The Art of Composting

As interest in organic gardening increases, you start to see more and more articles on making your own compost. If you’ve decided to take the plunge and turn biodegradable household waste into nutrient rich compost, this article will help get you started. If what you’ve already read about composting has made it seem like some mysterious art form, relax. Getting organic material to rot is easy. All organic material will biodegrade on its own at some point. The art of composting is to speed up this natural process.

To start your first batch of compost, you will first need some sort of compost bin. You can simply layer your compost in a pile if you prefer, but a bin will help keep it contained. Plus an enclosed bin will help keep out rodents. The stackable compost bin featured left is easy to use and durable enough for years of use.

Next you will need items to compost. Compost items are divided up into two categories: green materials and brown materials. Green materials consist of kitchen waste (like vegetable scraps, leftover rice, tofu, etc.) grass clippings, fresh manure (cow, sheep, rabbit), weeds, fresh leaves and leftover vegetable material from the garden. Brown material consists of dried leaves, dried cornstalks (shredded), straw and sawdust (in moderation).

Next you will need some moisture. Wetting your compost as you layer it is helpful in getting your compost moist. Remember, however, that you are trying for moist and not wet. When compost is too wet, it actually stops breaking down. It is also when compost is too wet that it smells. So aim for slightly damp to moist compost for best results. Covering your bin with a tarp when it rains will help stop your compost from becoming oversaturated.

Last, you need aeration. As compost breaks down, the particles become smaller and smaller and begin to pack together. As this happens, you will need to turn the compost pile to reincorporate some air pockets to keep those microorganisms happy.

To speed your compost up, it’s helpful to shred dry material in a chipper and cut any large pieces of green material into smaller pieces before adding it to the pile. A good ratio of green to brown material is 1 part green to 4 parts brown. Start stacking your layers by adding the green material first and then topping it with the brown material. This will discourage rodents from foraging through your pile looking for food. It can also be helpful at this time to add a compost starter like Ringer's Compost Plus to speed up the process. Also if you aren’t adding a great deal of nitrogen rich green material from grass clippings, adding another source of nitrogen in the form of Whitney Farm’s Cottonseed Meal can help move the process along. As you layer the material, keep a hose nearby to wet each layer. Once you’ve finished stacking your first pile, you can take a break.

As mentioned before, in order to keep your pile evenly moist and aerated, it will need to be turned from time to time. If you have a tumbling composter, you simply turn the drum. If you are using the pile method, you will need to use a pitch fork to mix the ingredients. As the compost starts to “cook” don’t be surprised to see steam rising from the pile as you mix it. You may also notice that what was once brown material has now turned grey. This is actually ash and a good sign that your compost is almost ready. Once you are left with a material that is rich and loamy with most of the larger pieces gone, you are done with the turning portion of the process. Now, you simply let the compost rest for a few months and it will then be ready to use in your garden to add texture and nutrients to the soil.

If you have further questions about composting, check out your local library or stop by and speak to one of our nursery professionals.