05/03/2020
Lets talk compost.
Here are the basics of composting:
1. Start your compost pile on bare earth. This allows worms and other beneficial organisms to aerate the compost and be transported to your garden beds.
2. Lay twigs or straw first, a few inches deep. This aids drainage and helps aerate the pile.
3. Add compost materials in layers, alternating moist and dry. Moist ingredients are food scraps, tea bags, seaweed, etc. Dry materials are straw, leaves, sawdust pellets and wood ashes. If you have wood ashes, sprinkle in thin layers, or they will clump together and be slow to break down.
4. Add manure, green manure (clover, buckwheat, wheatgrass, grass clippings) or any nitrogen source. This activates the compost pile and speeds the process along.
5. Keep compost moist. Water occasionally, or let rain do the job.
Cover with anything you have – wood, plastic sheeting, carpet scraps. Covering helps retain moisture and heat, two essentials for compost. Covering also prevents the compost from being over-watered by rain. The compost should be moist, but not soaked and sodden.
6. Turn. Every few weeks give the pile a quick turn with a pitchfork or shovel. This aerates the pile. Oxygen is required for the process to work, and turning “adds” oxygen. You can skip this step if you have a ready supply of coarse material like straw. Once you’ve established your compost pile, add new materials by mixing them in, rather than by adding them in layers. Mixing, or turning, the compost pile is key to aerating the composting materials and speeding the process to completion. If you want to buy a composter, rather than build your own compost pile, you may consider a buying a rotating compost tumbler which makes it easy to mix the compost regularly.
So what if you don't have the money to pay $100 a bin? Here are a few ways I have composted. I have scoured craigslist and found a few free composters there or Facebook marketplace. If you dont have such luck, I have a different, much cheaper Idea.
You can purchase 40 gallon plastic barrels anywhere from $15 to $25 on the high end. If you get this, make sure you get a lid. You can cut slits into the trash can to help aerate your compost. Place the items you want to compost into the container. After you do this, you can wait a few weeks until it is time to mix it again. To mix, you can simply roll the container on its side and roll it around to mix. This works great.
If this is still to expensive, no worries. One of the easiest and cheapest ways to compost is to use trash bags. You can simply place your items into the bags and again mix when necessary. This will still get the job done.
I hope this helps or gives you some ideas for composting. We will have more DIY ideas coming soon.
