Compost is a cheap & easy essential for any home gardener. Making it yourself can save you money on potting mix & fertilizer; and it’s so simple to do, you’ll wonder why you hadn’t tried it yet!
I’m an “experimental” gardener – I try this & that to see what works. Once I realized how easy it was to make compost, I began researching how to make it in a container so that it wouldn’t attract animals (such as the adorable but meddlesome local family of raccoons!) There are a lot of expensive options out there, but they all include three key features : holes, turn-ability, & an access door.
To make the bin itself, I bought a large, dark colored storage bin, which cost less than $20. Then I stabbed six holes in the lid & another six in the bottom, for drainage, & to allow helpful bugs in & out. Good to go! LOL I’ve found that the snap-on lid has been enough to keep animals out, but if you have some very determined critters in your yard, you may need a bungee cord to help keep the lid on.
Now, what to put in it? I find it helpful to start in autumn, when there are lots of dead leaves littering the lawn – I usually fill my bin completely with them. Any kind of “browns” are good – the drier the better. “Browns” should always account for 2/3-3/4 of the material in your bin (to keep it from smelling terrible), and includes things like the following :
- dry/dead leaves & grass
- tea & tea bags
- coffee & coffee filters
- cardboard, paper, & newspaper (nothing laminated!)
- eggshells
- dirt, old potting soil
- wood ash
These “browns” break down with the help of “greens” & natural biology. “Greens” add nutrients to the compost, and should only account for 1/3-1/4 of the material in your bin. Only add greens during warmer months, otherwise they won’t break down as well. These “greens” include fruit & vegetable kitchen scraps, & really any living plant material (freshly cut grass, etc). Please note, however, seeds & pits won’t decompose for quite some time, but they are good for aerating the soil (if they don’t grow into a plant first)! I keep a plastic bag in my freezer for my greens, which works perfectly!
Once you have material in your bin, you’ll need to keep it moist & out where it’ll get a lot of sun. Heat & moisture encourage a great environment for helpful organisms to make your compost. Stir it up once a week with a trowel, or whatever works best for you. When you add more greens, dig out a hole in the center, add them there, & bury it!
Making compost is a cheap & easy way to add some organic love to your garden!
Following these simple guidelines should yield some useful compost, which can then be used as potting soil or can be steeped in water with a coffee filter (like a tea bag) to make plant food! The following spring, it’ll be good to go.
- Autumn : Collect & add “browns” to the bin (dead leaves are great!)
- Spring / summer : Collect & add “greens”
- Autumn : Collect & store more “browns”, separate from your bin
- Spring : The compost in the bin is ready to use – empty it into a storage bin & add autumn’s “browns” to start a new batch!
Do you garden? Have you made compost before? Let’s chat in the comments!!!
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