How to Compost a Garden

How to Compost a Garden from scratch 

Select a site for your compost pile or composting bin

You'll want to locate a spot with good airflow, where you can access to water and partial shade in the summer. 

Choose to buy or build a composting bin

You can purchase a compost bin from a local organic store or make your own. Rotating bins can turn your treasure easy and keeps animals out, but it is easy to make a workable bin on your own. One simple method is to track down shipping pallets. Pound in metal support poles and add pallets by slipping them over the support poles to make your bin's walls.

Compost piles should an average of 3' length x 3' width x 3' height in size. This size is big enough to create its own heat, but small enough to turn.

Add Materials like:

• Vegetable scraps

• Egg shells

• Yard waste (lawn clippings, leaves)

• Newspaper

• Manure (from vegetarian animals)

• Coffee grounds and filters

Monitor the temperature, aeration, moisture and the carbon to nitrogen ratio for optimum levels. If you do not know what this is or how do accomplish going about monitoring these levels, please look it up on another tutorial, but its not very complicated so do not be afraid to try.

I. Temperature

The easiest way to test your compost's temperature is to stick your hand in the center of the pile. Make sure if its hot or warm.

Or use a compost temperature. Make sure the temperature are of 140-160°F.

II. Aeration

Make sure enough oxygen is getting into your pile by turning your compost often.

Use a compost aerator or pitchfork to mix your pile. If you are using a compost tumbler, you've got it easy. Just crank the lever.

III. Moisture

The microbes hard at work in your compost pile should require the right amount of water. Too much means organic waste won't decompose, and too little and you'll kill the bacteria. The Compost should feel moist.

Composting works best with 40-60% moisture content.

IV. Carbon to Nitrogen Ratio

To create the perfect compost soil, you will need to be constainly maintaining a C:N ratio of 25 to 30 parts carbon to 1 part nitrogen, or 25-30:1. If the C:N ratio is too high (not enough nitrogen) decomposition will slow down, but if the C:N ratio is too low (not enough carbon) you'll end up with a smelly pile and nobody wants that to happen, right?

5.) Mix rich, earthy compost into garden soil, or pile on top of the soil as mulch.

That completes the five step guide to complete composted garden soil success, if you have followed through with these instructions then you can consider yourself one of the few people who can create professional grade compost. This means that you also can create homemade garden plants that taste like they have fallen directly from heaven, wouldn't that be nice for your families everyday diet?

Now, just think of the possibilities if you learned how to grow your food hydroponically and inside a greenhouse!