| Making compost is a process of cultivating living | | | | composting. It is better to add fresh materials to a |
| micro-organisms. These micro-organisms must have 4 | | | | new pile. You determine the size you want. (Many of |
| ingredients to flourish and produce a nutrient rich | | | | the materials can even be stored in trash bags to be |
| fertilizer or mulch. These 4 are oxygen or air, water, | | | | used later or for making winter compost.) You will |
| nitrogen, and carbon. Nitrogen rich materials are the | | | | know your compost pile is working if you feel there |
| "green" or moist materials such as fresh grass | | | | is heat. Turn the compost pile from every 3 days to |
| clipping, leaves, and most other alive landscape | | | | every 6 weeks with a pitchfork or shovel. This |
| substances. Carbon rich materials are the "brown" or | | | | turning provides the oxygen necessary for |
| dry materials such as dry twigs, leaves, hay, and | | | | decomposition. Turning the pile will maintain the |
| straw etc. Just keep a note that the greens will be | | | | temperature, allowing all the material to benefit from |
| alive and moist and the browns are all things dry. | | | | the heat. If you have odors, organic composting lets |
| Water will used to wet down each layer of the pile | | | | you know your pile is too damp or is lacking oxygen, |
| and air or oxygen is added when the pile is turned | | | | and that more frequent turning is necessary. |
| providing air pockets by not allowing the pile to | | | | Frequent turning will result in a faster composting. |
| compress and compact. Many materials are | | | | Add a little water if pile is too dry or does not feel |
| bio-degradable but for organic fertilizer, it must not | | | | warm to hot, especially in dry weather. You can |
| have any chemicals. | | | | cover the pile with some black plastic or tarps to |
| There is not a set method of building an organic | | | | reduce watering as the water from the "greens" will |
| compost pile. Piles are built in layers to ensure the | | | | be released from heating up. |
| proper proportion of nitrogen to carbon, and water | | | | This is active organic composting and should be ready |
| and air. Then the layers are thoroughly mixed or | | | | to use in six weeks to eight weeks. The compost will |
| "turned". Begin by selecting the area for your | | | | be ready to use when the pile will no longer generate |
| compost pile. If possible, a location with as much | | | | heat. Compost is ready to use when it has an earthy |
| sunshine will be best. Next, lay a bed a few inches or | | | | smell and a dark crumbly appearance. (Passive organic |
| so thick of dry straw. Begin mixing in one part greens | | | | fertilizer is allowing the compost pile to decay on its |
| organic matter with two parts brown organic matter. | | | | own without tending, turning, etc, and may take up |
| Spread vegetable, fruit and food scraps near the | | | | to 8 months to 2 years. Many factors involved here.) |
| center. Continue adding your mixture of organic | | | | Even in active organic composting, one method may |
| matter as the weeks go by. Fresh materials may be | | | | be faster than another. But a variety of techniques |
| added but should be buried inside the pile to speed | | | | will work well too. |