Composta

The Composta is a drum on rollers that allows you to conveniently and efficiently convert organic waste into compost:

• It has a sliding door for adding waste. The door is pet and pest proof – even to baboons and children!
• Odors are kept to a minimum due to the aerobic nature of the composting process. Aeration is carried out by turning the COMPOSTA once or twice a day; each time fresh material is added.
• Compost production is far quicker than in a conventioanl compost pile due the aerobic conditions created by frequent mixing. Heat and moisture are also retained, which helps speed up the process.
• The COMPOSTA drum is easily removed from its base and moved to wherever the compost is needed in the garden.
• It is made from robust and durable materials.

The COMPOSTA is made from recycled materials which are locally sourced and assembled to:

• Minimize its carbon footprint; both in terms of transport and fabrication.
• Minimise harmful emissions caused by energy consumption and production of plastics.
• Create employment opportunities in low income communities.

Compost is decayed organic matter. It is natures way of fertilizing and conditioning the soil. It helps the soil retain moisture; provides food for earthworms and other beneficial insects; reduces erosion; and helps to maintain the soil temperature.

Compost is the end result of a complex feeding cycle involving hundreds of different organisms, including bacteria, fungi, worms and insects. Composting organisms require four equally important things to work effectively:

1. Carbon for Energy. High carbon materials tend to be brown and dry. It is the microbial oxidation of carbon that produces the heat in the composting process.
2. Nitrogen to grow and produce more organisms to oxidize the carbon. High nitrogen materials tend to be green (or colorful, like fruits and vegetables) and wet.
3. Oxygen for oxidizing the carbon and fueling the decomposition process. This is why it is important to turn your Composta regularly.
4. Water in the right amounts to maintain activity without causing anaerobic conditions. The ideal moisture content is about 60%: moist to the touch but not dripping wet; just like a wrung-out sponge.

Most organic wastes can be composted. Vegetables, fruit, grass, leaves, wood, newspaper, ash, tea bags, egg shells and coffee can all go into your Composta. Finer organic material composts more quickly, so it is better to shred garden waste if possible. It also gives your compost a finer texture. We recommend using a domestic shredder for this purpose. Alternatively a sieve can be used to remove the coarser material from the completed compost.

Odors are caused mainly by poor aeration or too many ‘greens’. Try the following:

• Add more ‘browns’ (dry leaves or grass, wood chips, bark etc)
• Turn your Composta more regularly for a few days.
• Check that the drainage holes are clear so that excess moisture can drain out.

If you maintain the right balance of greens and browns, your compost should have all the moisture it needs.

A dry mix probably has too many browns. Adding water won’t do any harm but is better to add greens as these contain the moisture and the nutrients needed for the composting process.

The heat in a Composta is created by the bacteria at work. The more ideal the conditions, the faster they work and the higher the temperature. Placing your Composta in the sun may help speed up the process but far more important are the essential ingredients: air, carbon, nutrients and water.

Anything that is not organic. Also, avoid adding meat, fish, fats, oils or animal waste to your Composta as it could lead to odor problems if not aerated sufficiently. Do not compost diseased plants, plants killed with fungicide or herbicide. Be sure to exclude perennial weeds or you will reintroduce their seeds to your garden in your compost.

As often as possible! Once a day or each time you add new waste is perfectly adequate though. The idea is to supply the bacteria and insects with oxygen by turning the waste over on itself. The more oxygen you can supply the bacteria the faster the decomposition process and the sooner you will have compost. Do not overfill your Composta as this will prevent proper mixing and aeration. The drum should not be filled more than 2/3 of its volume.

Your nose will tell you when the compost is ready; it will smell earthy and fertile. It should also be black and crumbly. As the composting process slows down it produces less heat so you can tell the process is nearing completion when the temperature of the compost is more or less that of the surrounds. Large chunky pieces of organic material, like sticks, will take a lot longer to decompose than finer pieces. It is not necessary to wait until everything is composted before using the compost. Simply remove (sieve) the larger pieces from the compost and return them to the Composta for the next batch.

It is useful to operate two Compostas simultaneously. While adding new material to one, the other is allowed to complete the composting process. Remember to turn both drums every time you add fresh waste to the one. When the ‘fresh’ drum is 2/3 full, remove the compost from the other and start the cycle again.