Van Dycks

As a gardener, I take much pleasure from working side by side with Mother Nature. My gardens are sources of inspiration to me, and I am always grateful for them, which is why I like composting. Not only that, but composting also means that no plant is ever wasted. Even if you try to grow something and fail, the remains of that plant can be returned to the earth as compost – giving life and nourishment back to the garden.

We are always telling you to plant your plants using plenty of organic matter – and composting is the way to do that. It is easy to do and is a beneficial way to improve the quality of your soil. Composting enables you to turn your ordinary yard and kitchen waste into a rich, dark, crumbly soil amendment that will do wonders for your gardens!

Not only does composting benefit the environment, but it also saves you money. I mean have you ever really looked at the price of those store bought soil amendments! Why buy bags of it, when you can make the same thing right in your own backyard?

The benefits of composting are great in number: it helps the soil stay healthy and fertile; it enables the soil to retain moisture; it reduces water runoff; and it adds basic nutrients to the soil such as Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, as well as micro and macronutrients.

All sorts of organic materials can be composted: apple cores, human and animal hair, coffee grounds (worms love them!), dried leaves, grass clippings – even dryer lint (and to think that I used to toss my piles of lint in the garbage)!

Now composting may seem a bit scary and scientific, but it really isn't that tough –don't need to be a science wiz to have a healthy, fertile pile. The key thing to remember is that you need the right amount of Nitrogen to Carbon materials to create an active compost heap, which is usually a 1 to 3 ratio. For example, 1 part Nitrogen (i.e. grass clippings) to 3 parts Carbon (i.e. dried leaves) makes a perfect compost pile! You probably think I'm crazy if I expect you to remember the Periodic table from the eighth grade, but I promise you this will be easier! Just think of Nitrogen parts as being green, and Carbon as being brown – you'll be just fine.

Some easy to find Nitrogen sources (remember - think green!) include: grass clippings, hair, manure, vegetable produce, fruit scraps, plain bread, dead plants (make sure they don't have diseases!), coffee grounds and filters, tea bags, crushed egg shells, and horse manure. OK – so hair isn't normally green, and some veggies are orange, red or even purple (think eggplant), but they are usually obtained from something that is alive and growing and can therefore be considered green, whereas Carbon materials tend to be either woody or dead – or at least dried out.

Warning – don't add green plant material if you have treated it with an herbicide unless you are certain to wait until the material has thoroughly composted. However, grass clippings that have been sprayed with herbicide are generally all right because they decompose so swiftly.

Some Carbon sources (think brown!) that are readily available include: straw, dried leaves, dryer lint, dried grass clippings (let them turn a straw-like color before using as a carbon source), shredded newspaper, and pine needles. And if you live near the sea, add seaweed, but rinse it well to remove the salt! As for the color - while leaves start out green, by the time they have fallen to earth and gone a bit crisp, they are brown. The very process of falling to earth and then drying out changes the chemistry of the leaf.

One handy way to create compost-worthy material is to use a leaf vacuum with a shredder. This grinds the leaves into smaller pieces with more edges – and the smaller the material, the faster it will decompose. Of course, mowing will also give you grass clippings. Leave some on the lawn to fertilize it, but rake the rest for composting. If the clippings are fresh, they are green. If dried, they are brown.

An important thing to remember when creating your pile is never to use meat scraps, oily products (i.e. peanut butter, salad dressings, and mayonnaise), pet litter, fish, or dairy products. These types of materials will attract animals to your compost pile and will cause them to dig and rummage about! Pet litter is especially dangerous because it can transmit diseases. However, manure from farm animals is good – as long as it is allowed to age. Fresh manure is actually hot and can burn the plants if used too soon.

The actual process of setting up a compost pile can be as easy – or as complicated – as you want to make it. All you really need is an area that is at least 3x3x5 feet. (In milder climates, you can get away with an area of 3x3x3 feet.) The main thing to remember is that the compost pile needs to be large enough to retain heat and to prevent the contents from drying out.

If you are the handy type, and want to build your own enclosure for your compost pile, you can build one using wood pallets, chicken wire or wire screens. Or, you can simply buy a pre-made version – tumblers work really well.

A super-simple method is to compost in a black plastic garbage bag. This works well for people who have limited garden space and not a lot of access to compostable materials. If you choose this route, be sure to add one tablespoon of a high nitrogen garden fertilizer per bag. A cup of Lime will help to counteract the extra acidity caused by this form of composting. After filling the bag, add about a quart of water. Close tightly and set aside for six months to a year. You can store these bags in your basement or a heated garage – the warmth will help to speed the process up. You don't need to turn the compost, nor will you need to water it again if the bag stays tightly closed. This is the simplest possible form of composting – but it is slower than the traditional compost heap. It may take your bag all fall and winter to be usable – as opposed to the typical 2-4 months for a traditional compost heap.

When scouting out an area to build your compost enclosure on, make sure it is on level ground, has good water drainage, and is in a partially shaded area so the contents don't dry out too easily. You should also loosen the soil under the area where you will build your enclosure.

Once your structure is in place, you are ready to add organic materials. Build your pile in layers alternating between nitrogen and carbon materials. You should start with some twigs or small branches on the bottom to help with ventilation. Start with a layer of Carbon first, and then add a layer of Nitrogen - and always bury your food scraps deep in the center of the pile to deter critters from finding them. Each layer should also get a healthy dose of watering to keep it damp. Make sure that your pile is thoroughly wetted with each watering – but don't let it get soggy.

If you want to speed up the decomposition process, add some nitrogen rich fertilizer to the mix when turning the pile. This is especially important if you use sawdust or newspaper as part of your compost mix as they decompose extremely slowly. About 1 pound of actual nitrogen (ammonium nitrate) is about right for 100 pounds of sawdust.

Your compost pile will need time to heat up, and you will need to turn it every couple of days to let it breathe (once a week should be enough). Turning the pile not only helps hasten the process, but also helps to prevent odors – the main reason some people are afraid to compost. If you built your own enclosure, use a pitchfork to turn the pile making sure you turn everything about - the inside materials should be brought to the outside and visa versa for a complete turning. If you purchased a pre-made container like a tumbler, simply spin it every now and then. Adding air to your pile is crucial - each time you ventilate the pile, you are providing the microorganisms that supply your compost with fresh food.

Depending on how often you turn your pile, it should be ready in about 2 to 3 months. A good indicator of when it is ready is that it will eventually stop heating up after you've turned it, and will have decreased in size by half. You can help speed up the process by: ripping or shredding newly added materials; increasing the air circulation (try poking holes into the pile); or adding another layer or soil and/or manure to the pile. At first, you may need to take from the bottom of the pile until the top is fully decomposed.

When the contents of the compost pile are dark, crumbly, and rich with the scent of the earth, your pile is ready to be used. Your compost can be used to help reduce winter wind damage around perennials, as a nutrient rich amendment in container gardens and hanging baskets, or as thick mulch around your plants to help maintain moisture and daunt weed growth.

Composting is a fun way for you to pitch in and help Mother Nature keep all of our beloved plants, trees and shrubs growing healthy year after year. Since a compost pile requires weekly care, you can even make it a family project. I have only provided you with the very basics of composting, but if you would like to find more detailed information, just search the web. Some key words to use when searching are: composting, worm composting and grasscycling.