Eco Friendly

How to build a compost pile

It’s spring and your gardens are calling for a little rejuvenation. Why not consider starting a compost pile this season? Composting is not only good for your garden, it also takes a small burden off the environment. With compost you turn waste into rich nutrients and return them to the earth and your plants, relieving your local landfill. It’s also a more fun, interactive approach to the life cycle of trash. Here’s a guide to making a compost pile in your own yard:

Select a spot

Make sure it’s convenient for you and your neighbors – nothing intrusive or unsightly for them. Put the pile directly on the earth so nutrients and insects can naturally cycle up and down through the pile. The ground should also be level and well drained. You might even want to build a small enclosure to secure the pile from wind and to hide it from view. Or you can purchase a special compost bin if you’re serious about your compost.

Make compost

Many organic materials are compostable, from leaves to newspaper. According to composting Web site compostguide.com, “The pile needs a proper ratio of carbon-rich materials, or ‘browns,’ and nitrogen-rich materials, or ‘greens.’ Among the brown materials are dried leaves, straw, and wood chips. Nitrogen materials are fresh or green, such as grass clippings and kitchen scraps.” The rate of decomposition depends on the ratio of browns to greens. It can take some time and trial and error to perfect, but the Guide says you’ll need roughly 25 parts browns to 1 part greens. If you want usable compost this season, you’ll have to put some work into it. This involves chopping and shredding materials into smaller pieces that will decompose quicker, turning the pile to circulate oxygen, and knowing which materials make a perfect balance. A more passive approach to composting – waiting for materials to decompose on their own – could take up to two years to produce usable compost.

Use it

Compost is ready to use in your garden when it is dark brown and when most materials have been completely broken down. This finished compost comes from the bottom of the pile. Depending on how nutrient poor your soil is, you can either use the compost as a top layer, or work it into the soil. Either way, the compost will allow your soil to better hold water, air, and nutrients, and will make your plants healthier.

There’s more to composting than what’s mentioned in this article. For a more in-depth guide and a list of compostable materials, visit www.compostguide.com.