Composting: Making Gardener’s Gold

Spring is certainly in the air and although we are still bothered by occasional night frosts there is one thing you can do to get your green thumb working: composting. Having a backyard compost pile or bin has so many benefits including saving you money. Composting involves transforming materials that would otherwise be waste, into a rich soil amendment through decomposition. It’s easy to do and you only need as big a space as you want. You can use or build a compost bin or just make a pile. You may think with our long winters it may not be worthwhile, but compost can be kept fertile through the winter by occasionally adding a pail of warm water. With little effort you could have compost full of nutrients for under shrubs and trees, outside potted plants, and your vegetable and flower garden. You only need a few things to get started and a little bit of know-how. You’ll need three basic ingredients: 1. Browns – i.e. dead leaves, branches, and twigs 2. Greens – i.e. grass clippings, vegetable and fruit scraps, and coffee grounds, and 3. Water.

The countless materials you can compost may surprise you. Common materials are fruit and vegetable scraps, leaves, grass clippings, wood chips, animal manure (cow, horse, etc.), coffee grounds, wood ashes, hay, straw, and yard trimmings. But did you know you can also compost shredded cardboard rolls, clean paper, coffee filters, cotton rags, dryer and vacuum cleaner lint, eggshells, hair and fur, nut shells, shredded newspaper, tea bags, and wool rags. Indeed, it is equally important to know what you do not want to put in your compost. These include ashes from coal or charcoal, diseased or chemically treated plants, leaves or twigs from the black walnut tree, dairy products, meat and fish scraps, fats, grease, lards, oils, and pet wastes (dog or cat feces etc.). Using these materials could create odor, attract pests, and may contain parasites and bacteria that could be harmful to humans and plants.

You want to pick a spot that is dry, shady, and where your hose can reach if that is your water source. First, your materials should be chopped or shredded to increase surface area, but not too small or air cannot circulate well in the compost. Start with a layer of brown material and cover that with a layer of green material. Mix these together gently, cover with another layer of brown material, and add water just to moisten. You can add regularly to the pile but you want to add about the same amounts of greens and browns. Compost needs air and water to decompose so turn with a pitchfork and moisten about every two to four weeks. A trick in the summer is to use the water in your hose that has been heated by the sun to moisten your compost. Worms and fungi help decompose the material so don’t worry if you find these in your compost. Compost does not finish at a set rate, it depends on various factors but its ready when rich and dark in color and an average is about three months. A well maintained compost pile will not smell or attract pests.