37 Tips for Keeping Food Fresh Longer. The average household tosses out 14% of the food they buy, according to Money magazine. For the typical family, thatâs over $1,300 a year! I donât know about you, but Iâd MUCH rather spend that kind of money on a getaway with my familyâ¦not throwing it in the trash!
By graphing compost temperature over time, you can tell how far along the decomposition has progressed. A well constructed compost system will heat up to 40 or 50C within two to three days. As readily decomposable organic matter becomes depleted, the temperature begins to drop and the process slows considerably.
If you have difficulty determining how much compost you need to order, base your estimate on average amounts recommended per square foot, such as those suggested in the Rodale encyclopedia. Order 200 pounds per 1,000 square feet of garden when thin layers are required, and 400 pounds for deeper layers.efore planting seeds or seedlings, spread 2 inches of compost over the garden area, then till the compost into the soil at a depth of 6 to 8 inches. For large gardens, conserve limited amounts of compost by adding one trowel's worth of finished compost into each planting hole.