HOW TO Make Compost - GardenerPlace

Introduction

Composting isn’t the most glamorous topic. In fact, some people might think it’s downright gross. I used to be one of those people. Until I fell in love with gardening and realized that composting is a wonderful way to reduce your trash and create amazing soil for your garden. In this blog post, we’ll cover everything you need to know about setting up your own compost pile.

THE BASICS: What is compost?

Compost is a natural process of using organic materials to improve soil fertility. Compost can be made from many different materials, including food scraps and yard waste. Compost can be used as an ingredient in growing plants to improve the quality of the soil and help with plant growth.

Composting is a simple process that involves combining green (nitrogen-rich) materials with brown (carbon-rich) ones in a balanced mix—think 50/50—to make the perfect recipe for healthy soil!

WHAT CAN YOU PUT IN YOUR COMPOST?

If you want to compost, you need to know what can be put in a compost pile. This includes:

vegetable scraps, fruit scraps, coffee grounds, eggshells, paper towels, hair (yes!), straw or hay (like straw) that is not treated with chemicals or manure (people poop), leaves and grass clippings.
twigs and dead plants are okay too as long as they aren’t diseased or insect infested.
sawdust from untreated wood will decompose too since it contains cellulose which is made from the same stuff as plants are made of!
wood chips also work great for composting because they add carbon-rich materials like twigs and leaves into your pile for breaking down quickly into usable soil amendments for your garden beds/plots – just make sure they’re untreated since treated wood will release toxic chemicals over time instead of biodegrading naturally like untreated ones do!

KEEPING IT GREENS AND BROWNS: The right balance.

As the temperature rises, you will need to turn your compost pile to keep it from matting and ensure that all of the materials are getting mixed together. You can use a pitchfork, shovel or other tool to do this if you have one. Keeping your compost moist is essential too; make sure to add water whenever it seems like it’s getting dry. If you’re using a bin, this step will be much easier since they’re usually designed with drainage holes in them; simply pour some water directly onto the top of the pile. As long as there are no pests in your yard such as raccoons or rats (these animals love eating organic material), then covering up your pile at night should keep any unwanted visitors out!

HOW TO BUILD IT: Just follow the instructions.

Now that you’ve collected your materials, it’s time to build the pile. You can use any kind of container for composting, but I recommend using one that is at least three feet tall and has easy access from all sides. This will make it easier for you to turn your compost later on.

For a 2’x4’x3′ compost bin:

Place 1/3 yard of leaves in the bottom of the bin.
Add 1/3 yard grass clippings and/or straws; these act as a base layer that will prevent many weeds from growing through soil layers above them (see image below).
Layer another 1/3 yard green material such as vegetable scraps or fruit rinds over top of grasses and straws (see image below).

WHEN AND HOW TO TURN YOUR PILE.

Turning the compost pile is an important part of keeping your pile healthy, and it’s also one of the best ways to keep it from stinking. Turning the compost pile allows oxygen to reach the bottom of your pile, which helps aerate it. Turning also helps mix in more carbon materials with nitrogen-rich materials, so that all parts of your compost eventually break down.

Turning should be done once a week or so during hot weather, when you can feel that heat coming off of your compost heap as steam rises from its surface.

WHAT’S GOING ON IN YOUR PILE? And how to keep it going.

Composting is a process. That might seem obvious, but it’s important to understand that the process of composting does not happen overnight. If you just throw your food scraps into a pile and walk away, don’t expect to have perfectly finished compost to use in your garden anytime soon.

Composting happens best when you have a good ratio of green waste (like grass clippings) and brown waste (like dried leaves). It also needs air flow and water so that bacteria can break down the materials. The heat generated by this breakdown process will kill any pathogens or pests that might be contained in the materials being composted. In addition, as more organic material builds up in your pile, it begins generating its own heat – called “thermogenesis” – which speeds up decomposition even further!

GETTING OUT THE GOOD STUFF: And using it in your garden.

Now that you have a nice batch of compost, it’s time to use it. If you live in a cold climate and are starting your compost in the fall, add it to your garden as soon as possible. This will help warm up the soil before winter sets in and makes planting easier come springtime. Or if you live in an area with mild winters or where snow cover is light, consider adding your finished compost to the garden in late winter or early spring so that it has time to break down into usable nutrients for plants before summer arrives.

Similar advice applies if you are starting your pile during the growing season: add fresh material every few weeks (or month) until fall—this ensures that there is always some new material being fed into the pile so nothing gets too decomposed.

Composting can reduce your trash, improve your garden and is good for the environment!

Composting can also be a great way to reduce your household’s overall waste. It takes organic materials that would otherwise end up being thrown away and converts them into nutrient-rich soil. The resulting compost will help you grow healthier plants in your garden or on your balcony, without having to buy any fertilizer. Composting is also better for the environment than throwing away organic material because it reduces greenhouse gas emissions by keeping waste out of landfills.

Conclusion

You can compost your kitchen scraps, yard waste and other organic materials to help you reduce the amount of trash that is sent to landfills. It’s also a great way to improve the quality of your soil and produce bumper crops in your garden!