Compost isn’t dirt but it sure can help your garden grow…or so I’ve been told! I wouldn’t know firsthand because I’ve had a tumbling composter for the past two years and haven’t been able to make a successful batch of compost yet. Undeterred, I enrolled in a local course to become (drum roll please…) “Master Composter Certified”.
Though no cape, invisible jet or tiara come with this new title, I’m please to say I have learned a great deal about the biology of compost and what it takes to make a lovely soil conditioner for my garden. From my training, I’ve created my top 10 list of things I think everyone should know about composting.
10. It’s an inexpensive and easy way to eliminate yard waste and food scraps while creating the equivalent of garden gold!
9. Choose wisely when selecting the container you will use. Three bin composters are great if you want to keep more than one batch “cooking all the time. Tumbling composters can speed things up but will limit the size of your batch.
8. Do NOT add meats, fish, oily foods, dairy, pet manure or diseased or insect infested plants or weeds that have gone to seed in your pile.
7. Do add yard trimmings, garden debris, veggie and fruit scraps, coffee grounds and filters, horse, cow, chicken and rabbit manure.
6. You need 4 key elements:
- Organic materials: In a ratio of 2 parts brown to 1 part green.
- Moisture: Should be at a level that feels like a damp sponge.
- Temperature: The pile should be warm to the touch (except in winter).
- Air: Turning your pile will add air and help eliminate odors.
5. Browns include leaves, dead plants, straw, shredded paper, twigs, and sawdust.
4. Greens include grass, green weeds, manure, coffee grounds and kitchen scraps.
3. If it stinks, ADD Browns!
2. It is ready when you can put a sample in a plastic bag for 2-4 hours and it doesn’t stink terribly when you open the bag. If it does, it isn’t done.
1. It is useful and reduces your waste stream! Apply as mulch or work into the top 6-8 inches of soil when planting.
I’ve now begun my adventure in home composting and am in full swing with my kitchen composter and tumbling bin. I’m looking forward to using it in my garden with some of my new garden accessories from our global garden product category!
Do you have any questions about home composting? If so, check out this presentation from Penn State and the DEP or post your comments below. Advice from experienced home composters is also welcomed!
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