Dark Dirt

So what is one to do with all that kitchen waste?

Why not turn it into rich dark soil that will nourish your plants so they reward you with beautiful blooms and prize winning produce.

Healthy soil starts with compost. Turning organic matter back into dark dirt is the whole idea behind composting.

Why Compost

Imagine you took a cup full of soil and ran water through it for a few days. As time passed the nutrients would wash out of the soil and you would be left with depleted dirt that cannot support healthy plant growth.

It may look the same but the nutrients are not there. Precipitation has the same effect on soil. Over time nutrients are depleted. Plant growth also takes it toll on the nutrient balance in soil.

Garden compost replenishes the soil with all the rich organic nutrients that fills every gardener‘s dreams. It is absolutely vital that soil is amended. It also adds organic material that holds moisture and improves the texture of your soil.

Whether you use a compost bin, barrel composter or a simple compost heap is a matter of personal preference and available space. What goes in each is always the same. A proportional mix of carbon based matter (leaves) and green matter (kitchen scraps or yard waste), water and oxygen.

Mother Nature does the rest

Layering the organic material, adding a bit of starter garden compost and soil and throwing in some carbon material begins the breakdown of materials.

Micro organisms begin working to break down all the matter into nutrient rich soil. As the micro organisms work they produce heat which perpetuate the breakdown and assists the process. Ensuring that the pile receives necessary water is essential.

Stirring of the compost also ensures compost aeration. Like all living things, oxygen is essential. Compost bins that allow for frequent aeration escalate the breakdown of material and eliminate any unpleasant odors.

Many people have 2 composters

The key to rich compost is allowing the material to break down in the proper conditions. If you are always throwing new material into the bin it is hard to allow it to finish the cycle. The last thing you want to do is add compost to your garden that has chunks of rotting food strewn throughout.

Having a second compost barrel solves this problem. As one is full and the material is breaking down the other is available to accept new material. Frequent stirring encourages even breakdown of the material. By the time it is ready to be emptied onto the garden, the other container is full.

One of the easiest and most efficient ways to create compost is using a compost tumbler. This is especially true when space or time is at a premium.

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