Compost to Enrich Your Garden Soil

If there is one item in a home garden that there is never enough of – it is no chemicals  “home made” compost. The compost rich soil (the end result) is simply invaluable in the garden and is pretty much free. There seems to be some negativity and confusion attached to making a compost with regard to the amount of work and sometimes an offensive odor as a byproduct – neither of which I have experienced. It is one of the simplest garden “chores” and the rich friable composted soil  is nothing short of phenomenal. Really it is so simple and the results of using compost in and on your vegetable garden border on the miraculous. 

How to make an easy compost

It's all about layers.  Here's how it goes

In the beginning, find a level site, preferably close to the garden and with at least a little sun each day. Our composts only receive a few sunny hours each day in the late afternoon

The beginning - sticks and twigs at the bottom

1. The first layer (bottom of container) should be twigs and small branches (from prunings) enough to cover the bottom of the bin (one layer only)
2. Second layer soil - from digging up a lawn - about 6 - 8 " layer which is the thickest
3. A layer of dry tree leaves (if possible chop with  lawn mower to help speed decomposition)
4. Kitchen waste (I save and add two small buckets at a time)
5.  I always add (non composted) soil after kitchen waste - even a thin layer
6. A light sprinkling of lime (usually only in warm summer months)
7. A layer of shredded paper
8. A layer of lawn clippings or other garden weed greens
9. If available I add a layer of organic chicken manure
10. Add a little water
11. Then start all over again

What not to put in your compost

I do have a few personal restrictions on what goes into the compost such as :

• Try and limit seeds – although if composted properly they should not grow
• No dairy or meat leftovers
• No tomatoes, potatoes or squash plant residue due to possible disease

I do use washed egg shells, washed and cracked mussel and clam shells and rhubarb leaves (which are poisonous if eaten but okay to go into a compost)

Three notes

1. Except the first layer of soil - all the layers are thin - approximately 2 to 3 inches thick
2. The layers are not always the same depending on what organic material is available
3. To help keep down any odor (and attracting critters) I always follow a kitchen waste layer with a layer of soil or grass clippings and organic manure

Composting Time Varies

• Sometimes a compost will work very quickly depending on the time of year but with the addition of grass clippings and manure to the bin, decomposition can occur in a few short months
• Sun and warmth accelerate the process but you will know it is "done" when you open the bin door and lovely black soil and worm castings fall out
• To empty the bin I unscrew the top from the base, and remove the top section

Whenever I found worms in the soil when digging in the yard I put them into the compost so I have never had to buy earthworms.  Yesterday we made a new 4 x 8 foot raised bed (converted from lawn) and part of the process was adding a large black container full of (almost) composted material – with worms castings and yes, alive with hundreds (maybe thousands) of worms.

In closing – start with one bin and see how you manage – I have three “working” compost bins but unless I solicit local grocery stores and go “food dumpster diving” there is just not enough raw material (and who knows where it's from). Composting is a year round activity and not a novel idea although our grandson thinks it is fun (the worms mostly) and loves to help in the garden. It is not very complicated – all pretty basic and you will be amazed at the vegetables produced in your new organically composted rich soil and mulched garden.

Yes, there are many ways to compost in boxes and bins, with a great variety of materials from hay to wood ashes and this I have found easiest. Have fun - rain or shine !

 More Notes

• Stay away from steer manure – organic mushroom or chicken manure is a good addition to your compost
• Only add non chemical (organic) soils, manure, lawn clippings and food waste to your compost so definitely no herbicides or pesticides
• I have used fresh rabbit manure direct on a vegetable garden and in Australia sheep “poo” is used directly on the soil as a mulch, but I prefer to compost all manure before using on a vegetable garden
• I have never understood what is offensive about compost – walk down any suburban neighbourhood on a sunny day and smell (and inhale) the totally offensive, and usually toxic, pesticides and chemicals sprayed on lawns and gardens!
• Ask for  grass clippings or dry tree leaves in the fall (from your neighbours or friends) to store and use for your bins during the year but only if you know that the donor does not use toxic chemicals in their yard or garden
• It just makes sense not to put any suspect diseased plants into your compost
• A dear friend who gardened all her life –  never had enough compost so she would dig a small ditch beside her growing vegetables (in rows) and dig in the kitchen waste and cover. This is okay if there are no raccoons in the neighbourhood to dig up your garden
• Our compost bins are the kind sold by local municipalities – two are used for recycling our kitchen waste and the third for green waste if there is ever an over supply
• Each year any tomatoes in containers are grown in a  pot of new composted soil – always with fruitful results
• A pair of nesting robins love all the worms in our yard
• This type of compost is great for a small home garden and I have known one to be used on a penthouse rooftop garden in Vancouver

 Compost : Food and garden waste in landfill products up to
four times the emissions of an aerated compost heap.

"Climate Change by P. Holper & S. Torok, CSIRO, 2008

Links & References

• How to keep raccoons out of the compost
• Lots of information on POPS (Persistent Organic Pollutants)
•  "Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening", Rodale Press 1977
• "The Self Sufficient Gardener" John Seymour, Dolphin Books, 1980
• How to become a vermiculturist the David Suzuki way
• Organic worm compost and Compost Tea
• The make up of compost, pH and lots of technical information

An alternative (temporary) idea

An Inside Compost

The grizzlies on Grouse are just coming out of their winter hibernation and as wild animals such as raccoons and bears also love compost (food and worms) depending on where you live the compost may have to be moved “inside” for the short term.  Another option is to freeze your kitchen waste for a month before adding to the compost bins!

When to wash your hands

~ Before preparing food
~ Before eating
~ Between handling raw and cooked or ready-to-eat food
~ After going to the toilet or changing nappies
~ After smoking
~ After using a tissue or handkerchief
~ After handling rubbish or working in the garden
~ After handling animals

(Source unknown)