All About Composting What is Composting?
Compost is one of nature's best mulches and soil amendments, and you can use it instead of commercial fertilizers. Using compost improves soil structure, texture, and aeration and increases the soil's water-holding capacity. Compost loosens clay soils and helps sandy soils retain water.
Adding compost improves soil fertility and stimulates healthy root development in plants. The organic matter provided in compost provides food for microorganisms, which keeps the soil in a healthy, balanced condition. Nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus will be produced naturally by the feeding of microorganisms, so few if any soil amendments will need to be added. How to Compost
A proper ratio of ‘brown’ or carbon-rich items (dried leaves, straw, wood chips) to ‘green’ or nitrogen-rich (grass clippings and kitchen scraps) items are needed to create a good compost. You can start with a good compost starter.
There are two ways to make compost, actively or passively:
Active composting is highly-involved. The more time you invest, ultimately the more fertilizer it will yield. Being active in the process involves occasional turning of the pile, shredding of the waste material (heats up and decomposes quicker).
Passive composting is just as it sounds. You place your waste in your compost bin and leave it alone, only adding to the pile. Eventually (usually in a year or two) you have your finished product with minimal interaction.
Why Organic? The benefits of going organic in your lawn and garden are exponential! In addition to helping improve the environment and decreasing the chances of accelerated disease in your family, going organic can provide mental and physical benefits, long-term money-savings, and increased vitamin and mineral content in your soil, among other things. A compost starter is a good way to begin preparing for your organic garden. Learn more: 
Benefits of Going Organic» Organic gardening provides for intense, realistic flavors in your food, and higher vitamin and mineral content than in conventionally produced foods. Organic Gardening: It's good for the environment and healthier for you and your family!
Organic vs. Natural - How to Read Labels» In the world of pesticides and repellents the words "organic" and "natural" are often mistakenly used to replace one another. Understanding product labels and certifications can help clear up the confusion.
Organic Pest Control - Different Ingredients Work for Different Insects» Nature has strategies to deal with insect pests without the use of synthetic chemicals. These strategies include organic pesticides as well as mechanical methods such as using traps, using beneficial bugs, and simply handpicking the pests, etc.
Composting Tips For the Active Composter - You will need to seek out a level, well-drained area. In wet and cooler regions you will want to store your compost pile in a sunny spot so as to trap in solar heat (for during the colder months of the year). In warmer, drier areas store your compost pile in a shadier spot so the pile does not dry out too quickly. Build your pile over soil or lawn to take advantage of the earthworms, beneficial microbes, and other decomposing organisms. You may want to start your compost pile with a good compost starter.
- The key to good compost is moisture. Placing your compost pile on uncovered soil makes for better drainage, leaving moisture behind. A good rule of thumb is to leave your compost as damp as a wrung-out sponge.
- You will want to keep your compost pile properly aerated as the organisms that will assist in the decomposition process need air to breathe in order to survive. A good way to keep your pile aerated is to invest in a garden composting tool.
- Decomposition occurs most rapidly between 104-131 degrees Fahrenheit. Conventional thinking is that one should leave the pile alone when in this temperature range. Aerating and turning should only occur when the temperature slips below 104 degrees. Should you choose to go the active composting route, you can purchase a compost thermometer that will help you gauge the ‘peak’ times of your pile.
- To quicken the decomposition process, keep unsightly waste hidden and save space, compost should be placed within a structure. A large variety of composting structures can be purchased or made from a wide array of materials.
For the Passive Composter - Wastes can be held in simple holding units, where it will sit for slow decomposition. These are simple units that contain the waste until the end of the decomposition process. This is the easiest way to compost and requires minimal involvement.
- Yard wastes can be composted either in simple holding units, where they will sit undisturbed for slow decomposition, or in tumbling compost bins, which produce finished compost as quickly as just a few weeks with a good mix of materials. Non-wood materials such as grass clippings, crop wastes, garden weeds and leaves work best in a simple holding unit.
- A turning or tumbling unit is typically a series of bins used for building and turning active compost piles. A turning unit allows wastes to be conveniently mixed for aeration on a regular basis, speeding up the overall decomposition process.
- The finished compost is dark brown, crumbly and earthy-smelling. Be sure that your intended pile of use as fertilizer is completely decomposed and thus, is ready for use. You may notice that small pieces or leaves are visible in the pile. These partially decomposed remnants may be used as a mulch-using them as fertilizer will deprive your plants of nitrogen, using it to continue the decomposition process. Nitrogen is essential to the growth of plants nearby. A smart move would be to sort out those items not yet decomposed and leave them for the next batch of compost.
- Finished compost may be spread on the soil or dug in. The compost will help your garden soil hold air and water, drain more efficiently, contain a nutrient reserve, encourage a larger population of beneficial soil microorganisms and bring about healthy plant growth.
FAQs About Starting an Organic Garden Q: We want to start a garden in an area of our backyard. How should we get ready for it?
A: One of the best ways to prevent insect problems in your soil is to till the soil. When you till it, insect grubs and larvae will be brought to the surface where they likely will end up dying. More»
Q: I want an organic garden, so I don’t want to use harmful chemicals. Will the organic products work as well as the chemical pesticides? A: Yes, they will be even better for the environment and for your insect control needs. Organic control methods target the specific insect pest, usually without harming the beneficial insects you want in your garden to help with insect pest control. More» Q: I would like to start composting. How do I choose a spot for it?
A: You will need to seek out a level, well-drained area. In wet and cooler regions you will want to store your compost pile in a sunny spot so as to trap in solar heat (for during the colder months of the year). In warmer, drier areas store your compost pile in a shadier spot so the pile does not dry out too quickly. Build your pile over soil or lawn to take advantage of the earthworms, beneficial microbes, and other decomposing organisms. You may want to start with a good compost starter. More» Q: If I use a floating row cover, how will bees and other pollinating insects reach the plants? A: They won’t be able to so you will need to pollinate them yourself by hand. Check with your local garden center or farm supply store to find out how to hand pollinate them. You may want to remove the row covers during times of insect pollination. |
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