How Do You Make Compost - Tips and Hints

Compost is simply rotted vegetable matter. Sounds icy doesn't it? It doesn't have to be. Think about a walk in the woods. Take a deep breath and smell that woodsy smell, enjoy the feel of that soft springy dirt under your feet. Feel things just wanting to grow? That's what good compost Is. like. Woodsy and dirty and healthy. Now that rotted vegetable matter doesn't sound so icky does it!

You need 4 things to make compost. Stuff to rot; leaves, kitchen waste etc. Heat, generated by the pile itself as well as an outside source like the sun. Moisture to speed decay. Air to let all those nice bacteria breathe and do their jobs. So how to do you get these combined and working?

I'll leave ingredients for the moment as it has its own chapter.

Heat
Decaying organic matter is going to generate its own heat. Think of it as cooking. There needs to be enough heat to create decay as well as kill unwanted seeds and bacteria. The center of your compost pile should be the hottest spot. Additional heat can also be generated by the sun. I help mine along in the winter by covering them with black plastic to help generate and contain the heat. This is one of the reasons that commercial compost bins are made of a dark plastic.

Moisture
A compost pile should be the consistency of a damp sponge. I live in a dry climate so I add water to my piles when I turn them or put them away for the winter. If you live in a wet climate you may need to position your compost pile under some protection or turn it more often to rid it of excess moisture.

Air
A compost pile needs aeration. This can be achieved in a variety of ways. Build or buy a bin that has sides that allow air to circulate. Use an aeration tool like the one in the picture. Turn your compost regularly. Use a tumbler that spins the compost adding air and breaking down matter into smaller and smaller parts.

One of the questions I hear asked most often when discussing how do you make compost is what can be composted? In other words, what can I use in the bin without it causing a stink and having the neighborhood dogs and cats digging in it.

Things to avoid are meat and dairy. They don't compost well and will stink as they rot. They will also attract animals to the bin. The other thing to avoid is dog and cat poop for the same reasons. Other than that, you can compost most of your other kitchen and yard waste. Keep in mind the smaller something is, the faster it will become compost.

Keep a kitchen compost pail under the sink. Instead of sending those wilted veggies, eggshells, or coffee grounds down the disposal scrape them into the pail. When the pail is full, toss it into the compost bin. Next spring those egg shells and left over spinach will be feeding your new tomato seedlings. Like anything else it takes time and effort to develop the habit, but once the habit is established you won't think twice about it. And you will see the amount of trash you put out each week diminish as well.

If you don't use chemicals in your yard all of your yard waste can go into your compost bin; leaves, grass clippings, weeds, shrub trimmings. Solicit your neighbors and offer to dispose of their leaves this fall. Just check to be sure they don't use chemicals in their yard so you don't add them to your compost.

Compost is done when it looks like rich, dark dirt. It should not stink or be slimy. Some parts of your compost pile will become usable before others. When you turn your pile you might want to sift the pile to separate out finished compost to be able to use it. This can be easily done by forking it onto a wide screen over a wheelbarrow and letting the finished compost sift through.

Once have have a barrowful of compost what do you do with it? You can top dress your lawn to give it a boost. You can layer it into existing flower beds. You can work it into soil in an existing bed waiting to be planted. You can combine it with the soil in your window boxes to feed your potted plants. Shovel it around your trees. Fill in holes. Spread it around your flowers. You will find more uses for it than you have compost. Then you will realize you need another compost pile and maybe a tumbler to make it faster and maybe collect material from other people........And maybe .......

Did I mention there is a 12-step program?