Green waste is organic material that decomposes naturally. That's why many hobby gardeners fill their compost with the leftovers. However, there are some aspects that you need to consider. Otherwise, incomplete decomposition processes will take place.
How can you properly compost green waste?
Green waste compost is made from organic waste such as wood cuttings and lawn clippings. To ensure successful decomposition, layer the material loosely and provide adequate ventilation. Leftover leaves and small chopped twigs can also be added.
What is green waste compost?
This type of compost is composed exclusively of organic waste that occurs when pruning or mowing. The substrate is free of household organic waste and is characterized by a coarse structure. This arises due to the high proportion of woody plant materials. Lawn and shrub clippings complement each other well in the compost. In addition, the woody residues contain little nitrogen compared to grasses, so there is no excess. The mature substrate is free of weeds as there are hardly any seeds in the starting material.
Faulty decomposition processes
Hobby gardeners often observe incomplete decomposition of the green waste after a year. The compost stinks and is not suitable for further use in the garden. One reason for this is inadequate ventilation, so that undesirable decomposition processes take place.
This is what happens when there is no oxygen supply:
- aerobic bacteria and fungi die off
- anaerobic lactic acid bacteria and yeast fungi multiply
- these only break down sugar and protein, producing putrefactive gases
Autumn leaves and clippings
You do not have to separately collect leaves lying on the lawn before the last mowing in autumn. You can leave it lying around so that it ends up in the lawn mower's collection container with the grass. In this way it is shredded and ensures a loose structure in the lawn clippings. If you need to temporarily store the leaves, wire mesh rings (€19.00 on Amazon) prove to be helpful. They ensure airy storage. The leaves enrich the starting material with carbon and offer good conditions for successful composting.
Filling the compost correctly
Make sure that grass clippings do not become too compacted on the compost. Scatter the material over shrub cuttings to create a well-ventilated layer. An alternative is to mix grass clippings, leftover leaves and finely chopped twigs and branches.
Tip
Store the wood cuttings that occur in the fall in a separate pile next to the compost. This means you always have shredded material available to compost the clippings.