Organic Compost Making

Organic compost making is a great way to safely fertilize and grow a healthy lawn and garden. Compost is defined as “decomposed organic matter”. It’s great for improving your soil structure and for providing nutrition for your lawn and plant growth.

You can buy compost tumblers from your local home improvement store, on the internet or build one on your own. Basically it looks like a garbage can with holes on the side and it pivots on a metal fulcrum. (If this project appeals to you, do a search on the internet for “compost tumbler” and you’ll see what it looks like so that you can recreate it on your own.)

You can also build a more passive compost pile by nailing four pallets together to form a square.

Tips for Good Compost

Anything that was once living or breathing can be composted. However, make sure you have a blend of nitrogen-rich “greens” such as lawn clippings, weeds and food wastes along with “browns” such as leaves, twigs and bark. The best ratio would be browns to greens by at least a 2:1 ratio otherwise it will stink.

Keep the pile evenly moist but not constantly wet. Allow for air movement which is accomplished easier and faster by using a compost tumbler.

Use some native soil in the compost so that native microorganisms can be introduced into it.

Add a “compost starter” if you want to speed up the decomposition process.

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