Garden Compost Explanation And Tips

Every wonder why some of the world’s most beautiful natural gardens are found in the most remote places? It’s because Mother Nature has done all the work! When you want to create a garden that’s naturally lush and vibrant — without resorting to harsh chemicals — use nature’s perfect fertilizer: garden composting.

Composting is the oldest method of fertilizing plants, from leafy shrubs and trees to exotic flowers. Take the rainforest, for example. The entire floor of the rainforest is a carpet of naturally occurring compost that’s constantly providing shelter, support and food for all types of plant life.

It’s easy to create your own perfect fertilizer just by saving food scraps and yard waste. You’ll also save a load of money on garden center supplies, and you’ll reduce waste. Creating your own garden compost is a win-win-win situation! When complete, your garden compost will be a dark, crumbly mixture of decomposed organic matter.

It’s easy to create garden compost, and you’ll be happy to see how many ways it can benefit your blooms:

* Provide essential nutrients to plants

* Reduces the need for harmful fertilizers

* Improves the quality of heavy clay or sandy soil

* Reduces the amount of water required

* Helps to control pesky weeds

Creating Garden Compost

There is a very basic recipe for creating garden compost. Just remember the gardener’s rule of thumb: two parts brown to one part green.

A compost pile is a bustling community of microorganisms. These tiny creatures exist by breaking down organic matter, like yard debris and organic scraps, and turning them into compost. You’ll need to take an active role in encouraging the growth of these microorganisms.

Use natural flower fertilizers that are two parts carbon-rich “brown” materials, such as dried leaves. Mix this with one-part nitrogen-rich “green” materials, such as grass clippings. The end result will be an all-natural fertilizer that’s the perfect fuel for those hungry populations of microorganisms. Before long, they’ll be heating up your yard debris and producing valuable garden compost.

Ingredients for Your Garden Compost

Your “two parts brown” may contain any combination of the following materials:

* Dry grass clippings and leaves

* Small twigs

* Newspaper (shredded)

* Straw or hay

* Wood chips, shavings and sawdust

* Old potting soil

The “one part green” may include any of the following:

* Green grass clippings

* Fresh, green leaves

* Plant trimmings (stems and stalks)

* Hedge and tree clippings

* Annual weeds (no seed heads)

* Kitchen scraps (fruit and vegetable)

* Tea bags, coffee grounds and filters

* Clean egg shells

The following list of materials should NEVER be used in your compost:

* Sick, diseased plants

* Weed seed heads

* Invasive weeds (quack grass, morning glory)

* Bread and cereal grains

* Meat, fish or bones

* Any dairy products

* Cooking oil or grease, or oily foods

* Pet droppings

* Dead animal life

Size Matters

The smaller your composting components are, the faster you will achieve rich, usable compost. Obviously, large pieces of vegetables will take longer to break down than smaller pieces. Chop your leftover fruits and vegetables into small pieces. Garden debris should be cut up using garden shears or a machete. Use a garden chipper/shredder or a lawnmower mulching attachment to break up sticks and twigs.

For even faster garden compost action, your compost pile should be no less than three feet in diameter. Size is important, because the actual composting occurs from the heat generated by those millions of microorganisms living in your soil. As they process the raw materials, they release energy that helps to activate the decomposition. A compost pile of at least three square feet is the best size for hotter, faster composting.

Water and Air

Compost is a living thing, and it needs water and air to survive. The microorganisms in your garden compost can’t do their jobs if they don’t receive an ample supply of water and air. Regularly sprinkle water over your compost, but don’t drown it. Make it about as wet as a damp sponge.

To incorporate air into the mixture, use a pitchfork to turn the compost materials one every week. This can also help to distribute the efforts of the microorganisms. If you don’t turn the compost, you’ll have a rich layer of compost at the bottom of the pile, and a heap of dry garden waste on top.

If you’re looking for gardening advice, take it right from the source: Mother Nature herself. It’s easy to make your own garden compost, and your bright, beautiful plants will be more than enough payment for your efforts.

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