Compost in the Organic Garden
Compost is one of the fundamental building blocks of organic gardening.
Compost enriches your garden soil, providing nutrients the organic way. You also retard moisture loss and reduce the strain on landfills.
A compost heap can be started at any time of year and in whatever location that suits the gardener. Sun or shade, organic materials will break down. Ideal size for the fastest decomposition is between three to four feet high and three to four feet wide. A simple heap on the ground is your most basic, easiest choice, although most gardeners don't have the space or neighborhood tolerance for it.
The next simplest choice is a length of rabbit fence about 10' long and 4' high, formed into a circle. This is a good way to start out. As you build your compost heap, it's best to layer about 5" to 10" of green material such as grass clippings and kitchen vegetable waste with a 1" to 2" layer of brown material such as dried, shredded leaves or garden soil to suppress the odor. Do NOT add any meat or meat byproducts such as skin or bones. The odor from these will attract carnivorous animals to your property.
As the pile grows and a few weeks pass, you should begin to mix the materials with a pitchfork to help to aerate them. This speeds the process further. As a rule, if your garden needs watering, so does your compost. Water is necessary to the decaying process. To get the most out of your efforts, the center of the pile should be slightly concave so the water runs into the pile, not over it.
The next step up is a three-chambered compost frame. Each chamber should measure 3' by 3' by 3'. When the contents of the first chamber break down to a crumbly texture and a yellowish brown color, turn them into the second chamber, burying the top of the pile with the bottom of the pile where it will continue to decay. Now you can add new layers to the first chamber, repeating the process. The third chamber eventually fills with "finished" compost ready to spread around plants or give the flower or veg beds a good layer of nutrition as you put the garden to bed for the winter. There are many sources for instructions on how to build a 3-chambered composter.
Another option is a compost bin mounted on a frame and built to rotate, thus mixing the compost and saving you the trouble of turning it or mixing it with a pitchfork. Some gardeners like to collect the liquid runoff from the drainholes of these devices. This liquid organic fertilizer is called "compost tea" and can be so strong it's best to dilute it 1 to 1 with water.
While the nutrients and helpful bacteria generated by compost are vital contributions, replenishing the soil is an ongoing process that involves more than one practice. We'll look at other practices in future articles.
