diy composting
Special thanks to Master Gardener and Master Composter Melanie Files and to Master Gardeners and“ Compost Queens” Karen Greeley, Deb IntVeldt and Gail Pearson for their instructions and maintenance tips.
Rubbish to Riches
BY VANESSA AMAR + PHOTO BY JASON TURNER
While some gardeners size up rows of leafy lettuces and vines of juicy tomatoes each growing season, others scratch around for a tiny onion or nubbin of carrot. Giving seeds the best start begins with the soil they burst forth from— and compost is a prime ingredient.“ Compost is called‘ black gold’ for several reasons: it enriches your gardening soil, it enriches your diet from eating the plants that use the nutrients from that soil, and it almost eliminates the need for any other fertilizers,” says Master Gardener Melanie Files. Follow these composting guidelines and you could be shoveling garden gold.
MATERIALS: There are four basic ingredients:
• Carbons or“ browns”: non-diseased dried plant materials, straw, egg shells, shredded leaves and newspaper
• Nitrogens or“ greens”: plant-based
LOOKING FOR THAT ELUSIVE POT OF GARDEN-ENHANCING GOLD? CREATE A COMPOST PILE!
kitchen scraps, untreated fresh grass clippings, coffee grounds, aged manure, wood ash( add sparingly)
• Air
• Water
COMPOSTING INSTRUCTIONS: » Where you place your pile depends on your preferences and your neighborhood. Compost piles can be disguised with shrubbery, flowers or straw bales. » Pick a spot that is close to a water source and where you can easily access the pile, especially if you plan to compost kitchen scraps. » A structure is not absolutely necessary; materials can simply be put on the ground. » There are numerous ways to set up a compost pile. An effective, efficient, traditional size is 3 feet x 3 feet x 3 feet as it enables the pile to generate heat, kill pathogens and destroy weed seeds. » The ideal pile composition is 30:1— carbons / browns: nitrogens / greens. Do NOT compost meats, dairy, fats / oils, cat / dog waste, glossy paper, diseased plants, hard-to-kill weeds or weeds that have gone to seed.
COMPOSTING INSTRUCTIONS: » Position concrete blocks in a U-shaped form, with two on the short side and four on the long side. » Place a 2 – 3-inch layer of dried leaves on the bottom of the enclosure and water it. » Add a layer of fresh-cut grass( 2 – 3 inches) on the leaves. » Sprinkle a shovelful of soil on top. » Repeat the layers, making sure they are wet but not soggy. » A cover is optional. » In about two days, the pile will start to“ cook.” After five to seven days, turn the pile using a pitchfork. » Always check the moisture level, making sure the pile is damp. » If you turn the pile once a week, it should take about three to four weeks to have usable compost. If you don’ t turn it, the process will take longer, but you will still end up with compost.
MASTER GARDENERS AND“ COMPOST QUEENS” KAREN GREELEY( L – R), DEB INDTVELDT AND GAIL PEARSON TURN YARD WASTE INTO GARDENING GOLD WITH A SIMPLE COMPOST PILE.
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