Compost is known as black gold for the garden, the rich organic mix of decayed plant material that is rich with nutrients and minerals plants need to thrive and produce enormous yields of fruit and vegetables. With the economy being what it is, compost is often a little more expensive then we want to spend.
There is a solution at hand and it does not cost a great deal of money. Learning how to make your own compost is both fun and educational, so it is a great idea to involve the whole family in this project. Compost is beneficial for plants and the environment because it is recycling vegetative material that otherwise would be thrown away and would fill up the landfills.
The first item that you need is a composting bin; there are several different types on the market. This is one instance where it pays to spend a bit more and find a compost bin that will be easy to operate and durable. Set up the compost bin in a place in your garden area where it is not shaded by trees or difficult to work around. There are different styles and dimensions of compost bins available, the ones with the hand crank are especially nice because it is easier to mix the layers of dirt and plant material evenly.
After setting it up, start to add the ingredients to make rich compost. The first layer should be some soil from the garden area because it is already alive with the microbes and worms that help break down the plant material. The next layer should consist of green plant material, such as mown grass clippings; then next a dryer layer of vegetative material such as old leaves. Alternate the layers, adding enough water to keep damp. The other key ingredient is time; let the compost sit and decompose; turning often enough to ensure that the layers are mixed well.
The composter absorbs the heat from the plant material and the sun, causing the plants to decay faster. The correct proportions of water, dirt, plant material and heat all work together to produce compost. An important fact: only put plant material into the composter. This includes grass clippings, vegetable waste from the kitchen, coffee grounds, tea grounds, banana peels, etc. Do not include any meat scraps of any kind as it will draw animals that will try and eat it, causing a mess and costing time and money to repair the damage. After the plant material has decayed, mulch the plants in your garden to give them the nutrients they require.
You can keep adding vegetable matter as needed, just make sure the compost does not dry out too much and has enough air circulation to keep the cycle of decomposition going. A properly maintained composter should not smell sour or rotten, this is a sign that something is not working right. It is usually the lack of air or brown plant material. As you experiment more with how to make compost, you will find the right measure of ingredients to produce fantastic compost for your yard and garden.
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Learning how to make your own compost is both fun and educational.
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