Learn Why You Should Use Compost Activator
Composting can provide many benefits, but when you are first getting started, it can be somewhat confusing. It is a combination of nutrients and micro-organisms. They are typically available in powder form and poured into holes within the compost pile. What is a compost activator and how does it benefit your compost? The compost activator is also sometimes referred to as a compost inoculate.
Herbal compost activators may contain such ingredients as dandelion, chamomile, yarrow, oak bark, nettle, valerian and honey. The pile will then be efficiently composted within one month to three months, depending on the time of year. There are also other types of natural compost activators that are produced from other materials such as comfrey leaves, chicken manure and grass clippings. You can choose to add compost activators to your compost pile when you first start it in order to give it a kick start or you can add compost activators in at different times of the year as you see that they are needed. Generally, compost piles will take some time to decompose naturally on their own.
This is something that you naturally want to avoid, thus the need for the compost activator. When using these types of compost activators, they are usually just added to directly on top of the other compost scraps. One element that you will run across and need to understand is the compost activator. A compost activator can also be used to provide the heat activation that the compost pile needs when the weather is below 50 F. Herbal compost activators are completely natural and work efficiently and quickly.
The ingredient mix in herbal compost activators creates a compost pile that has a sweet scent to it. While you could certainly allow your compost pile to decompose on its own without adding in a compost activator, you run the risk of attracting odors and flies as well as other pests to your compost pile. A compost activator works by providing the nitrogen that a compost pile typically lacks naturally on its own. Nutrients, including potassium, may also be added to these compost activators. The holes are then filled back in.
It is added to the compost pile for the express purpose of speeding up the breakdown of the scraps in the pile. Other options for compost activators include fish, cottonseed, alfalfa meals and bone meal.
