How To Build An Organic Compost Heap
Building a compost heap is a win-win situation for most households. You reduce the amount of trash you send to the dump and you have a free source of nutrient-rich soil to boost the growth of your garden each year.
Compost heaps can be elaborate or simple and there are a variety of methods to achieve your end result: rich compost for your garden.
Starting Your Organic Compost Heap
To begin you need to choose a suitable location for your compost heap. It should be convenient to both kitchen and garden, in a shady location at least half the day, and within reach of your garden hose. Keep it away from wood structures. Consider whether your neighbors will have an unwanted view of it as well.
Decide if you want to build a container for your compost, recycle a container for it, or simply pile it up. There are containers designed especially to ease the turning process, which may be desirable for someone with weakness or back problems. No matter what you choose, any container needs to have holes all around it for aeration purposes. A plastic bin can be used if you can puncture holes in the sides, top and bottom.
Once location and containment have been chosen and prepared, start gathering the starter ingredients for your compost pile. These can include grass clippings, hay, straw, shredded newspaper, vegetable and fruit waste, eggs shells, coffee grounds, fallen leaves, weeds, vines and loose dirt. To speed up the compost process you can add manure, natural fertilizer or worms. Large items should be chopped or shredded before adding to the pile.
Now begin to layer the items.
Start with your first layer of dry brown ingredients, such as shredded newspaper, hay, leaves, or dry grass. This layer should be several inches thick.
Now add green or colorful items, such as vegetable waste, grass clippings, weeds or vines. This layer should be up to 6 inches thick, depending upon the density of the items. Grass clippings should be no more than 1 inch thick.
Layer about 1 inch of loose dirt on top of the green layer. The dirt contains ingredients that will begin the decay process in the lower items.
If you choose, add a thin layer of manure or fertilizer above the dirt.
Repeat the layers, beginning with the brown layer. Build your heap no higher than it is wide. Once you are done, you can let loose a can of worms to munch away at the ingredients.
Once your compost pile has been started, add vegetable waste and yard clippings as they become available. There is no need to bury them at this time unless pests become a problem.
Turn your compost heap about once a month using a pitch fork or compost turner. Try to rotate the inner and outer ingredients. Once it has been rotated, you can add a new set of layers to the top. If your heap dries out, lightly moisten with water.
A compost heap should be ready to use in 3 or 4 months. Compost heaps will not decay during cold winter months unless they are insulated.
Building and maintaining a compost heap is a good way to reduce trash and increase the quality of your garden. Done right, it will provide you with a large supply of nutrient rich soil for your garden and perhaps enough to share.
