Garden Composting: A Recycling Process
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Precautions Unless the heat of your garden compost pile reaches pasteurization temperatures (140° to 160°), pest control will not be effective. Care for your mound and allow it to cure well to avoid a breeding ground for pests and diseases. Pasteurization can cause the loss of nitrogen. Regularly add to your garden compost heap high nitrogen material such as manure or grass clippings. If you live in a windy location, protect your pile against excessive loss of heat. You can use weighted covering and/or place your pile behind a windbreaker such as a hedge or fence. Materials for Garden Composting Use any organic matter such as yard clippings, hay, manure from the barnyard or stable, eggshells, vegetable parings and other kitchen scraps. Covering your mound with recycled or discarded carpet encourages earthworm activity. Garden compost bins can be made from lumber, chicken wire or hardware cloth, bricks or concrete blocks, hay bales, or railroad ties. Tarps weighted against the wind make excellent covering to keep rain from soaking the pile and slowing the garden composting process. Use a temperature gauge to measure the heat of the compost. Building the Garden Compost Heap If you have space, choose a level and well-drained ground that is in full sun to provide extra heat for the composting process. The middle of your garden is an ideal location. If you do not have the space for a compost pile, try using a box that is large enough to hold a cylindrical compost maker fitted with a handle for easy cranking. Fill the drum with organic material cranking it a few times every day. You can purchase a garden compost maker from a local garden center or hardware store, or try making one yourself. For Beginners Too Even if you are a beginner, you can easily build a garden compost pile. It must be at least three feet square and three feet high. Many people go as high as six feet. Start with a bottom layer of rough cornstalks or brush and follow it with manure or grass clippings. Add a layer of garden soil, then more clippings, and so on. If the materials are dry, sprinkle them with water as you build the mound. Repeat the sequence. Keep everything covered until you reach the desired elevation. By keeping the dirt moist for a few days prior to heating, the weeds will start germinating and they will be easier to eradicate. Important Steps Feed and keep your garden compost heap going. It is like a sourdough starter: it has to be fed every two weeks to keep producing gases. Regularly add manure and grass clippings. Mix coarse materials along with the finer ones to help the aeration process. Periodically add a little sawdust to lessen the odor. Since decomposition works best on small pieces, use your shredder first or run your lawn mower over them. Carbon and nitrogen in a 25:1 ratio will also aid fast decomposition. A well-constructed pile will have a temperature of at least 130° within three or four days. Usable garden compost may be available in as little as twelve days if you turn the heap with a fork every three days. It is "ripe" when its temperature does not rise after being turned. It is very important to test for soil pH before planting, mid-season, and after harvesting. Happy garden composting!
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