Recipe For At Home Compost
What is Compost? Composting is a term used to explain the process of recycling organic materials. When organic materials such as food scraps, leaves, and animal products decompose properly, you end up with compost. You can produce a nutrient-rich substance that may be utilized as natural fertilizer for your soil by mixing organic material with carbon (browns) and nitrogen (greens), as well as a lot of air and water. Compost is full of nutrients and will help all your plants grow better, whether your garden is indoors or out.
When is the best time to start a Compost Pile or Bin? Fall is the best time to collect dead leaves, garden debris, and organic kitchen food waste to make a compost pile. When these materials are combined to create an open air compost pile, they’ll start the decomposition process over the winter and eventually turn into carbon-rich material.
Should you utilize a Compost Bin or Pile? Both methods take up the same amount of space, but a bin may be ideal for smaller spaces. Compost bins have a smaller capacity than a compost pile, making them easier to turn.
What to Compost? Most materials in compost piles can be classified as brown or green materials. A simple rule of thumb is to make sure the compost pile is approximately 2/3 “brown” materials and 1/3 “green” materials.
Brown materials are carbon-rich items that give compost its light, fluffy body. Brown items are wood-based or fibrous: dry leaves, branches, stems, sawdust, tree bark, shredded newspaper, corn stalks, wood ash, and pine needles.
Green materials are nitrogen-based waste materials. A few examples include food scraps, coffee grounds, green leaves, and grass clippings are excellent nitrogen-rich green materials.
When is my Compost ready? When compost is ready, there are a few physical changes you may notice. First, it should appear dark in color, like regular dirt or topsoil. It should also appear crumbly in texture, and none of the organic materials used to make it should be recognizable (as in, if you see half a lemon sticking out, it’s not done.) A compost pile that’s finished also should have reduced in size by about half the size it started.
How do I use my Compost?
Compost can be used as mulch, apply a three to six inch layer of compost around the base of the plant. Periodically throughout the summer, you may need to add more compost over the old layers to maintain the benefits of the mulch.
Finished compost makes an excellent addition to homemade potting soil.
Feed your plants and help extend their bloom time by adding 2 to 4 cups of compost to the planting hole of fall perennials.
Feed container plants and bulbs.
Give your vegetable garden plenty of compost in the fall. Spread several inches of compost on top of the existing bed, then till it into the soil in the springtime. Put a handful of compost in each hole when you're planting.
These are just a few ideas and tips for establishing and using your compost bin and piles. If you have decided to move forward with creating your own compost area there are many detailed resources on composting including books, online videos, and other resources that can assist you.
