CompostaBlog

Compost is what is left over when organic matter decomposes. Organic matter can be things like vegetable scraps, leaves, mown grass and any other garden waste. This material will decompose without any assistance at all, though you can help it along and enjoy the benefits of compost faster if you wish.

Because it doesn’t contain a high level of essential nutrients, compost is not considered an actual fertilizer. Instead, it is treated as a soil conditioner or amendment. Compost does supply many good things to the soil. It attracts beneficial creatures like earthworms and it improves the soil composition.

Cold composting is basically just making a pile and letting it sit in the bin. This takes longer than hot composting. Hot composting is when you take a shovel and turn your pile every few days to supply more oxygen to the microorganisms in your compost pile.

Location

First, decide where you will put your compost pile. Check for city ordinances that may regulate where you can put a compost pile, or if you can even have one. A compost pile can get messy, so put it somewhere that you can reach with a hose so you can do clean up if necessary. Bugs will be attracted to your compost pile, so keep this in mind. If you have a free corner in your garden that is far enough away from the house and the neighbors could be the perfect spot for that new compost pile.

Containers

There are many composting products for sale today. They even have gadgets that will rotate your compost for you, but really, the only thing you need is a compost container. Some people simply fence off the compost pile, while others use a bin or container of some kind to put their organic matter in. This can be recycled, home made or purchased at a store. While there are many composting bins to choose from in all sorts of shapes and sizes, the easiest ones are simple. Don’t spend more than you need.

Layer It

A good way to begin a compost pile is with layers. Start with fallen leaves or grass clippings, and then put some soil on it, then put in some kitchen waste. Eggshells, scraps of fruits and vegetables and coffee grounds all make good additions to a compost pile. Do not ever add meat or pet waste to your compost. Once you have more layers, add another layer of soil and manure.

Moisture

Keep your compost pile moist, but not wet. Add a little water if it seems to be getting dry. You may want to consider adding a little beer to your pile. The yeast in the beer will keep the bacteria in your compost pile and make sure they’ll be happy. It doesn’t really matter if you add beer or water, just keep it moist.

Maintenance

A compost pile doesn’t need a lot of maintenance. Just continue adding your garden trimmings and kitchen waste to the pile. Occasionally mix in a little soil and manure to encourage decomposition. Keep the pile moist and if you remember, turn the pile about once a week to improve air circulation and aid the decomposition process.

The compost is ready to put in your garden when it looks like dark soil and smells like earth. Just add to your garden and mix it in. If you want to add compost to your indoor plants, you need to sterilize it first. Layer it on some foil on an old baking sheet and put it in a 200 degree F oven for about half an hour.

There isn’t one best way to make compost. No matter what you do, organic matter will decompose. Find the style that works best for you and your garden and get composting!

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More Compost Help

Compost is a great tool for any gardener. It helps your garden hold just the right amount of water, makes it the right texture for optimal plant growth, and provides it with beneficial natural organisms. While you can buy several different types of compost products at a retail store or gardening center, it’s much cheaper to make your own compost. Not only will you save money, you also get the added benefit of knowing that you’re not just throwing your yard waste away; it’s actually doing something beneficial for your garden and for your health.

Before getting started on building your compost pile, you should know what to put in it. To get good compost you need four elements: carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and water. Grass clippings from your yard provide the carbon. Nitrogen comes from leaves in the fall. To make sure your pile gets water, build it somewhere where it will be rained on; just be sure it’s not completely soaked with water. Lastly, you can add oxygen simply by mixing the pile regularly. Just turn the soil over once a month with a rake or garden shovel. Don’t worry if you can’t provide enough nitrogen or carbon to your compost pile through your yard waste, you can always add a little fertilizer. The type of fertilizer you select will depend on what nutrient you’re lacking.

There are two different types of compost piles you can make; the first is a cool pile. To make a cool pile, simply throw your clippings and leaves in the bin as they come and stir the ingredients occasionally. This is a good option if you don’t have a lot of time to devote to composting, but it takes about a year to get useable compost. You shouldn’t add diseased plants or weeds to this mixture because they can be harmful to the soil quality and weeds will continue to grow once they’re back in your garden.

If you’re anxious and just can’t wait of if you need your compost in a shorter time span, you should try making a hot compost pile. Unlike cool piles, you need to have a significant amount of yard waste available to start a hot pile; at least 3 feet by 3 feet. This mixture will require mixing much more often. You can mix it anywhere from once every two weeks to once every couple of days. The more you mix, the more you break down your yard waste, the faster you get compost. This type of pile will kill weed seeds and diseases because it reaches much higher temperatures (about 160°), but be aware that it may also kill beneficial bacteria. A cool compost is a much better solution.

Another alternative is to check with your local city councilor to see if your region hosts Community Days. Community Days are growing in popularity in the United States and Canada. Hosted twice each year (usually Spring & Fall), Community Days often ask citizens to bring their recycling items, unwanted clothing and used electronics to a central location for collection & re-distribution. The last five years, Community Days have also included “bag your own compost” services. Free compost is available. Anyone with a shovel and bucket can tote away as much compost as they can carry.

It’s easy to know when your compost pile is ready for use. When your compost pile no longer resembles what you put into it, it’s ready to be used. Just mix into your soil for strong, healthy plants.

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Article Source: http://www.organicgardenarticles.com

Okay, so last year I was begging for rain. They said Oklahoma was the driest it had been since the dust bowl. But THIS year, oh my… like they say, be careful what you wish for…

The two raised beds are entirely tooo small to grow all this ‘big stuff’ zucchini, tomatoes, cucumbers, all my favorite summertime munchables. I need to make some new beds for next year… (note to self)

As you know from reading about the creation of my garden the raised beds were filled completely with compost, grass clippings, shredded leaves, and a bit of horse manure from the local race track thrown in.

Well, have I learned a lesson about compost ingredients this year. Last year most everything just couldn’t take the dry summer heat, no matter how much water I lavished on it. THIS year I found what that new ‘soil’ was really made of! Entirely too much nitrogen. I have leaves on the zucchini the size of antediluvian fossil records. I’ve got zucchini the size of my coffee table and I’m NOT kidding.

If anyone doubts what good compost can do, come see my garden.

Well, Eugene came thru with delivery BIG TIME!

We now have at least fifty bags of green grass clippings on the side of the garage just waiting to compost. YEAH! Can anyone say hoorah!! ?

I was bringing my daughter home from a birthday part for one of the children she babysits for… We passed a man on a riding mower going over what looked to be a good two acres of smooth green grass… it was beautiful. As we got closer, I realized he was BAGGING it. And of course, my composting mind went to, “I wonder what he DOES with all that grass?” And I started slowing down…

My daughter (used to these shenanigans) said, ‘Mooooom, nooooooo!’ I said, “I’ll only be a minute!” And I stopped and introduced myself to a man named Eugene. He proceeded to tell me about the ‘old man’ that he regularly delivers his ‘green gold’ to, that makes beautiful compost. But the old man had only recently told him that he was ‘full up’ and at 84 he thought this would be his last year composting. (My lucky day, because as it turned out, I also met the old man, Walker and no one knows compost like an ‘OLD’ composter

Eugene has a trailer and would be happy to deliver it to me he says. Having only recently moved here and not having had a chance to build up ingredients for a winter’s compost pile, I felt my mouth begin to water and I actually had goose bumps. My daughter was sitting in the car rolling her eyes. (I find that for a vegan, she has an altogether too little interest in gardening and I keep having to remember that at 16 her highest priority is animal welfare, NOT nutrition… LOL)

He also informed me that he ‘rakes up’ the leaves in the fall with this machine and it mulches the leaves automatically. I felt that rush I’m sure the old miners felt when they heard someone say, “There’s GOLD in them thar hills!” I am so not kidding. I really worry about myself sometimes.

So we made the arrangments.