It seems like every year, as soon as gardening season begins, I start to get a lot of questions about compost. What is compost and why is it so important? So since I’m itching to get going in the garden, I thought now would be the perfect time share the 411 on all things compost.
First, compost is the product of the natural decomposition of organic materials.
In a nutshell, it’s the dirt-like substance that comes from waste that is allowed to follow its natural process of breaking down to re-feed the earth. It will happen whether you compost yourself or not. But having your own compost pile really only helps you in the long run.
Compost is nature’s way of making sure the earth doesn’t pile up with waste. {As humans, we have, of course, managed to figure out how to make things that simply to not break down, but that’s a whole other topic.}
The decomposition, by design, feeds the plants that grow from the earth. Which feed the animals. It’s all part of the great cycle of nature.
Creating a compost pile or buying a composter helps to reduce the amount of stuff that ends up shoved into plastic bags and sent to the landfills. It also results in what most gardeners refer to as “black gold” for your garden. Compost is a nutrient rich amendment for your soil that is literally FREE to make.
Making your own compost is basically a no-brainer. It’s easiest to start with kitchen scraps. {Click HERE to see a full list of kitchen scraps that can be composted.} Just get a bucket or composting collector of some sort, and toss in your kitchen scraps.
When it is full, take it outside to the compost pile and dump it. Layer your kitchen scraps with grass clippings, leaves, and other yard waste. Note: sticks need to be put through a wood chipper, otherwise they take FOREVER to break down.
As a general rule of thumb, if it came from nature, you can usually send it back to nature.
Compost will need to “cook” before it breaks down into a dirt like substance.
In order for your compost to break down, you will need microbe activity. This happens pretty naturally, and while there are ways to help it along {by adding nitrogen}, I don’t think you need to.
The microbe activity is what causes the heat. Maybe you have seen a compost pile steaming in the middle of winter? The microbe activity is needed to cook the compost. It’s important to keep constant moisture {but don’t over do it} and turn your compost pile frequently in order to get the fastest results.
If your compost is complete in the spring, make sure to allow it to sit for up to 3 months before applying it directly to your beds. Compost can be “hot”, which means it is high in nitrogen, and it can burn your plants. Allowing it to sit can prevent that. When in doubt, let it sit a bit longer.
If your compost is done in the fall {which I think is ideal}, you can spread it over the top of your garden when you put it to bed and allow it to sit over the winter. Come spring, you will be ready to turn it into the soil and plant. Store bought compost can be used any time.
That’s about it. Do you have anything to add about compost? Do you make your own compost? Or buy it from the store {or another source?}. Do tell.
~Mavis
Rosemary says
I have a compost pile that I add to. Last week, when I tried to dig a hole to dump in the compost, I struck water! (I don’t just pile it on top because of all the wild life that runs thru my yard.) We had a bad storm a couple of weeks ago that dumped 10-12 inches of rain in just a few hours. I was surprised to see the water table so high. On the plus side, I haven’t needed to water the garden in 2 weeks . . .
I add tea bags to the garden (not just the compost pile). I hang them on trellises and place them on the ground around various plants. (do not use tea bags that have a slippery material – those bags won’t break down – take the loose tea out). Tea bags add nitrogen to the soil and can help deter certain insects (such as root maggots, aphids). If you use milk or sugar, etc in your tea, take the tea bag out first – you shouldn’t compost a tea bag that has been in milk, etc.
Andrea says
Interesting to learn about tea and aphids.
laura says
i am going to try the garbage can method of composting this summer. the garbage can has the requisite holes drilled into the sides and bottom and just needs to be put into place! mostly i will be adding kitchen scraps with dry layers so it will be a slow process. but i cant wait to see the results!!
Diana says
We have a large compost bin that tumbles so the scraps are can be easily mixed. It has two bins, so one is where we put new items, and the other is ready to use.
We also have a bin that we just fill up and rotate occasionally.
Then we have a large worm bin with multiple layers that we put scraps in for the worms to eat, then we use the worm castings in the garden.
Our best composter is the chicken pen. We feed them scraps then clean the bottom of their pen and add the soil to the compost areas.
Anything that doesn’t compost well, such as citrus peels, we bury in a trench in our yard. We have a rule that nothing is thrown in the trash that can be composted or recycled.
Lynda says
I love everything you do!
Andrea says
I’m a composter since before composting was cool! Grew up that way. My dad would actually bring home his banana peel from work.
I had to convert my husband but that was over 30 years ago. We eat most things fresh and meals at home so our kitchen bucket fills quickly of ‘peels and cores’. Amazing to see how it all adds up!
I really like the part where you said “… if it came from nature, you can usually send it back to nature.”
Randi says
I add compost every time I plant as well as in the fall.
Have you ever done a post on soil testing? I’m thinking that after years of adding compost I may have overdone it and may need to ammend my soil. I see soil testing kits at the nursery and sometimes ads for the local extension services. Curious what is the best way to test my garden soil.
Carla says
I have a large 3 ft square (cube, really) compost bin. I put all the lawn compost, garden compost (hello, spindly old tomato plants and carrot tops) as well as all the house compost in it. I stir it in the thawed months and let it freeze solid for about 4 months out of the year. Every spring I fork it all over into a 2nd bin and start fresh. The second bin gets to decompose for another year before it is spread over the garden. I put in all food scraps that don’t contain dairy or meat. I know egg shells are good for the garden, but they just attract the skunks and racoons so those go into the trash. My garden started as clay, so every year of organic material put on it gains me some good growing soil.
Katherine says
Have you tried toasting your eggshells before tossing them in the compost? I used toasted and finely ground, almost dust, eggshells in my garden beds, especially in the bed that will be used for tomatoes. So far it has not attracted raccoons to our garden.
tc says
try drying your egg shells in the microwave or oven then grinding them in the food processor so they are super fine then dig them in around your tomato plants. I feed mine to my chickens for the calciumtc
tc says
I have 3 compost bins including a tumbling one so when that is full I transfer to the others and let sit. I also have a Vitamix electric composter in the kitchen which I love and I add that straight to the plants or I add to the compost bin, it really takes the smell out and it grinds it down to a fine powder even citrus peels. Before I had that I blended the citrus peels up in my vitamix with water and then added it to the garden or compost bin, aids in breaking it down much quicker.