You don’t have to be a really serious gardener in order to consider making your own compost; it’s extremely easy, saves money, and the difference it makes to your garden is exhilarating.
There are two main kinds – hot and cold. If you want results quickly, then you must choose the hot method. Cold composting will take longer because, without self-generated heat, everything takes longer to decompose. A third method is using a worm farm – another excellent way of recycling kitchen scraps, and it takes very little work.
When choosing either hot or cold composting, it is important to get the right balance of ingredients, in order to create perfect conditions for the microbes to do their work of breaking the pile down. A mixture of ‘brown’ and ‘green’ materials that are rich in carbon, nitrogen and protein is essential. Among those called ‘brown’ and providing carbon are dry grass clippings, leaves, wood shavings, sawdust, shredded newspaper, hay, straw, and dried-out pruning material and trimmings. I used to go to my local lumber store regularly and sweep the sawdust into plastic bags - and it was all free. For nitrogen and protein, choose ‘green’ materials such as fresh grass clippings, leafy vegetables like cabbage, alfalfa, seaweed, coffee grounds, cottonseed and finely crushed eggshells. Other components can be added to the main mixture, such as fruit and vegetable peelings, green garden trimmings, twigs, small branches, sod and soil. Remember, cutting everything into small pieces will naturally help it to break down much more quickly.
Don’t add meat, bones, dairy products, fat or oil. These will attract animals and will also delay the decomposition. It’s a personal preference, but I never put weeds in my own compost because I have found in the past that the heat generated didn’t always kill the seeds, but you may have more luck. Thermometers are specially made for use with composting and are easily available from garden centers.
Whether you are building a hot or a cold pile, make layers of the various mixes: about 5-6” of the carbon blend, then 3-4” of the nitrogen/protein; sprinkle a cup of blood meal over a layer, repeat the main layers several times and intersperse with 2” or so of sod or soil. These last two ingredients will already have microorganisms in them which will help to hasten the process. Add enough water to the pile, layer by layer, to make the center evenly moist and check regularly. You can also buy small bags of activator at a garden center to help things along – but don’t dump it all into one pile; use it judiciously.
The hot method particularly requires the right amount of water; don’t allow it to dry out. If the weather is very hot, cover the pile with a sheet of plastic or a tarp in order to hold the moisture in, making sure the site base is well drained, not soggy. The pile needs to be about 3 ft. square and certainly 4 ft. tall in order to generate the right amount of heat. If it doesn’t heat up, there’s a lack of nitrogen. Check the contents and add more nitrogen-giving elements when you turn it over. Turning should be done every 7-10 days and should be thorough. If a bad odor arises, the pile may well be too wet, or perhaps it has too much nitrogen, in which case add some newspaper, straw, leaves or something similar to balance and turn the pile more often.
Cold composting is much like the above but needs far less turning, though bear in mind that oxygen helps the microbes in their work and turning obviously provides this. It will take several months to a year, or so, to produce the sort of crumbly compost you are looking for. But keep it moist and it will gradually reward you.
Compost containers come in many forms: manufactured wood, wire, galvanised steel, plastic bins or tumblers. If you want to make your own, there are several paperback books that can give guidance on various forms and for earthworm bins. I had a large, heavy plastic tumbler for many years and found it very easy to maintain, as I had reached the age where I did not have the strength to pitch and toss. It did not attract flies or animals, gave out no bad odor, stood on a large, strong, iron base and required only a few revolutions each day in order to keep it turning. It produced a good heat and a screen provided easy distribution of the fine compost into a wheelbarrow underneath, holding within the larger pieces still to decompose. It was rather expensive, but was the perfect solution for me and I had it for many years, finally selling it when returning to England. I gauged the expense as I always do: for how many years shall I be using this? How much am I willing to pay for ease and efficiency? It ended up as a tiny fraction of a penny for each day’s use – and has gone on to help someone else. Excellent value!
Earthworms create a very fine, rich compost and it is possible to buy the bin and worms as a complete set. If providing your own bin, look for red wrigglers, or brandling worms at a fishing bait shop. Keep the bin in a place with a moderate temperature – 60-70F (15-22C). This is the perfect answer for someone with a small space but who yet would like to recycle kitchen waste and produce a smaller amount of compost.
You’ll be astonished and delighted with the difference in your garden. I do wish you well.
