Composting

Composting is a 'fashionable' thing to be doing now. It goes with all the conserving, reusing, and recycling wave that has hit our culture. I truly hope it is not a fad but that people learn the best ways this can be an advantage for them and the environment. It is possible to spend lots of money on the newest equipment, latest books, and all the 'starter' supplies. It is just as possible to start you compost with a used container, scraps from the kitchen and packing materials that really need to be gotten rid of anyway.

Compost is a mixture of partially decomposed plant material and other organic wastes. It is used in the garden to amend soil and fertilize plants.

Advantages
The chief advantage of compost is its ability to improve soil structure. Good garden soil is loose and has a high water-holding capacity with adequate drainage. Adding compost to heavy clay soil improves drainage by improving soil structure. Compost also absorbs water and improves the water-holding capacity of sandy soils. To conserve moisture or develop a xeriscape, a landscape requiring little water, it is essential to have soil with good water retention.

In addition to improving soil structure, decomposing compost will slowly release plant nutrients. Unless applied in very large amounts, compost will not provide all the nitrogen that highly productive crops require. Organic gardeners can supplement generous compost applications with manure to produce good yields without the addition of other fertilizers.

Making and using compost allows the gardener to recycle garden wastes and reduce the burdens of trash disposal.

Non-Compostable Organic Materials
Plant with severe disease or insect infestations
Harmful or succulent weeds
Grasses that spread by rhizomes
Dog and cat manure
Meat or fish leftovers
Bones
Butter
Cheese
Lard
Mayonnaise
Milk
Peanut butter
Oils
Salad dressing
Sour cream
Whole eggs
Grease

Almost all organic materials will decompose, but not all organic materials belong in the compost pile. Yard wastes, such as leaves, grass clippings, straw, and non-woody plant trimmings, can be composted. The predominant organic waste in most backyard compost piles is leaves. Grass clippings can be composted; however, with proper lawn management, clippings do not need to be removed from the lawn. If clippings are used for compost, it is advisable to mix them with other yard wastes. Branches, logs, and twigs greater than 1/4 inch in diameter should be put through a shredder/chipper or cut up with a corn knife prior to placement in the compost pile. Kitchen wastes such as vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, and eggshells may also be added. Sawdust may be added in moderate amounts if additional nitrogen is added. Approximately 1 pound of actual nitrogen (6 cups of ammonium nitrate) is required for 100 pounds of dry sawdust.
Certain organic materials should not be used to make compost because they may pose a health hazard or create a nuisance. Do not add pet feces since they may transmit disease. Meat, bones, grease, whole eggs, and dairy products should not be added because they can attract rodents. Most plant disease organisms and weed seeds are destroyed during the composting process when temperatures in the center of the pile reach 140? to 150?F. However, in most compost piles, it is impossible to mix efficiently enough to bring all wastes to the center. Consequently, large amounts of weeds with seeds or diseased plants may create problems.