Pizza boxes do go in the compost as they are cardboard but you should cut them up in small pieces so the pizza boxes break down in the compost pile faster and better.
A healthy compost pile should smell earthy and pleasant with no bad smell.
At first a healthy compost pile should look dark in color similar to regular topsoil or dirt and appear crumbly in texture.
As the compost pile ages and becomes better it can turn a white color which is a sign of a healthy compost pile.
None of the organic material in the compost pile should be recognizable when the compost is done.
Compost turns white due to bacteria called Actinomycetes which form as heat builds up in the compost pile and then can extend down through the compost pile in spider web like forms.
The white compost pile is a sign of a healthy and good compost pile.
You should spread compost at least once a year or twice a year in the spring and fall.
The frequency however can vary and depend on the specific needs of the plants and the condition of the soil.
Simply spread a thin layer of compost on top of the soil in empty beds in spring or autumn.
Then allow the rain to wash the nutrients deep into the soil to your plants' roots.
Your compost hole should be at least 1 ft deep and the area of the hole will be determined by the amount of any organic matter that you prefer to add.
However at most your compost material should at least reach a depth of 4 inches in the compost hole.
Compost should sit at least a month before planting and then add 1 to 3 inches of the finished compost and work it into the top 4 inches of the soil.
The compost may also be used in a garden as a top dressing or even mulch through the summer.
You should also be sure to turn the compost daily to speed up the process of the composting and you can even add a bit of beer or soda or even some vinegar to help speed up the process of making the compost.
Compost should look dark brown, crumbly and also smell like earth when it's ready to be used.
Soda is good for compost and the soda can boost the composting process due to the acids in soda.
The sugars in the soda also attract microorganisms that are needed to jump start the breaking down process of the compost.
A compost pile should be made in layers to increase the number of decomposing microbes in your compost pile.
Your compost can be too wet when you add grass clippings or other vegetation or vegetables with too much water content or if you're watering the compost pile too much.
Also if too much grass clippings or vegetables etc are added to the compost pile it can cause the compost pile to become compacted which can cause the air spaces to fill with water.
Compost should be somewhat wet but not too wet.
If the compost is too wet it can kill off the bacteria which helps the compost break down but you don't want it to be too dry either.
Keep the compost wet but only slightly wet but don't over saturate it too much.
The little balls in compost are worm eggs which are found in compost and is a part of the composting process.
Compost piles should be covered in the winter but in the summer the compost should be left uncovered unless there's a lot of rain.
The signs that your compost is ready is when the compost looks dark brown, crumbly and also smell like earth.
You can know when your compost is ready by the way it looks and feels and even smells.
When your compost is ready it will look, feel and smell like rich dark earth instead of rotting vegetables.
Finished and ready compost should look dark brown, crumbly and also smell like earth.
You should put your composter in a sunny spot so that the sun can help keep the compost hot and help speed up the composting and break down of the compost.
Also compost breaks down much faster on the ground than it does in a compost bin.
Compost should be in the sun as much as possible as the sun will help speed up the composting process and allow the compost to decompose much more quickly.
However compost will still decompose in shade but at a much slower rate.
You can make a compost pile without a turn if you're making kitchen and yard waste compost as it will compost without turning.
The microbes, bugs and even the worms will do the work of adding oxygen to the compost pile.
You can turn your compost pile too often which results in the disruption of the formation of the actinomycetes fungi which does most of the composting work and can also prevent your pile from heating up completely.
A good compost activator is Super Hot Compost Activator.
You can make your compost hotter by turning the compost more often and making sure the compost is wet enough but not too wet and not too dry.
Also make sure there's enough green material or nitrogen available.
You can easily activate your compost by using a product called Super Hot which is an organic compost activator made of hungry micro organisms and nitrogen.
Activating compost can also be done by adding water and turning the compost daily to get the compost to start breaking down.
A compost piles takes on average of 1 to 2 weeks to decompose and can take a few months or longer to fully decompose and turn into usable compost.
Compost can become clumpy when you don't have enough moisture in the compost or if you added large amounts of clumping prone materials such as cardboard, paper or grass clippings.
A compost pile should be watered at least 1 to 2 times per week.
Just don't water the compost too much as it can smother the compost pile.
Too little water and the bacteria in the compost pile will be killed and you won't get the compost.
A compost pile should be turned at least once a week or every few weeks.
However if you want to speed up the compost pile you should turn the compost pile daily or at least every 3 days to 4 days.
If you don't turn your compost the compost won't get the proper amount of oxygen it needs to break down.
Turning your compost introduces the oxygen into the compost pile and allows for any needed compensations to be made into your compost ration.
When the compost sits without any movement or being turned the layers of the compost settle and become compact which limits the needed aerobic action which is the oxygen flow which keeps the microbes in the compost pile alive.
Things that make compost break down faster are keeping the compost pile moist, turning the compost daily, using coffee grounds, grass clippings, manure and worms also the use of a compost accelerator can speed up the compost breaking down process.
The quickest you can make some compost is 1 to weeks although a good compost pile can take 6 months to a year.
To make compost in a week start with a small compost pile or compost in a bucket or composter.
Use equal parts of green and brown materials by volume which will deliver the 30:1 ration of carbon to nitrogen rich ingredients you need.
Chop the materials up into small pieces and layer greens in a pile at least 36 inches square and 36 inches high.
Add water and turn the pile daily.
You can make small amounts of compost in 2 weeks although it won't be as good as older compost would be.
The quickest you can make compost is 2 weeks although at 2 weeks the compost won't be very goo compost.
Making very good compost takes some time and the longer you wait for the compost the better the compost will be.
Good compost can take 6 months to a year and if you can keep a good compost pile going the really great compost will be after 2 years.
Good ready to use compost is ready when it has cooled, turned a rich brown color, and has decomposed into small soil-like particles.