How often should I rotate the BluePlanetSmart?

The tumbler should be rotated at least 3 to 4 times a week to ensure proper aeration.

How long before the compost is ready to be used?

The compost will mature in about 7 to 10 weeks if the carbon/nitrogen ratio is good, and the materials are chopped into small pieces, kept moist and aerated.

Composting time depends on several factors (temperature, moisture level, aeration, size of pieces, carbon-nitrogen ratio, etc.). Generally, the more rigorously these factors are controlled, the faster the process will be. Without control and left on its own, the compost heap could take up to two years to decompose.


How can I tell if the C/N ratio is the best for rapid composting?

With experience, you will develop a feeling for the optimum ratio. If you mix a quantity of green and moist material (grass, plants, flowers, table scraps) with an equal amount of dry or brown material (leaves, dry plants, etc.) you should have a good C/N balance. Remember that a 30:1 ratio is ideal for producing a hot compost that decomposes fast. A higher ratio (60:1, for example) will produce a good compost but the heap will decompose more slowly. (See examples of how to calculate the C/N ratio of a mixture.)


Can composting be done in winter?

Yes, according to the region where you live. The composting process generates heat. Cold temperatures will not destroy compost but decomposition will slow down or go dormant for a while. You can continue adding organic matter all winter, even if the heap is frozen. Come spring, the heap will thaw and decomposition will resume. It's important to keep the base empty in freezing weather (see user's guide).

What should I do if my compost heap smells bad?

Unpleasant odours are due to poor aeration or an excess of nitrogen. Bacteria proliferating
in the anaerobic environment of a compacted heap produce a rotten-egg smell. A heap with that smell
should be turned over more often for aeration and to promote the proliferation of aerobic bacteria.
Dry materials such as dead leaves, straw, peat moss or woodchips can be mixed in to absorb
the excess water and create air pockets. Too much wet material (rich in nitrogen) such as green grass
or kitchen scraps produces an ammonia smell. This can be fixed by adding dry materials (rich in carbon).


How can I measure the level of moisture in the compost?

The compost heap should be as wet as a wrung sponge, with no water dripping out when compost
is squeezed between the hands.


What if the tumbler is hard to rotate?

It's possible that the compost is too wet and has formed a compact, heavy ball. Add dry materials.

It could also mean that the compost is mature and the bin needs to be emptied.


Should I water my compost heap?

The BluePlanetSMART normally maintains an adequate level of moisture which promotes
rapid composting. You may have to wet your compost according to the region where you live.
A too-dry compost heap could take years to decompose.


How should I empty the BluePlanetSmart and collect the compost?

To easily empty your composter :

a) Remove the tumbler from the base and roll it to the desired location;
b) Remove the tumbler's door;
c) Rotate the tumbler until its opening faces the ground ;
d) Shake the tumbler to dump the compost on the ground.

Why isn't it possible to compost meat, fish or dairy products?

Animal products attract flies and animal scavengers that are unwelcome and can be
carriers of disease. These material also tends to reek.


Can weeds be composted? How can they be prevented from germinating in the compost?

Weeds that have not gone to seed can be composted. Those that have gone to seed can survive
temperatures up to 60oC, which even a very hot heap of household compost will not reach
in a uniform way. Hard-to-kill weeds like couch-grass, golden grass, flowering ragweed,
and poison ivy should not be put into a compost heap even if shredded.


Can sick plants be composted?

No. Sick plants should not go into a bin of household compost. Microscopic fungi
can survive the process and then spread in the garden.


Can waste from pesticide-sprayed areas go into compost? What happens to it?

Toxic materials are usually neutralized in a compost heap that heats up properly.
But you should never intentionally add chemical products to the heap. Avoid.


Can vacuum cleaner dust be composted?

The natural fibres of wool and cotton decompose and are good additions to the compost heap.
Synthetic carpet fibres do not break down, even if they can't be seen in the mature compost.
Dryer lint containing synthetic fibres should also not go into the compost heap. Synthetic fibres
can take many years to decompose and will accumulate.


Can glossy and/or coloured newspaper inserts be composted?

Some glossy papers contain toxic pigments and are therefore not recommended for composting.
There's a better way to get rid of these papers: recycle your newspapers through
your community recycling programme.


Can fireplace ashes go into the compost?

Wood ash can be added to the compost in a careful and restrained way. It is an excellent source
of potassium and calcium, two minerals needed for plants to grow. Do not burn treated or
painted wood nor use its ash. Avoid ash from burned paper since it may contain residue
of heavy metals or chlorine composites. Avoid charcoal ashes (BBQ).


Can I add animal excrement?

The excrement of domestic pets (dog, cat or other carnivores) should be thrown in the garbage.
The excrement of herbivores (rabbit, guinea pig, hamsters, etc.) are non-toxic and can be added
to the compost. Rabbit droppings in fact make excellent compost.


Fruit or vinegar flies (diptera) have invaded my composter. Is this normal?

Yes, it's part of the process of decomposition and helpfull. Their larvae are voracious decomposers.
In a rotating composter, they are restricted to a small area. Avoid placing your nose directly above
the door when adding to your BluePlanetSMART.


What makes a good quality compost?

The advantage of the BluePlanetSMART is the control users have over the materials composted.
Good materials will produce high-grade compost and users will be spared nasty surprises
(contaminants, weeds, etc.).

There are standards to assess the quality of compost, including its maturity, concentration
of organic matter, presence of physical contaminants, pH, particle size, concentration of nutrients,
moisture level, and concentration of heavy metals. However, these standards apply to
commercial compost production.


Should an activator or earth be added to the compost?

Activators are not essential for composting. They contain nitrogen-rich fertilizers and/or
dehydrated bacteria that are already very available in dead organic matter and that multiply rapidly.
If you need a source of nitrogen - to decompose a big pile of leaves, for example - use a natural
fertilizer such as blood meal or bone meal that is cheaper than a commercial activator.
Earth isn't essential eitherstrike but there are advantages to putting some into the heap
to add living organisms and control smells. In fact, you can give your new compost
heap a shovelful of the old heap.


Is compost a fertilizer?

Compost can contain various quantities of nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium,
but their concentration is not as high as in a fertilizer. In reality, compost is a soil amender
or a treatment to restore organic matter to the soil. As well, compost benefits the soil
by improving its structure, aeration and capacity to retain water.


Should a fertilzer be added to enrich the compost?

It's not essential but could depend on the material to be composted. A varied combination
of garden and kitchen waste will contain enough minerals and nitrogen to produce the right balance.
If only leaves or other carbon-rich material is to be composted, then a source of nitrogen
(blood meal or bone meal;) will need to be added. The addition of natural phosphorus
or other powdered mineral could be beneficial since the minerals will combine with the humus
to become more readily available to the plants. Jacques Petit2 suggests that these mineral
powders help stabilize nitrogen and control compost odour.

2 Petit, Jacques, Le compost, théorie et pratique.