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How to Make Compost
Home » Lawn & Garden » Composting » How to Make CompostMaking compost is a process with several steps. First, you must choose a site for the compost pile. Second, you must choose a structure. Third, you need to add the ingredients. Fourth, you need to care for and feed the compost pile. And last, you can collect the finished compost for use.
1. Choosing a Site- Choosing a spot for your compost pile is an important decision. You want it far enough from your house that it is discreet, yet close enough that you will tend to it. You also need to make sure it isn’t too close to the boundary line of your neighbor’s property. You may have to check with local housing ordinances or homeowners associations before choosing a spot. There are several other factors to consider when choosing a spot for you compost pile. First, you want to make sure that is isn’t downwind from your house. Even well maintained compost piles could give off unpleasant odors. Second, consider the amount of wind the area gets. Too much can dry out or scatter the materials. Third, the area should get enough sunlight to warm the pile in winter, but not so much that it dries out. Locating your pile under a large, deciduous tree will provide shade in the summer and warmth in the winter. Fourth, the area should have good drainage so that water will not accumulate by the pile. And last, you should place your pile on a bare surface rather than concrete, and you should have sufficient space to work around the pile.
2. Choosing a Structure- There are several ways to do composting. The simplest way is to pile everything in a heap and let nature take its course. This type of composting is called passive composting. You can also build compost bins out of chicken wire, wood, or concrete blocks. With this type of composting, you are continually adding new material to the top and are turning the mixture frequently. Finished compost is taken from the bottom.
3. Adding the Ingredients- It’s important to know what types of ingredients can be composted and what cannot.
The following items can be easily composted: kitchen waste (fruit and vegetable waste, egg shells, coffee grounds, tea bags, coffee filters, corncobs, meat, and dairy products), yard waste (grass clippings, leaves, pine needles, weeds, branches and twigs, straw, and hay), newspaper, seaweed, and sawdust.
The following items should NOT be composted: human waste or pet litter, diseased garden plants, invasive weeds, charcoal ashes, glossy paper, and pesticide-treated plant material.
4. Caring for and Feeding the Compost Pile- As you add new layers of material to the compost pile, cover it with soil and keep it moist. Turn the compost every day or every other day to give it an adequate supply of oxygen. As you add new trash to the pile, the finished compost will sink to the bottom. Here are some signs that your compost pile is working properly:
1. It has a sweet, earthy smell rather than a foul odor.
2. It is warm. There may even be steam rising from the pile.
3. You can see gas bubbles in the pile from the release of carbon dioxide.
5. Collecting the Finished Compost- There is no rock solid way to determine if compost is finished. There are, however, some tell-tale signs to judge:
1. Temperature- If the temperature is below 100 degrees Fahrenheit, then it is probably done.
2. Appearance- The material should appear to be at least 50 percent decomposed. Do you recognize any of the trash you put in?
3. Size- The volume of the compost should have reduced to 50-75% of its original size.
4. Color- It should be dark brown or black.
5. Texture- Is it smooth or crumbly?
6. Smell- Does it smell earthy like soil?
Finished compost can serve a number of purposes. It can improve the soil in your yard and increase the activity of soil microbes. It can improve the chemistry and the nutrients in your soil. It can change the temperature of the soil around your plants and trees. And it can heighten the resistance to insects and diseases in you garden plants and trees.
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