Making compost at home is simple. Composting happens whether you are trying or not. Just throw a tomato out into your back yard and it will disappear. Assuming the critters do not eat it, it will just slowly rot away and enrich the soil it is on.
Even if compost happens without your help you can make it happen faster, since you can never have too much compost getting it fast is good.
Choosing a Spot for the Compost Pile
Pick an area that is out of the way but not hard to get to. Although compost piles are nice for gardeners I have yet to see one that is attractive, it should not be the focal point of your garden. Actually building it on the spot that your next garden bed will be located isn’t a bad idea, if you can handle looking at it. It will enrich the soil while it is working and when it’s finished you can just mix it with the soil and call it a day. This method is normally called lasagna gardening but it is still composting.
Bins for the Compost
If you do not want your compost to be completely visible, although who doesn’t love watching maggots at work, you may want to consider a container of some sort. You can use wire, or old thrown out pallets nailed together, or purchase a composting system from a store.
3 bins would be ideal but ideal isn’t necessary if you do not have the space. If you are really low on space you could just dig a hole and bury your organic material.
What goes into the Compost Pile?
Any vegetable matter can be safely composted. Anything that was a tree or plant or the fruit of a tree of plant can be used. Unusual things that are plant based include paper, mulch, coffee grounds, tea leaves, coffee filters, and boxes.
You want equal parts tree based material and non woody plant material. You need both to get the compost working hot and so that it does not become anaerobic. Anaerobic just means that it does not get air, it will still compost just more slow and stinky.
Turning Compost
Once you have a full bin, turn the compost from one bin to the next mixing it up as you go. At this point you will not be adding any new stuff to the pile. If you keep adding new stuff you’ll never get completed compost it will just keep making compost which shrinks, so do not try to keep your bin full.
Turn your pile about once a week or if it gets hot and cools down you can turn in more frequently. The amount of time that is needed for the compost to be finished varies depending on what you have put into it and how coarse or fine the organic material was.
How will I Know When the Compost is Done?
You will not be able to identify any of the items you placed into the bin, and it will be a dark brown crumbly dirt like substance. You might still have the occasional stubborn stick or banana skin just toss it back into the collecting bin and let it go through again.
That is why three bins is best, one for collecting and two for tossing.
A few odds and ends about composting, you want your compost to be damp but not wet. If it is too wet just add some shredded paper or leaves to help dry it out. If it is too dry just give it a sprinkle from the hose. Ok I guess that was just one odd and one end.
Simple compost at home tips for beginning a compost pile.
