Preparing Your Own Compost

First of all, forget about those untidy heaps of garden refuse, where you used to dump, year after year, all the leaves, grass clippings, straw, old hay, and weeds and which were likely to sprawl out of control. When kitchen debris was added to such a heap, an obnoxious odor used to be unavoidable, as any gardening sage well knows. To solve this problem, you need a proper compost bin. The idea is to produce in your garden the amazing natural process described above. It is the same process that recycles dead organic matter that accumulates on every forest floor, and it has been going on for thousands of years. As usual, God did it first, when he created green land plants that eventually died and initiated the composting process to recycle the needed chemicals for reuse


A bin is preferable for composting, since it holds the material together and allows for better ventilation, which increases the efficiency of the decomposition process. Gaps or holes should be made in the sides of the bin to allow entry of the oxygen needed for the bacteria. Also, the dampness should be controlled. The bin should be elevated from the ground, and the right location chosen. The composting process does not work well if exposed all day to the full force of the sun, yet neither does it thrive in total shade.

The composting mixture itself may be thought of as a many-tiered sandwich: one layer of garden debris, one layer of soil, one layer of household waste, with this composition repeated until you have a pile some four or five feet [1.2 to 1.5 m] high. Finally, the completed stack might be covered with sod or similar material.

After two years you will have very good humus and the gardener’s best friends—lots of earthworms. They will work tirelessly to break up and oxygenate the topsoil of your garden. The composting process can be accelerated by turning the pile over every once in a while or by adding products to hasten decay, such as small quantities of manure. With a properly constructed bin and the right mixture of materials, the decomposition process can be speeded up until the compost is ready for use after only three or four months instead of two years.

And remember, the compost needs to breathe, so adequate ventilation, with the right humidity, will reduce the mixture to the mulch so delectable to your plants. When you spread it on the topsoil, the table is set, and the feast for your flowers and vegetables can begin. Give your garden such a treat, and it will reward you with a bountiful harvest of beauty for your eyes and taste delights for your palate.