How To Make Compost

Compost is an excellent soil nutrient, as well as a fabulous mulch. It is what is left of food scraps, grass cuttings, leaves, hair, and other things you would normally throw away, after these things are broken down by a natural process that includes bacteria, fungi, worms and insects, and more. It can be used as mulch or fertilizer on any plant and is basically free. Composting also cuts down on the material that enters landfills so it improves the environment that way as well.

Compost is most easily made and stored in a container that has holes for water drainage and aeration. You can even just pile it up in a out of the way spot in your yard! Start with a layer of grass clippings and toss some manure on it. It doesn't really matter what type it is.The ideal ratio is described as 25 parts "brown" to 1 part "green" materials.

All kitchen scraps except meat and dairy compost well, as do the ashes from your fireplace. Add some leaves and then toss another shovel full or two of manure on top. This helps speed up the process of breaking the compost down into nutrient rich compost material.

Other things that you may not think about and do compost well;

dog hair

dryer lint

fish scraps

seaweed and other ocean plants

saw dust and shavings

paper

There are more. As you deal with each throwaway item in your home consider whether it could be utilized as compost.

The compost pile can be handled in a couple of ways. Highly managed compost piles are turned frequently, watered as needed to keep things moist and monitored for heat, which indicates the breaking down process. This is an investment of time but by doing so you can have finished compost in 3-4 weeks.

Passive composting simply means that you maintain a hands off approach, leaving the pile to fend for itself. Neither method is better or produces better compost. You have to decide on a method by the amount of time you have.

Compost does not smell. It is dark brown and crumbly.

1.Spread it one inch thick on your garden and it will help keep the roots of the plants cool and moist.

2,Adding some compost to the small hole of a perennial plant when you plant it gives the plant enough nutrients to help it to thrive for a long time.

3Compost is a fabulous garden fertilizer. It contains all the nutrients a living plant needs and delivers them in a slow-release manner over a period of years. Compost made with a alot of ingredients will provide an even more nutritious meal to your thriving plants

4.Compost grows healthier plants that are more disease resistant than other plants. Use it throughout the growing season as a side dressing.

5. It has been used to clean up chemical spills and that type of thing by absorbing and treating the chemicals . It also filters water so it is cleaner.It binds heavy metals and keeps them from getting mixed onto the water supply.

6.And many more things!

There are some things that you should never put int he compost pile. Used cat litter is a no, cats often carry a disease that could be passed on to those that handle the compost. Meat products draw rodents and so you want to be careful of putting them on the compost pile, Some plants, like tomatoes, can sometimes carry diseases that can spread to your healthy plants in the garden if it is used. Weeds should stay out of the compost pile because they can transfer seeds to the garden. Even cigarette butts can carry tobacco mosaic and need to be kept out of the garden area.

All in all you can have a beautiful garden with a little time composting.