How to Make a Homemade Compost Accelerator

Compost is created when organic materials decompose. Gardeners spread this nutrient-rich material around their plants to promote growth. Whether you create your compost in a heap, bin or rotating composter, an accelerant is an effective tool to make your compost usable more quickly. To make a homemade compost accelerator, all you need to do is increase the nitrogen and decrease the acidity in your compost.

Things You'll Need

• Beer
• Manure
• Fertilizer
• Worms
• Urine
• Nettles
• Comfrey
• Seaweed

Instructions

1. 

   Combine 4 gallons of water, 1 cup of flat, unpasteurized beer, 1/2 cup high-nitrogen fertilizer and a large shovel full of compost. Let it sit overnight. Spread the mixture over compost 1 qt. at a time as you build the pile.

2. 

   Mix chicken manure into the compost heap about once every two weeks.

3. 

   Introduce worms to the compost heap. Worms eat the compost and excrete fine, organic material called castings. Redworms are particularly useful in composting.

4. Dilute urine with water and pour it over the compost. Don't use urine if you're using the compost on produce you plan to sell.

5. 

   Add stinging nettles, comfrey and seaweed to the compost bin. Use nettles that haven't flowered. Use seaweed extract, or layer whole seaweed in the compost after you've washed off the salt.

Tips & Warnings

• Turn your compost once a week to keep it well mixed.

Resources

• Organic Gardening
• Benefits and Definitions of Compost
• Home Gardening Tips