Thoughtful composting creates ‘black gold’
There are so many different ways to make a compost pile.
For instance, you can do what I do, which is to throw a bunch of stuff into a heap and see what happens.
Or you can do it the right way.
That entails choosing a suitable location, deciding on a structure to contain your pile, and – perhaps most important – adding the right ingredients in the right proportions.
My “technique” does work – but oh, so slowly. To get the best compost in the fastest way, you should follow some basic guidelines on which materials to use and which to avoid.
A key: mixing nitrogen-heavy ingredients (aka greens) with those heavy in carbon (aka browns). To up your game, strive for more carbon than nitrogen.
Compost – which is simply the crumbly, brown result of decayed organic matter — is often called “black gold.” It reduces and recycles waste and improves soil in a variety of ways.
Gardeners often use it as mulch or when creating new beds, for both ornamentals and edibles.
Here is a look at some common building blocks for compost, along with other matter that is widely available but has no place in a home gardener’s pile:
Brown
Shredded newspaper: As with many ingredients, shredding newspaper increases its surface area and hastens the composting process.
Same concept with crushed whole eggshells and broken twigs large, intact branches.
With newspapers, just be sure to read all the garden stories before you shred.
Dried tree leaves: If autumn brings you piles of fallen leaves that you never know what to do with, rejoice. They are perfect for a compost pile.
They will decompose faster if shredded, but they will still turn into “black gold” if not.
Dead plant material: You can participate in the circle of life when you tidy up your garden this fall by adding raw materials such as leaves, stems and flowers to your pile. vs. vs.
Green
Fresh grass clippings: Though many experts recommend letting clippings lie on your lawn – think of the practice as composting in situ – you might wish to remove them if they are especially heavy. Your compost pile will always be glad to take them.
Kitchen scraps: With a compost pile, you can keep this material – vegetable peels, apple cores and coffee grounds, for example – out of a landfill and put it to work in your landscape.
Livestock manure: If you have access to manure from herbivores such as cows, run, don’t walk, to acquire some for your pile. Your future flowers and vegetables will thank you.
Never
Meat, bones, dairy, fats and oils: These items tend to decompose slowly, attract animal pests and stink up the yard.
Diseased plants: Though some disease organisms perish during the composting process, some do not. Don’t risk composting affected plants and passing on diseases to the next generation.
Pet waste, used cat litter: Diseases, parasites, odors, an open invitation to neighborhood critters — ’nuff said.
Always
Water: Finally, a no-brainer! If your compost pile becomes dry, sprinkle it lightly. You are aiming for damp but not soggy.
And, if you are adding lots of dry material, such as fallen tree leaves, moisten them a little first.