Cold Composting

Source:Homestead on the Range

https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/afternoons/audio/2018730469/how-to-compost-well

Green Shredder

https://gardenshredderreview.co.uk/rapid-composting-the-perfect-partner-to-your-garden-shredder/

Background

Cold or passive composting, decomposes food scraps much more gradually than the hot composting does and can take up to one or two years.

Essentially it is the mixing of alternating layers of greens (nitrogen rich materials like grass, food scraps, manure, etc.) and brown(carbon rich materials like straw, leaves, cardboard, etc.)

Turning the pile will speed up the process of composting, and yet it is not necessary. In fact, little to almost no effort goes into the compositing process once the compost pile has been set up.

Cold composting on land is a great way to easily make new garden beds! When done in a container, the compost can be used in the gardens and house plants to enhance the nutrition content of the soil.

Source: Radio New Zealand

https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/afternoons/audio/2018730469/how-to-compost-well

Materials

What to use

Organic materials

Leaves, grass clippings, soil, manure(not dog, cat, or human waste)

Kitchen scraps

Raw vegetable, fruit waste

Coffee grounds and tea bags

Shredded black and white paper / newspaper

Dry goods

Flour, spices, crackers, etc.

Eggshells

Nutshells

Hair

Pasta (cooked or not cooked)

Seaweed

What NOT to use

Meats, dairy products, oily foods, and grains

Weeds with seeds or runners

Insect-infected or diseased plants

preparation

Size : can be of any size you’d like it to be

Location: area that will be rained on and preferably out of direct sunlight

(can be done directly on land or

in an outdoor bin -- bottom should be the bare ground)

Maintenance: let the nature do things

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

http://www.fao.org/3/ab470e/AB470E00.htm

Overlap 3 to 4 sheets of paper or cardboard (brown materials) over the composting area, tightly so that no light reaches the grass.
Lay the first layer with green materials such as manure, coffee grounds, food scraps(vegetable), grass clippings, or a combination of two or more green materials.
Add a layer of brown materials such as leaves, straw, shredded paper, dryer lint, etc. (sawdust may have a higher percentage of carbon, so use lesser amounts of it)
Add another green layer on top of the brown.
Cover with a brown layer.
Continue building the bed until it reaches the height you want. You can build it all at once or over time. Always end with a brown layer and do not forget to sprinkle water as you go.