The Beginners Guide To Composting

• Teabags
• Grass cuttings
• Vegetable peelings, salad leaves, and fruit scraps
• Coffee grounds and filter paper
• Spent bedding plants
• Weeds
• Crushed eggshells
• Egg and cereal boxes
• Cardboard and paper
• Toilet and kitchen roll tubes
• Garden pruning…cut into small pieces
• Twigs
• Straw and hay
• Ashes from wood
• Sawdust
• Woody clippings
• Tissues, paper towels, and napkins
• Shredded paper documents
• Corn cobs and stalks
• Animal manure

Now, remember that everything rots…so all you have to do is place compostable items on your compost pile, and eventually, you will have “black gold” AKA compost.

WHAT CAN I DO TO SPEED UP THE TIMETABLE FOR COMPOSTING?

There are quite a few things you can do to speed up the composting process…

1. You can layer your compost pile with different compostable items.  The easiest way to do this, in my opinion, is to layer by color.  I like to layer green and then brown colors.  For example, I layer brown leaves than green grass clippings or brown dead weeds with green kitchen scraps.  Another way to look at layering is by layering dead, dried-up things, and fresh alive things.

2. You can purchase a commercial compost starter.  I have never done this but hear it does speed up the process. Jobe’s 09926 Organic Compost Starter 4-Pound Bag

3. Place your compost in a sunny location and start your pile on bare dirt.

4. Make a “hot” compost bin, a compost pile that is from 40 degrees to 65 degrees is considered a “hot” bin and the ingredients of a hot bin compost quicker.

I have a three-bin system similar to the picture above but mine is made from old wooden pallets that have been tied together with garden twine.  We fill up each bin and then move to the other bins as each one fills up.  Autumn is a great time to collect items to be composted.  I like to mow my lawn frequently when the leaves are falling off the trees.  The mower combines the green grass with the brown leaves and chops the leaves and grass into small, easily compostable debris.   That is a great way to add a great amount of organic material to your compost bins.

WHAT CAN I USE COMPOST FOR?

Grow Large Flowers 

Help your new plants and flowers bloom by digging a 10cm layer of compost into the soil prior to planting.

If your flowers have already been planted you simply need to spread a thin layer of compost around the base of the plants. Nutrients will work their way down to the roots and your plants will enjoy the boost compost provides.

Healthy Soil

The borders of your garden will also greatly appreciate your compost.

Spread up to a 5cm layer of compost over the existing soil. Worms will quickly like getting to work mixing it in for you! Otherwise, you can dig your finished compost into the soil prior to planting. It is important that you leave gaps around any soft-stemmed plants.

Mulch 

Using your compost as mulch is an excellent idea.

Using compost over flowerbeds and around shrubs helps prevent soil erosion and will replenish much-needed nutrients. A layer of about 3 inches should do the trick.

The compost is great for your trees. Spreading a 3 to 5-inch layer around the roots will provide them with organic nutrients and can protect against drought and disease.

Flower Pots

Give your potted plants and containers an extra boost by removing the top inch of existing soil and adding your freshly made compost.

You can mix compost with regular soil or leaf mold to create your own healthy potting mixture for containers.

Your plants and any new plants from seeds will enjoy the additional nutrients and minerals that your compost-enriched potting soil contains, and outdoor container plants will love it too.

Vegetable Garden 

Compost is excellent for growing herbs and vegetables.

Simply pile it around the base of the plants. Your vegetables will grow better with compost added to their soil. Apply compost with each planting.

YOUR TURN…

How do you use compost?

Blessings,

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