Creating Your Own Compost Pile
One of the best ways to go green, not to mention doing it cheaply, is to create a compost pile. Although it may seem like a daunting task, a compost pile is easier than you think (believe me, I was shocked!). The average compost pile creates 4 cubic yards of fertile material to use, and it works better than your store-bought materials. Most people use them on their gardens, but if you don't have one, you can also use it for mulch for flower beds, trees, ect, or you can even give it to people who do garden! Over 1/3 of our waste that goes into landfills can be composted, so the benefits of using compost are great!
Compost is the end result of a complex feeding pattern involving various and numerous organisms. Composting occurs naturally in forest floors, grassland areas, and jungles where plants die and fall to the ground, one on top of the other. This is the same principle behind composting. Humus is the end goal of composting. Humus is a dark, rich material that we lay on those gardens, and what used to be your leftover apple cores, leaves from last fall, and grass clippings. An ideal ratio for your compost pile is 25 parts brown to 1 part green. Brown materials include dried leaves and grass clippings. Greens include kitchen waste (a complete list of what to and not to use is listed below). Too much carbon can cause your pile to break down too slowly, while too much nitrogen will cause an unpleasant odor (your pile should be relatively odorless). When using leaves, be sure to mow over them or shred them first, as this aides in the decomposition process. Here is a list of items you can use on your compost pile...
Leaves (chopped), dried grass clippings, organic kitchen waste (coffee grounds, tea bags, vegetable and fruit waste, egg shells), dryer lint, hair from cutting or hairbrushes, garden refuse, shredded paper (what a way to get rid of your shredded documents!), shredded cardboard, wood ashes (but use sparingly), manure (horse, sheep, cattle, pig, goat, chicken, rabbit, gerbil, hamster only), shredded newspaper (no glossy pages), sawdust (use sparingly), spoiled hay and straw (and bedding for rabbits, hamsters, and gerbils), seaweed (rinsed), corn cobs and stalks (in small pieces).
DO NOT USE THE BELOW ITEMS ON YOUR COMPOST PILE
manure from dogs or cats, anything from the black walnut tree, pine needles, fish scraps, ashes from charcoal or briquettes, kitty litter, lime, bones, meat of any kind, any poisonous plants.
These items contain all kinds of chemicals such as ammonia that can kill the natural composting process. The meat items attract unwanted animals and insects to your pile, and just plainly smell bad. Dispose of the plant items in your local tree dump, and the meat and other items with your regular trash service and/or garbage disposal (as applicable).
Choosing a good site for your compost pile is paramount for the success of your compost. Choose a site that is well drained and protected from bad weather. In our area (NCK and SCN) it needs to be south-facing in order to take advantage of the warm sun and wind in the spring/summer/fall. To give your pile a better advantage, do not line the bottom of it with plastic, cement, brick, or anything of that nature. By placing it on bare ground, you can take advantage of earthworms, centipedes, and millipedes that will descend on the pile (they are GOOD for your pile, and help speed the decomposition process). It is a good idea to enclose 3 sides of it with bricks, hog fence, square bales, or any other heavy-duty material than can handle weight and wind. Do not use chicken wire for the 3 sides, because it will not hold up very well. The three walls will not only keep the pile contained, it will help hold in heat better, and keep it looking less unsightly for neighbors or yourself. Place your pile somewhere where it is easily accessible if you are using kitchen scraps, and be sure not to put your pile so far away that you will neglect your pile.
In our area, it is best to start your compost pile in the spring. This way, you take full advantage of the warmer months of the year to get your pile going. The ideal temperature of your pile is between 105 and 130 degrees throughout. If the temperature is above 140, the heat will kill all of the good organisms in your pile needed for compost. If the temp of the pile is too low, the breakdown of your organic material will not occur. You can purchase a compost thermometer to gauge the internal temperature of the pile. In the winter months, due to our geographic location, the compost pile will do little or no composting work. Since the temperatures in the NCK and SCN area get so low, it becomes virtually impossible to keep the temperature of your compost pile at the optimum level. During the winter, the best thing to do is to leave it alone until early spring. Your pile also needs water to survive. Your compost pile's moisture level should feel like a wrung-out sponge. If it is too dry, add water; if it is too wet, add some leaves, grass clippings, or some hay to dry it out. Turning the pile will also help dry it out, especially with our hot, south summer winds.
In our area, it is best to start your compost pile in the spring. This way, you take full advantage of the warmer months of the year to get your pile going. The ideal temperature of your pile is between 105 and 130 degrees throughout. If the temperature is above 140, the heat will kill all of the good organisms in your pile needed for compost. If the temp of the pile is too low, the breakdown of your organic material will not occur. You can purchase a compost thermometer to gauge the internal temperature of the pile. In the winter months, due to our geographic location, the compost pile will do little or no composting work. Since the temperatures in the NCK and SCN area get so low, it becomes virtually impossible to keep the temperature of your compost pile at the optimum level. During the winter, the best thing to do is to leave it alone until early spring. Your pile also needs water to survive. Your compost pile's moisture level should feel like a wrung-out sponge. If it is too dry, add water; if it is too wet, add some leaves, grass clippings, or some hay to dry it out. Turning the pile will also help dry it out, especially with our hot, south summer winds.
The time you put into your compost pile can vary greatly. You can allow the materials to sit on their own, and just add kitchen scraps and other materials as necessary, turning the pile occasionally. If you wish to take a more active role, you can keep close tabs on the water content, add materials frequently, and turn the pile as needed to maintain optimum 131 degree temperature. The more of an active participant you are with your pile, the more compost you will make (to a point, of course!). If you just want a good way to get rid of kitchen and yard waste, a more passive approach will work well for you. The next thing your pile needs is air. This is why it is a good idea to add straw to a low-maintenance pile, or turn the pile for the more hands-on approach pile. A good tip is to not use too many wood ashes, or sawdust, as these materials are compacted, and do not aid well in air circulation.
Inevitably, you compost pile will not always be perfect. Here is some common Q&A's with compost piles
- The compost pile is damp and warm only in the middle of the pile- The pile could be too small, or cold weather may have slowed the composting process. Be sure that your pile is 3 feet high be 3 feet wide.
- Nothing is happening, the pile is not heating up at all- lack of nitrogen (add manure, grass clippings, or food scraps), lack of oxygen (toss your pile and add some straw), lack of moisture (add water), or wait for warmer weather (if winter has set in). It is also possible that your compost is finished.
- Matted leaves or grass clippings are not decomposing- poor aeration or lack of moisture. Avoid thick layers of only one material, as they do not break down well. Mix your pile thoroughly and add water as needed.
- Smells like rancid butter, vinegar, or rotten eggs- not enough oxygen or pile is too wet and compacted. Mix the pile to deliver much needed air and add straw, dried grass clippings, dried and crushed leaves, ect. If its too wet, let the pile dry out and then mix.
- Smells like ammonia- not enough carbon. Add leaves, shredded paper, hay, straw, ect.
- My pile attracts rodents, flies, and animals- the organic food sources are not buried deep enough or material has been added to the pile that does not belong (meat, bones, ect.). Bury appropriate kitchen scraps and remove inappropriate materials.
- The pile attracts insects, millipedes, worms, ect.- these creatures are a natural and needed part of the composting process. Don't remove them, they're your "little helpers!"
- The pile attracts fire ants- your pile could be too dry or kitchen scraps are too close to the surface. Keep your pile moisturized properly and keep kitchen scraps buried
Creating your own compost pile is not only good for the environment, it is good for you! You can get exercise maintaining the pile, and the humus that is used on vegetable gardens helps your veggies to grow and prosper better than others! Information from this article was obtained from http://www.compostguide.com/, and employees that maintain their own personal compost piles. If you have further questions, just email us or stop in and ask. Happy Composting!
