Now that you have decided that you want to compost, there is a list of items that you will need to get started. Most of these items will be available to you already and all that’s needed is a small amount of planning ahead of time.
After you pick a location for your compost bin or pile (ensure it is in an easily accessible location) you are going to need approximately four inches of leaves as a base. If you are able to chip the leaves prior it will make things progress and breakdown faster but it is not a requirement. The quantity of leaves you will need to make a four-inch base will vary depending on the size of the bin you have chosen.
Your next layer should be about one inch of high-quality soil. If you cannot find this in your own garden a small bag purchased from your local nursery will work fine.
Then start layering the food for the microbes to eat. There are two types of food you are going to need: brown (yard waste) and green (food scraps or other organic waste). A common ratio is two parts brown for every part of green.
You are going to need a spade or heavy-duty pitch fork to rotate the compost at least weekly. If there is a dry-spell, you will need a hose or other means of adding water to keep the pile moist.
With such simple materials and start-up instructions, anyone can start their own compost pile in half a day. If you choose to not use a bin, consider buying some wire mesh to contain the pile as it can be wrapped around the base of the pile in a circular shape. You will be able to start using the compost after a couple of months.
This entry was posted
on Thursday, March 4th, 2010 at 11:43 am and is filed under
Composting.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the
RSS 2.0 feed.
You can
leave a response, or
trackback from your own site.
[...] example, in fertilizers, you have the option to make your own compost. You also have to remember that you must be picky with your plants. Ask a local dealer what plants [...]