Gardening and composting go hand in hand… but beware of unwelcome visitors

AS WELL as helping to enrich your soil, composting also reduces food waste going to landfill, so it’s no surprise that more and more home are getting involved.

Compost is a nutrient-rich food product that will help improve soil structure, maintain moisture levels and will have everything your plants need including nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium and it will help buffer soils that are very acidic or alkaline.

There are a couple of basic things to keep in mind when sitting up a composter. The bottom of your compost should be in contact with the soil, to encourage worms and microorganisms to invade and help convert the organic matter into valuable humus.

Ideally, the bin should have an open base, be larger at the base than at the top, and have a lid to keep unwanted visitors out. Some bins have air holes in the side to allow air out

When building up layers of material in your bin, there has to be a balance of carbon and nitrogen materials. Carbon material is dry, brown, woody plant material, hay, dried leaves, torn newspaper, dry lawn clippings or torn cardboard. Nitrogen material is fresh, green, living plant material, lawn clippings, green leaves, vegetable scraps from the kitchen, animal manure. One of the problems associated with composting, however, is rodents, who can be attracted to compost piles, both as a source of food and a place to live.

Good compost management can deter pests while also accelerating the composting process. For example, do not add meat, chicken, fish, oils, cheese, or leftovers containing excessive oil or seasoning. Add torn newspaper or cardboard each time you put food waste in the bin. Turning your pile and keeping it moist will increase the temperature and speed up decomposition and will also discourage animals that are looking for a dry, undisturbed bed. Be watchful for food that becomes exposed when you turn the compost.

Other possible solutions include wrapping your entire bin or covering vents in wire mesh; securing a tight-fitting lid and digging out the soil below your bin and laying three to four inches of coarse gravel underneath will act as a barrier against burrowing vermin.