GardenDesk: Composting is the Backbone of the Organic Garden!

Compost happens. Composting is simply the breaking down of organic matter (dead things). Its a natural cycle where the organic material decays and becomes humus filled with nutrients, ready to feed new plants. It has been happening in nature since the beginning of the earth. Composting is the epitome of the circle of life.

To the organic gardener, composting is essential. We are trying to keep our gardens natural without chemical intrusion. Since we do not lean on artificial crutches for our plants to flourish, we must copy nature and use compost. Composting is so easy that no-one should be afraid of it, and everyone should be doing it.

By teaching composting seminars I have discovered that many people think it is too complicated. The purpose of this page is to outline the quick basics of composting and why it is important to the organic garden. After reading this, if you want more scientific explanations I will refer you to some excellent books.

Basics of Composting

Organic compost is the single best additive to a garden. I view compost as my number one crop and am always making more of it. So what do you need to make good rich compost? In very simple terms you need these natural things:

1. A place to put your compost materials.

2. Compost Materials.

3. Air and Water.

4. Time.

These may seem too obvious, but it is that simple. Allow me to elaborate:

1. A Place to Compost: You will usually read in composting books, that a compost heap or bin should be located where it is not too sunny and not too shady, out of sight of backyard visitors. I say put you compost operation wherever it is most convenient for you, where you will visit it often to add material and tend it. That usually means as close to the back door as possible. Many people don't like that idea because they worry about smell and unsightliness. As long as you follow some basic rules, your compost pile won't stink.

As for unsightliness, that is usually why suburban gardeners opt for a compost bin instead of an open pile. My first compost bin was a basic Compost Digester like this one:

This worked well for me for years until a tree fell on it. Now I have a more deluxe model in the Tumbleweed Compost Tumbler.

It is suspended on a stainless steel frame and can be "tumbled" to turn and aerate the compost, but now we're getting ahead of ourselves. There are dozens of different kinds of compost bins available besides my two examples. Look over on the sidebar for more interesting compost bins.

If you are not worried about looks, you can cheaply make your own compost bin from fencing or wood pallets. In addition to my tumbler, I have some home-made wooden bins and one big open pile. The key is to have a place in your yard designated for a compost bin or pile.

2. You need compost materials. You can put any plant material in your compost. Most people use grass clippings, leaves, straw, spent garden plants, coffee grounds and kitchen vegetable scraps. Anything organic is fair game and you can get creative here - hair clippings, dirt from the sweeper bag, dryer lint, etc.
DO NOT add meat or oils to your compost to avoid a bad smell or attracting rodents.

When making a new pile, simply layer the compost materials. A good way to get faster decomposition is by alternating "greens" and "browns". The "greens" add nitrogen and would include grass clippings and vegetable scraps. The "browns" add carbon and are usually shredded leaves or straw. Layer up about six inches of green, then brown repeatedly. If you have barnyard manure, you can add that too in small amounts. Also it is a good idea to include a few shovels of good garden soil to introduce some good microbes. Layer to the top of your bin or enclosure.

3. Now you need water and air.

After your pile is complete or as you are making your layers of carbon and nitrogen, you should add water. A dry pile will not break down, but be careful not to add too much water. Add more water over time when the pile begins to dry out.

Your pile will begin to heat up pretty quickly. In a day or two the temperature can rise to about 160 degrees! It's fun to make a new compost pile in late fall because the pile can actually steam from the contrast of the cool outside temperatures.

If you want finished compost quickly, you should turn and mix your compost as soon as it begins to cool. This is when it is nice to have a tumbler type of composter. Otherwise, you need to turn it with a pitch fork or garden fork, mixing from the outside in.

4. All that's left is time.

Like I said at the beginning, compost happens. How fast it happens is partially up to you. If you do not mix air in by turning your compost, the speed of decomposition will drastically slow down. If you create a bin or pile and never turn it, it will still become rich dark compost in about a year. If you pay attention to the air and water content by watering and turning or tumbling it every few days, you can usually have finished compost in a month or two. The fastest I have created compost in the past has been about three weeks. Now days I don't work that hard at it. I will turn it a few times, keep it moist, and am content to wait a couple months. I prefer to have many bins and piles going at a time as opposed to working harder to get smaller amounts to break down faster.

There are many other tips and techniques that can be employed. I will likely write more about them in my blog. For this space its best to keep it simple. My main message to you is that you should compost. It is good for the environment and great for your garden.

What if I live in an apartment or am not allowed to have a compost bin in my neighborhood?

If for some reason you do not have the space or can not have an outside bin, you can still compost. There are actually indoor bins available like this one:

This is the NatureMill Electric Kitchen Scrap Composter that heats and constantly turns your kitchen scraps. It promises to be the easiest composter ever without odor or mess - pretty cool. I have never used anything quite like that before, but I can recommend a much cheaper and possibly stranger way to get indoor compost. Use a worm bin!

I really like the Worm Factory Worm bin that I have. Worm compost, called vermicompost, is even richer in nutrients than regular compost. Maybe I will write a whole page about worm composting at a later date. For now you can read
previous posts about my worms if you are interested.

Indoor or outdoor composting, bins or piles, worms or not, If you haven't composted before - I hope you will give it a try.