Compost Heap

There's a lot of information available online and offline about the technical and scientific aspects of composting - along with a variety of complicated ways to produce compost. But all of that information and technique can sometimes be confusing for a beginner so this article is designed to help simplify some of that information for you.

Having the technical and scientific details about how composting works and why it's a wonderful process is important, but sometimes all of us need a basic and simplified explanation of things, along with easy ways to do them.

Compost is a natural soil enrichment product. It's completely organic and natural, thus it works as a natural fertilizer to both feed and nuture the soil it's added to. Compost also acts as a mulch and conditioner for the soil, which means it adds rich minerals, nutrients and vitamins your plants need to grow healthy and strong. By adding compost to any soil, you help it to retain water better, drain better, and in general be much healthier for any type of plant you may want to grow.

Creating compost is a process known as composting. There are many different ways to create compost, and each method has it's own benefits. One popular composting method is known as the "no turn" method, and it's popular because it's quite easy to do. In fact you can essentially "set it and forget it" for most of your gardening needs.

Composting happens fastest when you turn and mix your compost pile regularly. Most people turn compost piles about once each week to ensure everything is breaking down and decomposing quickly. No turn composting is just as it sounds: You don't turn or mix the compost pile. You simply let all of the organic material decompose at it's own rate of speed.

When you choose to do the no turn method of composting, it's a good idea to add plenty of coarse material such as straw, hay or other similar materials. Mixing in plenty of coarse material creates air pockets in the compost pile, which allows air to get to all areas inside. When you use plenty of coarse material to allow aeration, the compost pile will develop just as quickly as the traditional turning method will.

If you choose to use a no turn composting method it's best to always take your compost from the bottom of the pile, because this is the material which has decomposed the fastest. Materials in the middle and towards the top may not be fully ready to use as quickly as the bottom materials are. Each time you remove compost from the pile be sure to add fresh organic materials and coarse organic materials to the top.

Compost piles should be kept moist and this can be done by developing it in a shady area, or adding moist materials once in awhile.

The best compost will be a mixture of "brown" materials such as dry leaves and grass or newspaper, and "green" materials such as fresh grass clippings and fruit or vegetable scraps.

All organic material enhances your compost pile, so be sure to add things such as egg shells, pine needles or shrub clippings, fireplace ashes, tea and coffee grounds, cardboard, sawdust, potato peels, corn stalks and anything else organic you can think of. The more variety you add to your composting pile, the better your finished compost will be.