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Part of Organic Gardening is making your own compost
if possible. By doing so you know exactly what has been used and
can avoid chemical additives. By composting you give back to the
land some of what you take out.
Choose a site that's level and shady, has good drainage
and allows easy access to wheelbarrows, garden paths and a watering
hose. If possible, do not locate the pile close to trees. Tree roots
may be attracted to the loose moist organic material in the bottom.
Compost bins have three permanent walls and one
that's removable, allowing you to "turn," or mix, the
materials within the bin. You can use wire mesh or wooden slats
for the walls but it must have aeration to speed the decomposition
process, so don't build anything airtight. If you use wood, cedar
or cypress are best because they will better resist the decaying
effect from the bin's contents.
You may wish to build two bins with a shared center
wall. One bin to store already composted materials for use and the
other for material that's still composting. If possible, keep the
pile about 3'x 3'x 3'. Smaller piles will still work, but more slowly.
Moisture's a good thing because it speeds decomposition, so you
won't need a top. If you experence a lot of rain your bin may be
need to be covered with plastic or other materials during wet weather
to avoid excessive moisture buildup.
The pile is best started directly on the ground.
However, to provide the best aeration to the base and improve drainage,
you may choose to dig a trench across the center of the base and
cover it with stiff hardware cloth before you begin the layers.
Now that you have built the bin, start by laying in a foot or so
of material. You want a mix of fresh green stuff (lawn clippings,
weeds, sod, if using materials that mat such as grass clippings,
should be placed in layers only 2 to 3 inches thick or mixed with
coarser materials for thicker materials.) Add inert or brown stuff
(leaves, sawdust, shredded paper, straw, corncobs). Next, put in
a layer of manure 1-2 inches deep or fertilizer. In order of most
to least beneficial, choose rabbit, chicken, sheep, horse, steer,
cattle, duck and pig. If garden fertilizers such as 12-12-12 are
used as a nitrogen source, use about 1 cup per 25 square feet of
the top surface of each layer. Add an inch of topsoil and repeat
these layers until the bin is filled. It is a good idea to water
the layers as you go rather than the completed pile. The entire
pile should be as wet as a well-wrung sponge.
The center of a properly made heap should reach
a temperature of 110 to 140 degrees F in four to five days. After
about a week has passed, take that removable wall down and use a
shovel or pitchfork to mix the material. Throw on some manure or
fertilizer. Turn the mixture every three to five days. You may turn
it less frequently or not at all, but the compost will take longer
to "cook". If you forget to turn it, no problem, it will
just take longer to "cook". Water regularly, making sure
to keep the pile fairly moist, but not soggy. To check the moisture
content of the pile, squeeze a handful of compost. If a few drops
of water can be squeezed out, moisture is about right. If no drops
fall, it is too dry. If water trickles out, it is too wet. If you
have a thermometer, you can test the temperature of the pile. When
it begins to cool, it is time to turn and water the pile. Once it's
turned a uniform brown, crumbles to the touch and has an earthy
near odorless smell, it's all set for spreading.
Do not add meat, fish, bones, dairy foods grease
or oils; pet feces or used cat litter; sawdust or chips from painted,
treated or pressurized wood; weeds that have gone to seed or spread
by runners; diseased or insect-infested plants.
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