Compost!

Compost!

Soil too sandy?  Add compost.  Soil has too much clay?  Add compost.  Plants looking weak?  Add compost.  Veggie production down?  Add compost.  Sensing the pattern? Through my research I have learned of the great power of compost but now I will try to uncover what compost really is, why it is so effective and how it is made

Compost consists of decomposed organic material.  When added to your soil it replenishes the nutrients that plants leech out such as nitrogen, carbon, phosphorus and potassium.  Compost adds structure; grounding the roots of plants and keeping the soil aerated.  Compost can be beneficial to your soil at various stages of decomposition.  At its mature state, the rich black decayed material is called humus.  Nature has its own way of creating forms of compost (leaves fall in a forest and decompose on the forest floor, giving their nutrients back to the soil) but compost creation is often a bit more structured for the backyard or urban gardener.

Ingredients:

Balance of "greens" and "browns"

The most basic garden compost is made with a balance of "green" (high in nitrogen) and "brown" (high in carbon) materials.  Here are some examples:

Greens: grass clippings, chopped green leaves, flowers, coffee grounds, kitchen scraps, manure
Browns: shredded newspaper, wood chips, dead leaves, chopped plant debris

"Green" coffee grounds

Water and Air

Keep your compost moist with frequent watering and keep the materials aerated by turning the compost and use stakes or a pitchfork to create air pockets in the pile.

How to make your own

1. Pile o' debris
As you do yard work, stack the (chopped up and disease-free) debris in a pile.  Try to keep greens/browns balanced and keep the kitchen scraps out.  Turn the debris and water the pile occasionally and cover with cloth or a tarp.  Over time the debris will break down and give you nutrient rich soil amending material. 

2. Compost Bins
 These bins are relatively easy to make out of a wooden frame with each section usually measuring 3' by 3'.  The bins either have mesh siding (as seen above) or wooden slat siding (which will keep moisture in better).  It's best to place the bins, which will remain a permanent fixture in your yard, in an area that is easily accessible. 
Add equal parts of chopped up green and brown material together in one bin (the other bins can be used for unmixed materials or mature compost storage.  Keep the mixture moist with regular watering.  The organic matter must be mixed and aerated regularly.  If done properly, the compost cage will "cook" organic material at temperatures up to 130 degrees.  After the compost remains at 130 degrees for three days, all weed seeds and pests will be killed, so you have more flexibility in the materials you can put in the mixture.

3. Plastic Tumblers
The tumblers (equipped with a side crank) make turning the compost easier.  Other than that and their slightly neater look but higher price tag, the plastic tumblers are used in the same way as the compost bins.

    

4. Food Decomposing Containers

Kitchen scraps and chopped up yard waste can be turned into black gold by letting nature take care of itself in food waste digesters.  These are semi-permanent containers that compost on the spot and then can be moved to a new location once the process is complete.  A company called Green Cone makes a plastic container that is partially buried in the ground.  You can also make your own container out of a plastic or metal trashcan.  Just drill drainage holes around the bottom, partially bury it in your yard, and make sure the lid in on securely so no critters can get in!  Unlike the compost bin and tumbler, the food decomposing containers will not reach 130 degrees so weed seeds must not be placed in these containers.

 5. Indoor Compost Cookers

There are a few indoor composters on the market such as the Nature Mill, pictured above.  All you do is add kitchen scraps to the top and the machine will heat up and turn the material, producing usable nutrient-rich compost in a matter of days.

 

 6. For those without a yard

In Seattle, you can still do your part for the environment by disposing of your kitchen scraps in a biodegradable bag (which greatly limits the odor) and then throwing this bag in your city provided food and yard waste bin.  The food and yard waste debris is picked up by Cedar Grove Composting Company where it is composted at over 165 degrees for 45 days then at 130 for another ten days, allowing locals to put even dairy and meat products (materials that have harmful bacteria when not cooked at a high enough temperature).  See Cedar Grove Composting for more details.

Vermicompost

Worm bins are another great way to compost food and yard waste.  The bins are easy to make--outdoor versions are usually made of wood and indoor bins are made out of plastic.  Fill the worm bin with moist bedding made of newspaper, cardboard and leaves.  Add soil and worms to the mix (Red Wigglers are known to be the best).   Kitchen scraps must be chopped and then buried in small clumps around the bins.  Food scraps can be added several times per week.  As the worms eat the scraps they create nutrient rich worm castings.  The vermicompost is so potent that a little goes a long way on your yard and house plants.

Resources

The Complete Compost Gardening Guide by Barbara Pleasant and Deborah L. Martin

Guardening with Ed Hume by Ed Hume

Stuart Robertson's Tips on Organic Gardening by Stuart Robertson

Your Garden Soil by Harry Maddox

Guide for building compost and vermicompost bins from Seattle Tilth:

http://www.seattletilth.org/learn/resources-1/compost

Thanks to Seattle Tilth's great demonstration garden; open to the public and filled with examples of compost!