by Laurel Queen

Created on: May 07, 2008   Last Updated: May 20, 2008

Composting produces nutrient-rich soil with no extra cost to you. Compost heaps are fairly easy to start up and maintain as long as you follow some simple guidelines. The key to a good compost heap is the mixture of 'brown' and 'green' products, keeping the compost pile wet, and turning the compost occasionally. The exact ratio of green to brown materials is debatable - a good rule of thumb is about half and half by volume, but experiment on your own to find the perfect ratio for your situation.

'Brown' items contain high levels of carbon, and are essential to decomposing successfully. Brown materials include cardboard, paper, wood, straw and dry leaves. Wood and dry leaves should be broken up into small pieces if at all possible; while possible to add them directly to a compost pile, the smaller the pieces are, the faster the materials decompose. Cardboard should be ripped up before being dropped into the pile for the same reason. Newspaper is a brown material, but it decomposes very slowly, so only a limited amount should be added (roughly 10% of your total heap).

'Green' materials are rich in nitrogen, and include kitchen scraps, grass clippings, garden plants, natural fibers and coffee grounds. But too much 'green' material can produce excessive odor, especially in a hot compost heap. Meat and dairy products should be avoided - they can carry diseases which will not be killed by the heat of the compost. Eggshells are good compost fodder, though they should be crushed before adding them. Leftover plants from last year garden can be great, but be sure to not add diseased plants or too many weeds into your compost heap. Some diseases will not die even in a very hot compost heap and some weeds are hard to kill for the same reason.

While bins keep compost piles neater, they are not necessary to having a successful compost pile. It is not advisable to start a compost heap in a house, due to the odors they produce. Compost heaps work best when on or touching the ground (to let bugs and insects access the pile easier), but it is possible to have a compost heap in a barrel attached to an A-frame (this makes turning the pile much easier, but can be more difficult to maintain) if bugs and worms are added manually.

Compost piles must be at least moist - though over-watering can cease decomposition. The compost should be about as wet as a wrung out sponge. If ants or wasps have nested in your pile, it is too dry, and you should add liquid to it (but if you have wasps, it's best to wait until they're gone before doing so, or you will have a swarm of angry wasps after you!).

Compost can be used to enrich potting soil, or in a home or community garden. While that is the most traditional use of compost, get creative - try giving it to neighbors who garden as a gift. Reduce your kitchen waste output by starting one. Help enrich your lawn by using compost you made on it (sparingly).

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