层四分之一英寸的堆肥，然后刨入盆栽土壤.
- 起动器混合: Create your own seed starter mix using: 1 part mature sifted compost, 2份土壤, 1分砂, 珍珠岩, 或蛭石.
- 当覆盖: Put compost around plants before adding mulch.
故障排除
Many common composting challenges have simple solutions.
如果你的堆肥发臭...
Make sure you’re not adding any meat, 骨头, 鱼, 贝类, 脂肪, 油脂, or large amounts of dairy to the pile. Turn or mix the pile to aerate it. Break up any compacted or especially wet areas. Mix in 棕色（的）s such as dry leaves, straw, or wood 剃须. 最后用几英寸厚的褐色覆盖物来过滤气味. 即使你不能转动这堆东西，用棕色覆盖也能有效地过滤气味. 接下来，确保每次添加的棕色食物是绿色食物的三倍. A well-managed compost pile should smell earthy, not stinky!
If your compost is attracting animals or pets...
Make sure you’re following all the steps listed above to reduce odors. 把小动物挡在外面, 在你的堆肥系统里铺上硬布，或者把材料放在平底锅里. Regularly turn your pile so it composts more quickly. 为了阻止熊, 在3月到12月之间拆掉喂鸟器，保管好你的垃圾(确保邻居也这样做), ). 3月至7月间不添加甜味水果(如哈密瓜皮). Bury these items or take them to a 下降的位置. Leave an ammonia-soaked rag in a bucket next to your pile. 每2-3周更换一次.
If a bear enters your yard, make noise! 大叫或敲打锅碗瓢盆，让它有不愉快的经历，使它不太可能再回来. 你可以在家里停止堆肥，直到熊离开这个地方(把废料带到卸货地点)，或者在你的垃圾箱周围装上一个电动栅栏(用花生酱把栅栏涂上)。. 联系 VT鱼 & 野生动物 在熊出现之前提供建议，并在遇到熊事件时报告. 他们通过居民的报告跟踪熊的活动，如果存在人熊互动的模式，他们可以进行干预，以防止未来对熊的财产损失或伤害. 在这里报告熊事件: http://anrweb.vt.gov/FWD/FW/WildlifeBearReport.aspx.
狗有时会被腐烂的食物所吸引，这些食物摄入后可能对它们有毒. Therefore, dog owners should keep an eye on their pet when it's outside. 了解邻居如何处理食物垃圾可能是有用的，因为狗有时会被邻居的堆肥堆吸引. For dog owners composting on-site, we recommend using an 封闭式堆肥仓 比如 我们出售的, a tumbler or pallet bins lined with hardware cloth. Remember to always cover fresh food scraps with 2-3 large scoops of 棕色（的） 材料.
If your compost is attracting flies...
Flies are not bad for compost, they are just unpleasant for you. Cover exposed food scraps with 棕色（的）s such as dry leaves or wood 剃须, or bury fresh scraps deeper in the pile. 在厨房里, cover scraps with sawdust or wood 剃须, or keep the container in the fridge or freezer to prevent fruit flies.