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Composting isn't brain surgery! For years I put off trying to start a compost pile because I was afraid of collecting a bunch a smelly stuff that would just refuse to break down. Now, after four successful years of creating great compost, I'm ready to share the basics.

Lay some bricks or similar material as your foundation. Create a square about 3' x 3' if you've got the space. Position this foundation away from your house, in a spot that gets sun most of the day. Wrap chicken wire around the foundation, tucking it under the bricks as needed. Make it about 3' high. Get some plastic garden poles (the ones that hold up tomatoes). Weave them through the wire and stick them in the ground to create your frame. You can create a cover in a similar way. Branches can be used. Remove the leaves. Wrap the wire around it and lay it across the top of the bin.

Now here's the recipe. First lay a nice base of dried leaves and grass clippings that measures about 2 inches deep. Buy a bag of rich black compost. Put it next to your newly created bin. Keep a plastic scooper in the compost bag.The one secret ingredient you'll need to search out are red worms. You may find them in your garden, at a local bait shop, or on line. They are the key and you only need to add about 50 of them one time. They survive and multiply from year to year and they are your work force!

On top of the leaves and grass layer, lay your kitchen waste. Spread it out evenly over the top. All fruits and veggies, coffee grinds, unbleached filters, bread, pasta, rice, and crushed egg shells should be part of what you put in your bin. No animal wastes of any kind! Cover that with grass clippings, when available, plus a good scoop of the purchased compose plus a layer of dried leaves. The last two are a must.

Make sure every bit of your food waste is covered or you'll attract tons of flies. Lightly pour about a half gallon of water over the whole surface. You want the pile to feel like a wet sponge. It'll need more water in the warmer months, and less in the colder months when the compost process slows down considerably. I'd suggest only starting the process in the spring or summer so it can gain momentum before the weather cools down.

Lastly, you need two "tools". The first one is another one of those green garden poles mentioned above. After you pour on the water, poke through the whole concoction in about 10-12 spots. This lets air get down deep into the pile where its needed as part of the decomposition process. The other tool is something you can either purchase or create. It's called a compost pile aerator. It looks like a big plastic pole with about 8" of twirls on its end that resemble a screw. It churns up the pile. I usually start with this one before I add any new waste each week.

So there you have it. Every spring, when the pile has completely thawed, I empty it out into a separate bin and start a new pile of compost. You don't have to do this, but it enables you to have easy access to soil for your new garden.

So give it a whirl. You'll be very proud of yourself when you see how easy it is. And you'll be amazed how years of kitchen waste break down and return to the earth, like geese going home.

Learn more about this author, Judith Kadden.
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