Starting Your Compost Garden: A Beginner's Guide

Every aspiring gardener faces the question: how do you get started with composting?

At its core, composting is a simple and natural process. Everything rots, and by allowing kitchen scraps, lawn clippings, and other organic matter to decompose, you can create a rich, nutrient-filled soil for your garden beds. Below, we cover the basics of how to begin composting and provide valuable tips to ensure success.

The Basics of Composting

Understanding the foundational principles of composting is the first step in your gardening journey. The key is to maintain a balance between brown (carbon-rich) and green (nitrogen-rich) materials, while avoiding certain items that can be enticing for pests. Here’s a guide on what to include:

No meat, no bones. These items will rot, but they can attract vermin and wildlife, which you certainly don't want in your garden. Vegetable kitchen scraps. Apples, bananas, carrots, and more should all be included to add organic matter. Lawn clippings. Grass cuttings provide vital nutrients and moisture, so include them freely. Leaves and twigs. These add structure and further carbon-rich material to the mix. Sawdust, but avoid pressure-treated and walnut. Untreated sawdust is great, but certain treated woods and walnut can inhibit plant growth. Eggshells. Small amounts can be included, but larger quantities may attract pests, so it's best to save them for separate applications. Alternatively, you can save them to use as a calcium source. Coffee grounds and tea leaves. These are also rich in nitrogen and beneficial to your compost pile.

Maintaining Your Compost Pile

Combining all your kitchen and yard waste into a single compost bin is the simplest method. Ensure that the mixture is well-dampened to promote decomposition. Many people follow formulas or recipes that suggest specific ratios of green and brown materials, but these can be overly complicated. The key is to:

Mix as much plant material as you can find. Variety helps the process and ensures a balanced compost. Keep it moist. Spraying it with a hose every couple of days or keeping it in a place where it can absorb moisture naturally will do the trick. Turn the pile occasionally. Turning the compost helps aerate it, which speeds up the decomposition process.

While some recipes might provide detailed breakdowns, the basic principle remains simple: keep the materials damp and aerated, and they will break down into compost.

Supplementing Compost

It's important to note that compost, while invaluable, is often not in sufficient quantities to meet all your garden needs. This is where purchasing quality compost or manure from a bulk dealer becomes beneficial. Bulk soils are generally more affordable and provide the necessary nutrients for a healthy garden.

The Role of Manure

Manure is a powerful ingredient in composting, and it's especially important to use manure from herbivores. These include chicken, pig, sheep, cow, and horse manure. These sources of nitrogen-rich material provide the necessary nutrients for plant growth. Ideal manure should be well-aged or aged for at least two years to ensure any pathogens have broken down.

Manure can be kept in a separate pile to ensure it has enough time to decompose properly. Avoid using manure from carnivorous animals, as it can be too rich and may contain harmful pathogens.

A Basic Composting System

For a simple yet effective approach to composting, consider the following steps:

Collect plant materials and wood chippings. Gather branches and twigs, and use a wood chipper to break them down into smaller pieces. Create a covered pile. Find a dark corner of your property, such as near a toolshed or by trees, where it is naturally shaded and sheltered from the wind. Add kitchen scraps and leaves. Daily, add kitchen food waste and leaves, ensuring they are small enough to break down quickly. Maintain moisture. Keep the pile damp by regularly spraying it with a hose or allowing natural rain. Monitor decomposition. Within a couple of months, the bottom of the pile will indicate that decomposition is complete, as it will have turned into a dark, powdery substance ready to use.

This homemade compost can be mixed with wood chips or cow dung to create a potting soil, though it should not be used alone due to its high nutrient content, which can burn plants.

Conclusion

Composting is a simple and rewarding process for any gardener. By understanding the basics and maintaining a consistent approach, you can create a rich, nutrient-filled soil for your garden. Remember, the natural process of decomposition is the key, and with the right mix of materials, regular maintenance, and patience, you'll soon be enjoying the benefits of your composting efforts.