Low Cost, High Quality Composting boosts home gardening efforts
Home composting is a low cost practice that can produce high soil quality.
Composting is the act of gathering plant and organic materials, placing them into a pile or bin and allowing them to decompose with the help of aerobic bacteria, fungi and beneficial organisms. The result is the compost itself, a rich material that is added to garden soil to improve its nutrition and fertility, moisture holding capacity and texture.
Getting started with composting is relatively easy.
First, find the best location for the compost pile, preferably one that is convenient to where the compost will be used. Ideally, a water source close to the compost location can be helpful.
Once the location is selected, fence off an area that is 3 feet wide by 3 feet high by 3 feet deep and start the compost pile directly on the ground.
Commercially produced bins or drums that tumble and aerate the compost can be purchased and placed in the compost area as well. Search online or visit nurseries and garden centers for compost bins and drums to match the given space and need.
Once the compost site is selected, begin collecting materials for the compost pile. Compost materials are divided into two groups, carbon and nitrogen.
Ideally, the ratio of carbon to nitrogen should be 30:1.
Carbon is provided by “brown” materials, such as dried leaves, shredded newspaper, sawdust, wood chips, cardboard and twigs.
Nitrogen is provided by “green” materials, such as grass clippings, manure, vegetable waste, fruit scraps, coffee grounds and egg shells.
Collect vegetable waste in a designated lidded container stored under the kitchen sink or on the countertop until making a trip to the compost pile.There are materials that should not be composted, such as black walnut tree leaves or twigs, dairy products (e.g., butter, milk, sour cream, yogurt) and eggs, diseased or insect-ridden plants, meat or fish bones and scraps, fats, grease, lard, or oils and pet wastes (e.g., dog or cat feces, soiled cat litter.)Food scraps, dairy products and fats may attract unwanted wildlife as well. The juglone found in black walnut tree hulls, nuts, leaves and bark may not decompose enough to make it safe for use in vegetable gardens. To be safe, avoid using black walnut tree debris.When a fair amount of material is collected, assemble the compost pile.Start with a layer of brown materials, approximately 3 to 4 inches in depth. Add a few inches of green materials, then a layer of garden soil to add beneficial organisms, plus water to wash the organisms into the pile. Alternate layers until all materials are used or the site or bin is full.Turn the compost pile every few days to promote oxygenation. Garden forks, shovels and aerating tools are useful implements to accomplish this task.Turning the compost regularly incorporates oxygen into the materials, facilitates their decomposition and reduces compost odor.
Add water regularly to prevent the compost from drying. Compost should feel about as damp as a wrung-out sponge.With routine care, the compost pile will generate heat. A compost temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal because this temperature sterilizes the compost and kills most weed seeds and harmful pathogens that can cause disease. Measure the compost temperature with a compost thermometer; compost thermometers are available for purchase online and in retail stores.After a few weeks to a month, the compost is ready for use in the garden. Compost is ready when it is free of identifiable food waste, is dark, rich brown in color and has a musty, earthy smell.Compost can be used in a variety of ways. Apply the compost to a depth of 2 to 3 inches as a moisture-holding mulch around plants, shrubs and trees. The compost slowly will leach its nutrients into the soil. Mix compost into the soil when planting flowers and vegetables.Compost can also be used as a turf amendment to improve soil structure, improve turfgrass health and increase water holding capacity during summer stress.Penn State Extension has extensive resources for home composting. Visit https://extension.psu.edu/home-composting-a-guide-for-home-gardeners for information on home composting.Penn State Extension also offers workshops and classes on home composting; check the website for future classes.For questions about composting, call the Master Gardener Garden Hotline at 724-287-4761, Ext. 7, or email the Master Gardeners at butlermg@psu.edu.Kathy Galante is a Penn State Master Gardener of Butler County.
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