Put Those Annoying Aquatic Weeds to Work - Compost Them
Many pond owners face the un-enviable task of fighting aquatic weeds every year, particularly during the late Spring and Summer months.
Different approaches are taken to combat these problem plants such as chemical treatments, manual removal or even hiring a service company to manage them.
If you are a pond owner who deals with these problems, there is a highly ecologically responsible way to manage your aquatic weeds and put them to work for you - compost them.
Composting is the controlled decomposition of organic matter that results in the formation of humus-rich material that contributes nutrients and beneficial soil life and improves soil structure and water retention.
Virtually anything organic can be composted, including aquatic vegetation and is fairly simple to do.
To compost aquatic plants it is important to note that because they are mostly water, they decompose fast and into pretty small amounts.
Because of this it is important to mix these plants with other "brown" material like leaves or straw so that you your compost pile is not too wet.
Moisture is a necessary ingredient in composting, but too much can lead to odors and poor results.
Basically a compost pile should be moist to the degree of like a wrung out sponge.
Temperature is also important.
The internal temp of a compost pile should range between 120 degrees and 150 degrees F.
This ensures that disease organisms and weeds are killed off.
It also is a healthy temp range for speedy composting.
If you have an even amount of green materials (aquatic weeds) and brown materials and a good moisture level, you should reach that temperature range with no problems.
Every 1-2 weeks the pile should be turned to incorporate the materials on the edge of the pile into the center where the hot zone is and too also add fresh oxygen into the pile for continued microbial activity.
Turning the pile may also be necessary if the center of the pile gets too hot and heat needs to be released.
The time it will take for your pile of vegetation to completely compost down will vary.
It could be done in as little as a few weeks or as long as a few months depending on the size of the pile, size of particles and the temperature of the pile.
There are microbial compost starters on the market that can be added to the pile to help speed up the process or some people also add fertile soil to the pile as a stimulant.
A good indication that your compost is done is that it will more or less be a pile of rich, brown crumbly material and the pile will no longer produce heat (as all of the materials will be broken down).
The final step would be to allow the pile to cure for about 2 weeks and then you are all set to add your fresh compost to your garden, lawn or anywhere else.
Composting aquatic vegetation is a great way to get use out of plants that cause so many headaches for pond owners and thanks to its rapid reproduction, it makes a great renewable resource.
Different approaches are taken to combat these problem plants such as chemical treatments, manual removal or even hiring a service company to manage them.
If you are a pond owner who deals with these problems, there is a highly ecologically responsible way to manage your aquatic weeds and put them to work for you - compost them.
Composting is the controlled decomposition of organic matter that results in the formation of humus-rich material that contributes nutrients and beneficial soil life and improves soil structure and water retention.
Virtually anything organic can be composted, including aquatic vegetation and is fairly simple to do.
To compost aquatic plants it is important to note that because they are mostly water, they decompose fast and into pretty small amounts.
Because of this it is important to mix these plants with other "brown" material like leaves or straw so that you your compost pile is not too wet.
Moisture is a necessary ingredient in composting, but too much can lead to odors and poor results.
Basically a compost pile should be moist to the degree of like a wrung out sponge.
Temperature is also important.
The internal temp of a compost pile should range between 120 degrees and 150 degrees F.
This ensures that disease organisms and weeds are killed off.
It also is a healthy temp range for speedy composting.
If you have an even amount of green materials (aquatic weeds) and brown materials and a good moisture level, you should reach that temperature range with no problems.
Every 1-2 weeks the pile should be turned to incorporate the materials on the edge of the pile into the center where the hot zone is and too also add fresh oxygen into the pile for continued microbial activity.
Turning the pile may also be necessary if the center of the pile gets too hot and heat needs to be released.
The time it will take for your pile of vegetation to completely compost down will vary.
It could be done in as little as a few weeks or as long as a few months depending on the size of the pile, size of particles and the temperature of the pile.
There are microbial compost starters on the market that can be added to the pile to help speed up the process or some people also add fertile soil to the pile as a stimulant.
A good indication that your compost is done is that it will more or less be a pile of rich, brown crumbly material and the pile will no longer produce heat (as all of the materials will be broken down).
The final step would be to allow the pile to cure for about 2 weeks and then you are all set to add your fresh compost to your garden, lawn or anywhere else.
Composting aquatic vegetation is a great way to get use out of plants that cause so many headaches for pond owners and thanks to its rapid reproduction, it makes a great renewable resource.
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