Make Your Own Compost – It’s Easy
Few of us are fortunate enough to live in areas that have rich soil. Plants need a cocktail of nutrients to utilize for maximum growth. If you’ve seen the gardens that some chefs have or a neighbor that seems to have a super green thumb, it’s because they probably use organic fertilizer or compost.
Don’t use animal fertilizers on fruits and vegetables
There are a couple of reasons for this. First, animal waste products can contain salmonella. Second, even though farm animals are vegetarians, many large farms add chopped up animals and antibiotics to their feed. Enough said.
Quality compost can be made from recycled yard and food waste. It will provide valuable organic matter to your soil and increases it’s moisture-holding capacity.
In my previous backyard, I made a compost area next to the vegetable garden. It was a simple raised bed approx. 6′ x 8.’ Basically just an area to throw food scraps, lawn clipping and dried leaves. I made sure it got watered regularly and turned it over every few days. That was it. I had an organic garden.
It usually takes at least 2 or 3 months before the compost begins to smell like a forest floor. You’ll know it’s ready by the clean smell. Continue:
My current backyard backs up to an open space. Last year I tried to have an open compost pile, but rats from the canyon would come into the yard at night and eat all the kitchen scraps! About six months ago a got a large compost tumbler. It wasn’t cheap, but it’s wonderful. Wheels make it easy to move around the yard when necessary and the varmints can’t get into it.
Kitchen Compost Keeper
A temporary container for kitchen waste is essential unless you don’t mind running outside to the composter several times a day. There are some beautiful ceramic keepers available at department stores that can cost more than $60, but it really isn’t necessary to spend any money at all. I use a plastic coffee can. They come in blue or red and if you want to make it more aesthetically pleasing, paint it or put some contact paper on it. Viola!
The new year is a perfect time to get started ‘going organic,’ If you start your compost now, it will be ready for your spring planting.
