How to Make a Compost Pile

It's great to feed your plants with recycled items from your own home. You're never going to use those cracked egg shells and coffee grinds anyway, right? Feed your plants and vegetables for free with stuff you'd probably throw away and save money and be kind to the earth as well.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Cut or broken branches
• Grass clippings, leaves, and any and all plant-based products
• Dirt to layer on now and then
• Black plastic heavy garbage bags or sheeting (optional)
• A mower that shreds grass finely (called a composting mower)is pricey but and nice but not necessary.

1. Choose a spot that's a bit out of the way as these piles don't tend to be the focal part of the well groomed yard. Mother Earth provides a gook and simple base.
2. Jazz it up if you like. If you want to enclose your pile cheaply and easily, use a length of chicken wire (any pliable fencing or wire will do) and make a circle or go around two close trees. Looks add nothing to function, so don't fuss unless you want to.
3. Arrange some branches in a layer on the bottom of your pile to provide a little circulation, which helps the composting process along nicely. Throw your clippings, plant and vegetable matter on top. (Don't use any met products or animal waste products as they will attract animals, flies and other insects). You can cover the pile with the black plastic to speed up the process but it really does fine on ts own.
4. Soak your pile now and throw a thin layer of dirt on it every couple of months. Turn it with a pitch fork or a rake every 2 months or so but try not to disturb the branches underneath.
5. Enjoy your earth friendly, cost free mulch. It will be ready in about three months. If you're starting it in the winter, it may take longer. Use your mulch around plants and bushes, turning it into the soil and watch your plants flourish.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't use animal products or waste on your pile. It attracts animals and nasty insects and won't help your plants a bit.