Happy Earth Day!

Winter is finally over and its time to get our backyards ready so that we can spend some time in the sun! As we begin to replant and bring some color back into our yards, there's a simple weekend project that can help keep your flower beds and vegetable gardens healthy and earth-friendly.

After that first springtime lawn mowing session, consider using the grass clippings to start a compost pile. Anyone with a backyard can easily start a compost pile. Creating your own compost pile reduces the amount of yard and kitchen waste by recycling it into a natural soil conditioner and fertilizer. Compost is basically an organic matter made of decomposed organic materials such as lawn clippings, dead plants, and leftover food; all these components contain microorganisms that help plants stay healthy. Different types of bacteria and fungi work together to break down the various materials. Compost also adds nutrients to the soil and helps clay soil drain better and sandy soil retain water.

Follow these simple steps to create a rich, nutrient-filled soil that will make your garden flourish.

Gather a shovel, pitchfork, hose, some grass clippings and dry leaves and let's get composting!

Step 1:

Choose a spot that is near your kitchen and garden for convenience, but out of plain sight. You may want to construct a simple box or bin for your compost using stiff wire mesh, slatted wood, or recycled pallets from your local grocery store. Leave the bin open on one side so that it is easier to add more compost and turn the pile easily. The compost pile should be at least three square feet and three feet tall so that it maintains a constant temperature so that the organic matter can decompose. If you live in an especially rainy or wet climate, cover the bins with a sheet of plywood.

Step 2:

Gather grass clippings (green materials) and dry leaves (brown materials). Green ingredients are high in nitrogen while brown materials are high in carbon. Pile up the materials, alternating between layers of leaves and grass. A balance of one part green materials (grass) to two part brown materials (leaves) will break down the fastest. By simply adding one shovelful of green material to the pile and topping it with two shovelfuls of brown material and then mixing them together, your pile will have an ideal balance. Be careful to not add too much green material, as this can make the pile have a suspicious odor. Continue adding materials until your pile is about three cubic feet.

Step 3:

Top off the layers with a shovelful of garden soil to help jumpstart the microbial action.

Step 4:

Add water. Hose down the pile so that the material is saturated, but not sopping wet. Too much moisture can make the pile too cool and make it smell. Not enough water will slow down the decomposition process because the pile will take too long to heat up.

Step 5:

Leave your pile for a few days to allow it to reach the optimal temperature. If it cools, turn the pile to add more oxygen and help speed up the process.

Step 6:

Water your compost pile on a weekly basis. The mixture should feel like a damp, wrung-out sponge. If the mixture feels too damp, avoid watering and mix in more dry leaves to create a better balance.

Step 7:

Turn the pile once a week to prevent the compost from compacting, which reduces airflow and slows down decomposition.

Step 8:

Add household waste such as spoiled vegetables, leftovers, coffee grinds, and eggshells as you use them. Be careful not to add meats, dairy items, diseased plants, weeds that have gone to seeds, or anything treated with pesticides or herbicides.

Step 9:

Your compost pile should be ready to use in your vegetable garden of flower bed in about two months. The material at the bottom and middle of the pile usually composts first. You should not be able to identify any of the original materials and the compost should be uniformly dark brown, moist, will crumble easily, and be earthy smelling.

Step 10:

Use your new nutrient-rich soil as a top layer for your vegetable garden, flower bed, or any new plantings around your yard. Plants will grow faster and stronger without the use of any pesticides or herbicides.

A compost pile is a simple project to help reduce, reuse, and recycle and do your part to help the earth. Enjoy your time outdoors in your new and improved earth-friendly garden!

For more earth-friendly tips and ideas, check out my other hub pages.

Thanks,

-Kaitlyn