Composting - Healthy Garden Essentials

Composting is the process of turning the waste material from your garden and kitchen into rich, organic mulch you can use to fertilize and condition your garden soil. A good compost pile will efficiently accelerate the natural decaying process of organic material producing a nutrient rich soil amendment.

Good compost will provide needed soil nutrients, create a natural range of pH in the soil, help plants create their own growth stimulators, help keep water-soluble nutrients from leaching out, promotes good water drainage as well as water retention and much, much more.

What to Put in Your Compost Pile

If you make your own compost it's free except for the time and labor. You have an almost unlimited supply of materials you can use to make it with. Things you have until now looked on as trash. It's been said that you can put everything but the kitchen sink in your compost pile. You really can put a lot of things into your compost pile but there are some things you want to Not put in it as well.

When adding material into your pile you want most of the material chopped up into small pieces but balance that with some course material to allow your pile to breath properly. Here's a general list of organic material that can be used to create a compost pile:

• Fallen Leaves (Chopped into small pieces)
• Weeds (Green or dry)
• Grass clippings
• News Paper
• Hay or Straw
• Ashes from your fire place (Used sparingly)
• Waste material from your garden
• Egg shells
• Banana peals
• Apple/Pair Cores
• Tea leaves
• Coffee grounds
• Lettuce waste

Some things you do not want to put into your compost pile:

• Meat
• Meat Fat
• Cooking oils
• Bone
• Sawdust
• Foods that have BHT added to them
• Plastic
• Barbecue briquettes

How to Build a Compost Pile

Start by building an enclosure for your pile. Compost bins can be purchased at most stores that sell garden supplies or local nurseries. About a 4 foot square area should do the trick fine. Make sure that you have an opening big enough for turning the pile.

Your enclosure will serve two purposes first it will provide the best environment for the organic material to decompose. Second it will keep the pile contained ensuring your pile doesn't get scattered.

You want the pile to be about 3 feed square. Chopping the organic material into small pieces provide more surface area for decaying organisms to work on. But make sure to include coarser pieces into the mix as well.

Building the Pile is done in layers starting with about 6 inches of the organic material listed above. Then on top of that add about 4 or 5 inches of a soil/manure mixer. Keep adding material in this way until you have about a 4-foot pile all layered in your enclosed area.

Caring for Your Compost Pile

Heat is essential to composting. If your pile is to small there won't be enough heat in it and the organic breakdown process will be slow. Within a few days the pile should get smaller and the interior temperature will get hot (about 120-140 Deg. F).

The pile needs to be moist but not too wet. Too much water will not allow enough air in and will slow down the process. Don't allow the pile to dry out either. If it looks dry you want to sprinkle it with a water hose. If it rains you will want to cover your pile with a tarp. If your pile does get to wet frequent turning will help restore it to health.

To speed up the decaying process you can turn the pile with a pitchfork once or twice a week. This allows more oxygen into the center of the pile, which encourages the growth of the decaying organisms. Adding fresh manure or commercial fertilizer from time to time will aid your pile as well.

The Finished Product

Your compost is ready for use when it is crumbly and the original materials have decomposed beyond recognition. The process will take from 3-6 months. It's a good idea to use the compost as soon as it is ready. The beneficial nutrients will diminish the longer it sets. Sift the pile removing any large chunks of undecomposed material.

The method of making compost is as different as there are people making it. Its no wonder that compost is seen by many gardeners as one of the most important things you can do for your garden. Composting is not an exact science and it won't be long before you will have your own favorite recipe. Here's to your healthy garden.