Composting 101

"What's so great about compost?"

I've been asked this a lot since I've had to explain about the MS prize. It seems to be a pressing issue on everyone's mind, so I'll explain what I know about it and how you can get started.



Compost is a digested mix of "brown" and "green" material. It is wonderfully full of nutrients which are delicious to your plants; it helps retain water, promotes good drainage, and keeps plants vigorous and disease free (as well as able to fend off pests). This plant treat can be produced in several ways and in varying amounts depending on your space. And for those of you worried about smelly compost, rest assured that well-maintained and properly mixed compost should not give off a smell. If it does, it's a great indication that you're messing up. =)

Getting started:

Decide what kind of composting you would like to do. Since we are dealing with smaller gardens, the two that are most feasible are vermicomposting (using red worms) or bin composting. Both of these types of composting are aerobic composting, which is the reason they should not give off offensive odors (aerobic composting requires some sort of turning, which mixes in oxygen, whereas anaerobic composting just sits and rots).

The benefit of vermicomposting is that it produces more nutrient-rich compost because of the worm castings that are left behind as waste. The worms used in this process are known as Red Wigglers or red worms. They are not available in your front lawn. (We are not talking about earthworms or "nightcrawlers".) They are, however, available through many gardening centers and mail order for a reasonable price.



These little guys don't require much in the way of housing, but they are particular about their environment. The container must be aerated to allow excess water to drain and for oxygen to enter; the air temperature must be mild (55-75 degrees F), and you can't forget to feed them. =) To learn more about vermicomposting, I suggest you check out the book "Worms Eat my Garbage" written by the Worm Woman, Mary Appelhof. If you've got specific questions like "how many worms should I start with?" or "what should I make my container out of?" let me know and I'll try to help you with specifics.

Bin composting can be done in something as elaborate as a commercially-made tumbler or in as simple as something you create out of chicken wire or wood boards.

This type of composting requires layering and manual turning of materials. The benefit over vermicomposting is that it does not require as much labor. Ideally, it is turned every time you add another layer of material but it's up to you how often it is turned.

(ok, that's a little extreme)

Oh, and yes, you can always compost in a trench or by layering in a container and then covering up with some good soil. Stick your plant right in. I discussed this in the last post, but to find out more about this type of composting, check out the book "Lasagna Gardening" by Patricia Lanza.

On to materials:

A good compost mix contains a nearly even amount of "greens" and "browns" as well as enough water to keep it slightly damp (not dripping). In other words, compost should have about 50% fresh material- things like green grass clippings, tea and coffee grounds (for you tea and coffee drinkers out there- looking in Anne's general direction), apple cores, etc., and 50% dry materials- such as newspaper shreddings, wood chips, sawdust, pine needles and dried leaves. It should feel about as moist as a wrung-out sponge.





Try to make the type and size of the materials as varied as possible. A more diverse use of material allows for more activity in beneficial bacteria as well as a higher nutrient content. When it comes to size, bacteria can obviously break down smaller pieces more quickly, but without larger pieces, your compost may not have enough room for oxygen to flow through and can become anaerobic. (Yuck.)

Some great things to include in your compost include:

eggshells

hair and fur

veggie and fruit peels

fireplace ash

nutshells

lint

tea bags and coffee filters as well as grounds

TP rolls

wool and cotton



Some of the materials you should NOT include in your compost mix include:

Black walnut tree leaves or twigs-releases substances that might be harmful to plants

Coal or charcoal ash- might contain substances harmful to plants

Dairy products (incl. egg yolks)- create odor problems and attract pests such as rodents and flies

Diseased or insect-ridden plants- it'll transfer back to other plants

Fats, grease, lard, or oils- create odor problems and attract pests

Meat or fish bones and scraps- see above

Pet wastes or litter- might contain parasites, bacteria, germs, pathogens, and viruses harmful to humans

Yard trimmings treated with chemical pesticides- might kill beneficial composting organisms

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Compost that is ready to use will be a deep color with an earthy smell.



In addition to using the compost under the plants (as a soil ammendment), try using it as a mulch around the top of your plants. And remember, if it smells, something is wrong- add a bit of the "browns" to your pile and give it a good turn.

Hope this intro helps get you on your way; if you have any specific questions, let me know and I'll try to help you out. =)

Next time-
The right mix of soil & drainage in containers- what you thought was right may be wrong! (That'll keep you riveted, eh?)