Breaking
FoodNerdy Recipes Management System
Tag

questions

Browsing
Technology

Creating Compost – the Most Important Questions

Old plant residues transform themselves into fresh fertilizer and soil conditioner – this is what happens in the marvelous compost heap. We would like to explain why everyone with a garden should have a compost.

How do I create a compost?

In six steps to the perfect compost

1. Choose a place that is as sheltered as possible
Because a compost heap should neither be dried out by strong sunlight nor overly soaked by heavy rain, a place under a tree is a good idea, which can be a little apart, as a compost heap is usually not one of the visual highlights in the garden.

2. Decide on a shape
It doesn’t matter whether you use an open pile, for which you need a lot of “raw materials”, or whether you use a form or a frame made of wood or metal, since good results can be expected in all variants. Thermocomposters have the advantage that the heat is retained well inside, which speeds up the rotting process.

3. Do not create a base plate
However, it is important that the compost lies directly on the ground and not on stone slabs, for example, since useful rotting helpers such as earthworms can migrate on their own. In addition, excess moisture can drain off better.

4. Layer loosely
The material should be loosely stacked so that there is sufficient oxygen. So don’t compress your compost. Also, do not put too thick layers of one material on the heap, as this can result in disadvantages depending on the material. A layer of autumn leaves that is too thick can be too dry and lacking in nutrients, while a layer of grass clippings that is too thick tends to rot. So mix up the materials.

5. Switch every 3 months
To ensure good rotting, you can move your compost after about 3 months: shovel your pile to a spot next to it. This mixes and aerates all the layers again, so that the pile can mature well. In the case of prefabricated compost bins, 2 or 3 components are therefore often offered together for implementation.

6. Cover or water as needed
The compost should be moist but not wet at all times. You can therefore cover it with mulch fleece, for example, so that both dehydration and excessive moisture after rainfall are avoided. In very dry phases, it makes sense to water your compost.

What goes in the compost?

Too good for the bin

If plant residues or certain kitchen waste are disposed of with the residual waste, valuable substances from the natural cycle are lost. To prevent this from happening, you can either dispose of them in the organic bin – the contents of which are composted professionally and on a large scale – or even better on your own compost. But what exactly can go on the compost?

Valuable raw materials for a compost are:

Plant residues from the garden, including flowers and ornamental plants
lawn clippings
leaves
leftover fruit and vegetables
coffee grounds
Crushed egg shells
Teabag
In small quantities cardboard, kitchen paper and newspaper

Not to be composted or only to a limited extent are:

Plants with soil-borne diseases such as clubroot or sclerotinia or with late blight should be discarded with household waste because the diseases survive composting and are then spread throughout the garden, while composting of plants affected by powdery mildew is unproblematic.
Weeds should not have flowered yet because the seeds can survive composting. Some garden operations therefore have their own weed compost heaps, which remain in place much longer so that the seeds are also decomposed. Root weeds such as goutweed or couch grass should be allowed to dry out well before being put on the compost.
Wood in a compact form, i.e. a thick branch, is problematic on the compost heap because it rots very slowly and blocks the energy of many microorganisms. However, if a compost pile is too damp, a layer of shrub cuttings or chopped branches can provide better aeration.
Citrus fruit peels also rot very slowly and are therefore unsuitable for compost.
Cooked or animal leftovers, baked goods, fat and oil are also not intended for the compost heap as they attract rats.
Ash is not suitable either, as it is often contaminated with heavy metals.

Why compost?

Bacteria, protozoa, fungi and other microorganisms, but also worms, isopods and springtails are responsible for a fascinating process that turns kitchen waste, plant remains, grass clippings, leaves and other things into a particularly valuable and nutrient-rich substrate – the compost. Compost enhances any soil: it enriches sandy soil with structure and nutrients, loamy and clayey soil becomes looser and easier to work with by continuously adding compost. In addition, the humus content in the soil is increased, soil life is stimulated and, depending on the degree of maturity of the compost, the soil is also fertilized. So no garden should have to do without compost.

What happens in the compost heap?

Rotting in the compost begins when the microorganisms first break down proteins and sugars. Organisms such as bacteria and fungi multiply rapidly, and the temperature in the compost also rises. After about 2 weeks, the temperature in the compost heap can rise to 60 degrees, so that heat-loving fungi take over further implementation. However, this so-called hot rotting is not achieved in most compost heaps in the hobby sector because the heaps are too small for this and material is usually thrown onto the compost heap one after the other. After about 3 months, the temperature drops back to about 40 degrees and the so-called main rotting begins. The compost heap can now be moved. Substances that are difficult to decompose are then mineralized during post-rotting.

You can get these types of compost

Compost is not just compost

Depending on when you remove the compost, you will get different degrees of maturity of the compost, which accordingly have different properties.

Fresh compost

But fresh compost, which you can remove after about 3 months and in which some of the raw materials can still be identified, can also play an important role in the vegetable garden. Since this contains significantly more nutrients than the mature version, you can use this as a mulch for your heavy feeders or berry bushes, as you have an excellent fertilizer with it.

Mature compost

At the end of the rotting process you get classic mature compost. Depending on the starting materials, this can be the case after 6-12 months. It is dark, finely crumbly and smells pleasantly of forest soil. You can now apply about 3 liters of this to one square meter of vegetable patch. To do this, rake it in evenly and superficially. Since immature compost can be harmful to seedlings, you can simply sow some watercress on a 1:1 mix of garden soil and your compost. If it germinates and grows without any problems, the compost is ripe.

Compost soil

If you wait longer, the mature compost will become compost soil. The organic content of the compost breaks down again over time, so that there is hardly any fertilizing effect. However, compost is still excellent as a soil improver.

Keep Reading
By
Lifestyle

Vegan or Vegetarian: How to Deal with Questions About Your Lifestyle

As a vegetarian, do you even get all the nutrients? As a vegan, don’t you have to do without a lot? As a vegetarian, can you still…? If such questions sound familiar to you, you can find out here how to deal with them in a relaxed manner.

Your diet is your decision. And if you don’t want to talk about it, you can tell the person you’re talking to in a friendly manner. But: You can use such questions as an opportunity to arouse interest in plant-based nutrition and break down prejudices. A few general tips:

Don’t take questions as criticism. Maybe your counterpart is just curious.
Eating is an emotional issue. You will feel this when the relevant questions trigger something in you. Nevertheless, always remain factual, avoid accusations and do not appear “proselytizing” – this is how your arguments reach your counterpart best.
The principles of so-called non-violent communication help to formulate concerns clearly and precisely and promote a successful exchange.
For the other person, too, your own diet is probably an emotional matter. Therefore, good arguments do not necessarily lead to a change of mind. And even if a person has a positive opinion about sustainable eating, they still may not act on it: this phenomenon, where good intentions and actual action diverge, is known as the attitude behavior gap.

However, if you make good arguments, treat others with respect, and are patient, you may see an increase in interest in your lifestyle over the coming weeks, months, or years. The following sections provide ideas for answers to common questions.

Why do you have to eat veggie schnitzel?!

Not all vegetarians eat veggie schnitzel and not all meat eaters despise tofu sausage. And of course nobody has to eat tofu mince and vegan sausages. You can eat very well vegetarian or vegan without meat-like alternatives. However, if you enjoy the hearty taste or the meaty texture, you don’t have to do without it.

Incidentally, language has a major impact on whether things are perceived as desirable. If you’re trying to convince someone to try a vegetarian product, describe it in a way that gets them interested. If you think it’s “super delicious”, don’t hide it behind a shy “tastes pretty good too”.

It’s still harder for vegans to live healthy, right?

Of course, vegans (and to a certain extent vegetarians too) have to take a close look at nutrients and supplement certain substances such as vitamin B12. Meat eaters tend to be less concerned about their diet, but that too comes with risks:

According to the consumer center, men consume on average almost twice as much meat as recommended. Women are at the highest recommended limit with an average of 600 grams. High meat consumption can have health consequences: For example, scientists at the World Health Organization (WHO) classify processed meat products such as salami, ham or sausages as “carcinogenic”. Unprocessed red meat is considered “probably carcinogenic”. The risk depends heavily on how much of it you eat.

Note: Sensitive groups such as children, pregnant women and the elderly must pay particular attention to their diet. If you are unsure whether a diet is right for you, seek medical advice.

Keep Reading
By
Cooking Tips

Is Coffee Healthy? 5 Questions About the Influence of Coffee on Health

How healthy is coffee really? Many coffee drinkers around the world ask themselves this question again and again. Do I have to do without my beloved hot drink or is there not a grain of truth in the many rumors? You can read about the influence coffee has on our health here.

Coffee and Health: The Everlasting Game

This much can be said in advance: You don’t have to limit your coffee consumption. In such a high amount, you can not drink coffee at all, until it would harm your health. On the contrary, scientists have now discovered that coffee can actually have a positive effect on our health. Very good news! Below we answer the most important questions about coffee and health.

Question 1: Does coffee dehydrate the body?

The rumor that coffee dehydrates the body persists. To paraphrase Kafka, “Coffee does not dehydrate the body. Otherwise I would already be dust.”

If you regularly consume coffee, you can even include it in your daily fluid intake. It is true that coffee has a short-term diuretic effect, but this effect decreases in people who regularly consume caffeine.

Question 2: Is caffeine harmful to your health

How quickly caffeine gets into the blood varies from person to person, because factors such as age, weight and state of health play a decisive role. The positive effects of coffee are now well known: in small doses, it has a positive effect on our cardiovascular system.

In addition, it increases our physical performance and the ability of our brain to concentrate. Because of this property, coffee is a popular drink in the morning; you simply start the day fitter and in a better mood. It is not for nothing that many morning grouches cannot be approached before the first cup of coffee. Caffeine is also used as an active ingredient in medicines and is therefore anything but harmful. coffee is healthy Studies have shown that a lifetime of coffee consumption can slow down the rate of age-related decline in our mental capacity. If you drink a lot of coffee, you stay fit in your head for longer.

Question 3: How much coffee is healthy?

Many believe that coffee is unhealthy because of the caffeine it contains. We have just disproved this myth. However, you should keep in mind that caffeine has a stimulating effect and you should think twice before drinking an espresso in the evening if you don’t want to lie awake half the night. After all, we need our healthy sleep to regenerate and to process the experiences of the day.

It is important to know that the caffeine content can vary in different coffee creations. Contrary to what you might expect, a cup of filter coffee has more caffeine than an espresso, although it tastes much stronger. The roasting process and the coffee bean itself are decisive for the caffeine content. Robusta beans, for example, contain three times more caffeine than Arabica beans. As a rule of thumb, you can remember: Four cups of coffee a day are healthy and absolutely harmless. When buying the beans, pay attention to the quality, then you are definitely on the safe side.

Question 4: Can you lose weight with coffee?

Because caffeine boosts metabolism, it’s also been said that drinking coffee alone can help you lose weight. It would be nice if it were that easy, but a bit of exercise and a healthy diet are also part of it.

Although the caffeine in coffee causes our body temperature to rise and we use more energy and burn fat, this alone is not enough for rapid weight loss. Coffee definitely doesn’t hurt any diet plan, but it shouldn’t be the only ingredient.

Question 5: Is coffee healthy?

Coffee is definitely not unhealthy. It can even minimize the risk of many diseases. It is said to significantly reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. So if you weren’t convinced yet that you should treat yourself to another cup of coffee today, you can now head to the fully automatic coffee machine and do something for your health.

Keep Reading
By