Making compost for your organic garden

Making Compost for your Organic Garden

Leaving the garden bare over the winter can result in a loss of nutrients and soil erosion during the spring thaw. This is why it is essential that every organic gardener maintains a compost pile. All of the waste produced in the garden, the scraps and leftovers from the kitchen, and leaves and grass clippings from mowing can be recycled into a wonderful fertilizer for the garden. Start by building a compost pile in specific layers rather than at random will work best for you. Start with woody material at the bottom to allow air into the pile. Follow this with a layer of green materials such as grass clippings, weeds, and kitchen waste, and then add a layer of manure. Follow up with a layer of brown materials, such as dried leaves, straw, or dry plant debris. Repeat this layering process until the compost bin is full. You will need to wet the pile, but not soaking wet. Cover if necessary if pile is too wet from a rainy season. Turn the pile often to keep the pile cooking.

Compost Rejects

Cooked kitchen waste and meat scraps produce a strong ordor and will attact animals.

Diseased plants or pest-infested plants.

Manure from dogs and cats may contain diseases.

Weeds with a high seed content.