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My land was a great place to grow rocks. Just water the soil and they'd pop up like mushrooms after a rainstorm. Gardening was a challenge. Then I heard about composting. Compost can revive your soil, reduce your fertilizer usage, repel pests, and make your plants lush and vibrant.

The process is nothing new. Plants have been decomposing for millennia until mankind came along, took notice and developed composting, an accelerated version of the natural process.

How is it done?

In your compost pile, combine the right balance of brown and green organic materials together, a.k.a. the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio. Brown materials are cardboard, paper, eggshells, hay, leaves, sawdust and wood chips. Green materials are manure, coffee grounds, fruits and vegetables, grass and tea bags. Never use fats, grease, oils, meat or fish scraps. The smell can attract flies and animals.

Per the EPA, a compost pile works best when the brown to green ratio is 25 to 1. Other sources go as high as 35 to 1. Either way, for a 1' thick pile, this means about a half-inch of green material, blended with the brown material.

In nature, mature compost would be produced within two years, but composting provides a rich loam in 1 to 4 months, mostly due to stirring and watering the compost.

To get started, try a 3' by 3' square by 1' high pile. Turn and water the pile every other day. The oxygen will help fungi and bacteria break down the compost. If it begins to smell, they'll need more oxygen, so, to promote better circulation, turn it over more often or add more bulking material (e.g. woodchips). Moisture is also critical in making the compost nutrients usable for them, but, if there is too much water, these nutrients will drain away. Absorbent material, such as sawdust, paper or coffee filters can be added to help maintain the right moisture content. Earthworms and beetles will absolutely love your compost and do their part to enrich the soil.

As your confidence builds, you can arrange larger amounts of compost into rows, with PVC piping placed inside, all to increase the aeration and moisture, along with a daily mixing and watering. You could also manage several piles simultaneously, on different cycles, to provide a more continuous supply.

Give composting a try. It's easy. And you'll make your part of the planet a much happier place.

Learn more about this author, Jeff Parsons.
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