Why He Loves Compost The Most:
Compost is called "Gardeners's Gold". Because, soils and potting mixes that include compost produce healthier plants regardless of whether you're container gardening, rose gardening or vegetable gardening. It's a natural, too!
Exactly What is Composting?
Nature naturally recycles leaves and plants. In a forest, leaves fall forming mulch that protects the soil. Over time they decompose into nutrients that feed forest plants.
You can also make compost by recycling leaves and other plant materials at home. Just set up a compost bin!
Why Compost?
Besides Growing Better Crops, Compost Can:
- Be healthier!
- Make healthier gardens, mulch, potting soil
- It Reduces and eliminates the need for chemical fertilizers
- Makes more plentiful harvests of agricultural crops.
- Adds to reforestation, wetlands restoration, and habitat revitalization by stopping contaminated, compacted, and marginal soils
- Help fix soils that have been contaminated by hazardous waste
- Remove solids, oil, grease, and heavy metals from storm water runoff
- Capture and destroy 99.6 percent of industrial harmful and bad organic chemicals in contaminated air, too
A Good Compost Bin is a Combination of:
- Air
- Water
- Brown Scraps (see list)
- Green Scraps (see list)
Where Put a Compost Bin
It should be out of the way but convenient to reach with plenty of room to work around.
Where?
- near your garden
- in a back corner of the yard
- on a deck (you need a small compact one)
- *NOTE It helps to choose a location close to a source of water.
What Kind Of Compost Bin
What do you put the composting materials in?
- In a home made bin
- In a store bought compost bin (These consist of rolling bins, stationary bins, small and large)
- Recycle a bin using a trash barrel or other container (make holes!)
- If you have a large yard or garden you can have an open Compost Pile
How To Make Your Own Bin
Construct one using Wood
- Obtain untreated wood pilings, boards or scraps to make it with
- Leave spaces for air
- *NOTE There are many directions online
Make one out of a Plastic Container (Why not recycle one!)
- Obtain a large plastic storage bin or trash barrel
- Make sure it is clean if you use a recycled container
- Drill holes for AIR
- *NOTE There are many directions online
Make a kitchen counter compost bin. Use it to hold scraps on your counter top to add to your large bin
What To Put In A Compost Bin To Make Compost
- The micro-organisms (such as millipedes, sow bugs, earthworms and others) that recycle leaves and other plant parts need an even mix of brown ingredients and green ingredients to munch on.
- They also need air and water to live and work.
The following items add carbon and nitrogen, which are much needed to make good compost.
- Vegetable Scraps
- Weeds
- Green Plants
- Dried leaves
- Pine needles
- Newspaper
- Sawdust
- Food Scraps
- Grass clippings
- Coffee grounds
- Horse manure
Add Leaves
It is easiest to build a compost bin is in layers of ingredients. Spread a layer of leaves or pine needles about 6 inches thick.
What NOT To Put In A Compost Bin
Don't use meat, milk products because pets and other animals may try to dig them up out of your compost bin. Also don't use diseased garden plants. They can spread disease back into the garden later when you use the compost.
Don't Use
- Meat
- Bones
- Cheese
- Pet droppings
- Milk
- Fats
- Oils
- Diseased plants
How to Care For A Compost Bin
First select a spot to set up your bin.
Then sprinkle a shovel full of soil or compost to add microorganisms to the bin.
Each layer gets a good sprinkling of water to wet the ingredients. It is important to wet each layer as you build it. Repeat each of the layers until the bin is full and then.....
Now tiny microorganisms (that you cannot see without a microscope) go to work breaking down the organic matter into compost. Later, as the compost cools down, you may see larger organisms such as millipedes, sow bugs, earthworms and others. Compost is teeming with living things!
This is compost, the dark, earthy-smelling stuff is rich in nutrients.