As of: April 5, 2024, 4:26 p.m
By: Yannik Lurz
Comments
Press
Split
Compost is a valuable natural fertilizer that is made from organic waste. Learn how to implement it correctly and enrich your garden.
Anyone who composts plant residues and kitchen scraps produces nutrient-rich fertilizer for their own garden. To ensure that the compost turns into valuable humus particularly quickly, it is important to turn it over regularly. Mixing the ingredients prevents the waste from rotting - and encourages the microorganisms in the compost to perform at their best.
Turning compost: why is it important?
A compost pile: turn it over regularly. This will ensure good rotting. © CHROMORANGE/Imago
It is the millions upon millions of microorganisms and the countless earthworms that turn garden waste into valuable compost. To do this they need warmth, moisture and air. Turning is so important because it oxygenates the compost, remixes the ingredients and significantly reduces the volume. Correctly created compost then produces the necessary heat itself - as a metabolic byproduct of the many helpers who process the organic substances in the compost. Be careful: A place in full sun will damage the compost; it is better to keep it in the shade.
You can find even more exciting garden topics in the regular newsletter from our partner 24garten.de.
When to turn your compost
The ideal time to implement compost (promotional link) for the first time is in early spring, as soon as the compost has thawed. In this way, you can create a certain basic order and supply the garden with valuable permanent humus before the start of the season. There are no general rules as to how often you should turn compost. However, once a year is mandatory - diligent gardeners even add the compost every two months. And for good reason: the more often you do this, the faster it turns into humus.
Turning compost: a guide
Choose a dry day
: Wait for a dry day so that the material does not clump or stick to the shovel.
Use a compost sieve
: You can build a compost sieve yourself from a wooden frame covered with rabbit wire. Place the sieve within shovel distance next to the compost.
Implement in layers
: Work your way through the compost in layers from top to bottom and throw the material onto the sieve. Compost that has already been finished falls through, greens that have not yet been sufficiently broken down remain stuck and are further composted.
Throw material through the sieve
: The undecomposed components in the compost can only be moved with a shovel, a digging fork or a pitchfork.
Remove finished compost
: The sieve is used to remove finished compost, while material that has not yet been sufficiently broken down goes back to the compost.
My news
Putin spokesman threatens NATO: “At the level of direct confrontation” read
Many pensioners are entitled to more pension points - but these are only available upon application
Trail of devastation from tornadoes? “We packed up our children and went to the basement” read
ARD documentary ruthlessly covers Germany's Leopard 2 problem for the Bundeswehr
F-16 fighter jets shot down: Putin openly threatens to attack NATO airfield
Putin weakened by the Ukraine war: Is China reaching for Russia's East?read
By turning it over regularly, your compost turns into valuable humus that enriches your garden. Use this simple method to produce compost sustainably and effectively!
The editor wrote this article and then used an AI language model for optimization at his own discretion. All information has been carefully checked. Find out more about our AI principles here.