Saturday, September 26, 2009

Making Black Gold


No I am not talking about petrol. If you live in Iowa then black gold refers to this dirt that you make by composting. Fall is the best time to compost. We gather the dead brown leaves and grass clippings from the backyard and we put them in the compost bin shown in the picture so that they rotten and become black gold. Black gold is the dark soil that results from this chemical reaction. It is very rich in nutrients for the plants and the lawn.
Be careful not to add weeds because they don't die, nor rotten. Add brown leaves, grass clippings, pieces of dead wood, straw, fruit and vegetable peelings from the kitchen, and even paper and card board. Don't add animal feces, meat, bones or grease. These cause bad smell and can attract flies and other bugs.
The chemical reaction that results from the wet compost causes the mix to heat up to 130 F and it starts to rotten making the black gold. To accelerate the process it is best to turn the mixture every two to three days and make sure it stays wet. When done properly the soil will be ready in one month typically.
It is a very simple process that not only provides precious nutrients for the garden plants and lawn, but also reduces waste going to the landfill and saves the environment.
I believe in recycling and keeping the environment clean, don't you?