How to Make a Good Compost Pile
Composting has multiple benefits for the home gardener. First, it is a smart way to "recycle" waste products, thus using all parts of a plant or food item. Second, using the final broken-down matter in the garden helps build up the soil quality, which then helps nourish plants grown in it. Other benefits include reduction of the need for chemical fertilizers and reduced amounts of trash going to the local dump. Composting is a simple and economical way to contribute to a "greener" planet. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Wood
- Nails or screws
- Shovel
- Bucket or canister
- Tarp
- Soil
- Grass clippings
- Yard waste
- Food waste
Instructions
-
-
1
Dig a large hole about 1 foot deep in the ground. The size of your garden area will determine how large an area to dedicate to the compost heap. You can start with a basic 4 X 4 foot area.
-
2
Retain all the "starter soil" you remove. You will use this to periodically sprinkle over the waste matter.
-
-
3
Frame the hole with a simply constructed box that rests on the ground, or create two framed bins side by side. Keep the frame no higher than 2 feet so you can reach over and manage the material inside. The box is solely for neatness and won't necessarily contribute to better results.
-
4
Gather the organic matter. Start inside your home by saving every scrap of unused fruit and vegetable waste. Virtually anything that is not meat, fish, grease, ash, animal feces, sawdust or bone can go in the compost pile. (Meat and fish leftovers attract wild animals and rodents.) Coffee grounds, stale bread, old rice or grains, eggshells and so forth can be composted. Keep a small canister by your kitchen sink, or a small bucket if you have a larger family. Take it out to the compost heap daily.
-
5
Rotting fruits are great for the compost pile. Collect yard waste. Try to avoid seeds from plants you don't want popping up everywhere, and grasses like Bermuda or ivy. Pine needles, fallen leaves, grass clippings and anything from the yard that isn't diseased can go in the compost.
-
6
Layer the kitchen waste, yard waste and a little bit of soil. Keep adding waste matter and your compost pile will begin to grow in height.
-
7
Turn the pile. Every couple of weeks, take the shovels out and simply turn the pile over. This assists with the breakdown of all waste components. Always try to cover or turn under any obvious food scraps.
-
8
Cover the pile. Use a tarp or thin sheet of plywood. You don't want to spend too much time dealing with it. Anyone should be able to remove a cover easily and quickly. Covering will create heat that will help break down the pile more quickly, but is not an absolute must. If your pile is usually uncovered, turn it more often. Consider covering it periodically to accumulate some heat. The pile needs some moisture, and finding the balance between heating and having it slightly damp is tricky.
-
9
Repeat the process of building matter in the pile. After several months of regular turning and heating, you can use the compost in the garden. By now, you should see worms in abundance in the pile. If you aren't seeing any, purchase a few to get you started.
-
10
Continue digging lower than ground level to form a new pile as you use up all the soil that was initially removed. If you built two side-by-side bins, you can fill one as you use the compost from the other, then vice versa.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
If you use a lot of yard waste, make sure the sticks, twigs or small limbs are broken or ground up as they'll take a long time to break down otherwise.
Keep a narrow pipe erect in the middle of the pile as a form of aeration.
Don't let grass clippings stand in large clumps for long. They make a lot of heat and the matting can be hard to break up.
Don't worry about bugs in the pile. They are present to help the breakdown process. If you see too many ants, consider watering the pile, and make sure it doesn't dry out too much.
If you want to cover a framed bed, you can fashion simple hooks or ties for the tarp eyelets to keep the tarp in place.
Anyone who lacks patience for turning a compost pile regularly can purchase two medium sized lidded garbage bins; fill one with the waste then dump it into the other every so often. Punching holes in the lids helps with aeration.
If you don't want to turn the compost pile regularly, you can also invest in a spinner.
Avoid putting any type of chemical into your compost pile.
"Volunteer" plants sometimes come up in the compost bin, usually because it has not been turned enough or it's sat too long and already broken down to a usable state. Some of the volunteers are weeds you do not want, so remove them before they can grow in unwanted areas of your garden.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit wheelbarrow and bins image by Horticulture from Fotolia.com Over ripe bananas (ingredient for banana loaf) image by Sophia Winters from Fotolia.com
