Gardening: Composting
How to Start Your Own Compost Bin
Compost — or humus — is decomposed or well-rotted
organic material, such as vegetable waste, leaves, grass
clippings, and livestock manure. This crumbly, soil-like
material improves soil texture by increasing the drainage
of heavy clay soils and the water and nutrient retention of
light, sandy soils.
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To get started, choose a spot. Find a place for your compost that's convenient to your
kitchen or garden and has well-drained soil.
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Install a compost container. Although not required, a wire, wood, or plastic container
keeps your compost pile looking neat and prevents animals from scattering food scraps.
Choose a 3- to 4-foot-wide container that comes apart easily and allows plenty of airflow
through to its contents.
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Gather your materials. Look around your yard. Any fallen leaves? Get the rake!
Gather together leaves, grass clippings, weeds you've pulled, hedge trimmings, etc.
Start saving kitchen scraps (no meat).
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Brown plant materials, such as leaves
and straw
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Green plant materials, such as grass clippings and
kitchen waste
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High-nitrogen fertilizers, such as blood meal and
cottonseed meal
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Add a Brown Layer. Lay a 4-to 6-inch-thick layer of brown
material on the bottom. Carbon-rich dried grass, peat
moss, straw, shredded leaves, and other brown plant
material make a good base for the pile.
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Moisten Layer. Moisten the bottom layer so that it's
moist but not soggy. The moisture will help accelerate the
decomposition process by providing the right environment
for microbes to break down the material.
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Add a Green Layer. Make a second, 2-to 4-inch-thick layer
of nitrogen-rich green materials, such as fresh grass
clippings or vegetable kitchen scraps. Alternate adding
layers of brown and green material until the pile is 3- to
5-feet high (or container is full). Moisten each layer before
adding the next.
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Cover the Bin. Once all the layers are in and moistened,
cover the bin to prevent animals from getting inside or
wind from blowing loose material away. During rainy
periods, you can cover the top of the bin with a rain-proof
tarp to prevent the pile from getting too wet.
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As the material begins to decompose, the pile heats up, but not evenly. To ensure that
all materials break down, mix the pile and keep it moist. After the center heats up and
then cools down (one to several weeks, depending on the time of year and size and
composition of the material), turn the pile. Use a garden fork or shovel to mix the
contents, blending the inside and outside materials. Repeat turning the pile once or
twice. The compost is ready to use when it's dark and crumbly — usually in a month or
two.
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High Carbon "Browns"
Sources of Composting Organisms
High Nitrogen "Greens"
Non-Meat and Non-Dairy Kitchen
Scraps
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Commercially Available Composting
"Starters"
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Sawdust from Untreated Wood
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If you are interested in learning more, we recommend a terrific book about
composting:
But if you'd rather fast track and get busy right away turning your
kitchen waste into useful, nutrient-rich compost try the Can-O-Worms
vermicomposter!
It has a multi-level design that's easy to assemble and easy to use. The
Can-O-Worms can be used indoors or out, and it's easy to set up. Start
with moist bedding (anything from shredded newspaper to peat moss,
some
organic kitchen waste and some red wiggler worms, and within a few
months you'll have a large amount of compost that improves soil
structure and aeration and promotes healthy root development for your
garden.
Generally, one pound of worms can take care of a half-pound of kitchen
and garden waste!
With the Can-O-Worms composting bin you'll soon be on your way to
terrific compost for your garden as well as your very own source of
fishing worms!
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