Comments on: Compost Your Pumpkin This Year http://earth911.com/blog/2007/10/26/compost-your-pumpkin-this-year/ Make Everyday Earth Day Mon, 01 Dec 2008 20:39:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: eucarya http://earth911.com/blog/2007/10/26/compost-your-pumpkin-this-year/#comment-20273 eucarya Wed, 12 Nov 2008 23:10:15 +0000 http://earth911.com/blog/2007/10/26/compost-your-pumpkin-this-year/#comment-20273 Sarah, congratulations on starting your own compost pile! Just piling up smashed pumpkins isn't enough to start the pile. There are some easy steps you'll need to follow in order to <a href="http://earth911.com/garden/give-compost-a-chance-start-your-own-pile/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">start your own pile</a>. The main thing to remember is you need an equal amount of "greens" and "browns". Think of your "greens" as moist and recently discarded vegetables (like your pumpkins) or fresh grass and yard clippings. The "browns" are things such as dried leaves, hay, straw, and even shredded newspaper. Once you have equal amounts, mix it all together with a fork or a shovel. After it's thoroughly mixed, wet it down a bit with a hose, not so it's soggy, but just enough to keep it all moist. This should start your pile off nicely. When you add to the pile, follow these four steps: 1. Take an equal amount of "browns" and "greens" and mix them outside the pile. 2. Aerate the existing compost pile with a fork or shovel (or even better, a compost aerator) 3. Add your new mixture 4. Keep it moist. You should also take a look at <a href="http://earth911.com/garden/composting/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Earth911.com's composting</a> section to learn more. Sarah, congratulations on starting your own compost pile!
Just piling up smashed pumpkins isn’t enough to start the pile. There are some easy steps you’ll need to follow in order to start your own pile.

The main thing to remember is you need an equal amount of “greens” and “browns”. Think of your “greens” as moist and recently discarded vegetables (like your pumpkins) or fresh grass and yard clippings. The “browns” are things such as dried leaves, hay, straw, and even shredded newspaper.
Once you have equal amounts, mix it all together with a fork or a shovel.
After it’s thoroughly mixed, wet it down a bit with a hose, not so it’s soggy, but just enough to keep it all moist.
This should start your pile off nicely.
When you add to the pile, follow these four steps:
1. Take an equal amount of “browns” and “greens” and mix them outside the pile.
2. Aerate the existing compost pile with a fork or shovel (or even better, a compost aerator)
3. Add your new mixture
4. Keep it moist.

You should also take a look at Earth911.com’s composting section to learn more.

]]> By: Sarah http://earth911.com/blog/2007/10/26/compost-your-pumpkin-this-year/#comment-20250 Sarah Wed, 12 Nov 2008 17:24:07 +0000 http://earth911.com/blog/2007/10/26/compost-your-pumpkin-this-year/#comment-20250 My class is starting a community garden, and we've decided to educate the school by getting the unsold pumpkins from Wal*Mart and having the students smash up our pumpkins (we're deseeding about 400 for the event) Would the pumpkins themselves be too rich for the ground??? Would we need to mix in the pumpkins with something else, immediatly??? My class is starting a community garden, and we’ve decided to educate the school by getting the unsold pumpkins from Wal*Mart and having the students smash up our pumpkins (we’re deseeding about 400 for the event)

Would the pumpkins themselves be too rich for the ground???
Would we need to mix in the pumpkins with something else, immediatly???

]]> By: keltay3 http://earth911.com/blog/2007/10/26/compost-your-pumpkin-this-year/#comment-3058 keltay3 Sat, 03 Nov 2007 16:34:53 +0000 http://earth911.com/blog/2007/10/26/compost-your-pumpkin-this-year/#comment-3058 This tells me why, but not 'how'. If I already have a compost pile, this serves as a reminder to add pumpkins to it. If I don't, this is not enough information to tell me how to start. Is there no 'composting for beginners'? This tells me why, but not ‘how’. If I already have a compost pile, this serves as a reminder to add pumpkins to it. If I don’t, this is not enough information to tell me how to start. Is there no ‘composting for beginners’?

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