Composting Tips

A tip to speed decomposition in dry climates: Use a hammer to drive a five-foot pole or stake into the center of the compost pile. Make sure to leave a portion of the stake exposed. Create a shallow well around the stake, roughly two feet in diameter. The well will catch water as it rains, and the pole will serve as a conduit for raindrops to travel down into the center of the pile. If you live in a wet climate: Top the compost pile with a thick layer of hay or straw to create a mound that slopes gently away from the center. During periods of steady rain, the hay will direct water away from the pile and ultimately become valuable composting material. If the rain really pours, put a tarp over the hay until the rain stops. If the pile gets soaked despite your efforts, turn it to let in more air, and it will begin to dry out.

• James begins by adding a six-inch layer of leaves to the bottom of each bin, followed with a shovel or two of soil and a light sprinkling of blood meal. The leaves attract earthworms to the bins and start the process of decomposition; the blood meal is high in nitrogen and will help the process along.
• He adds a layer of coarse material to the first bin--in this case, leftover corn and okra stalks--so air can move freely in the lower portion of the pile, then another layer of leaves. To keep the leaves moist, he soaks each layer with a mixture of water and liquid dishwashing soap at a rate of two tablespoons soap per gallon of water. The soap acts as a surfactant, helping water stick to the leaves so they will decompose faster.
• The next layer is green material in the form of black-eyed pea plants recently removed from the garden, followed by more leaves. James has no more green material left, so he tops the pile with leaves and soaks it with the soap and water solution.
• He supplies a little more blood meal, which for now is a good substitute for green material. Finally, he adds a secret ingredient--a bucket of compost from a gardening friend--as a compost starter. Store-bought compost activators are available, but finished compost contains all the microorganisms necessary to get the pile off to a good start. He sets his hose-end sprayer on a fine setting and waters the pile until it's damp. Compost piles need to be watered routinely, but they shouldn't be overwatered; dry compost won't cook properly but compost that's soaking wet won't cook either and will also begin to smell.

A Simple Composting Method

Take a large trash bag and fill it with leaves and straw. Add a bucket of soil and a sprinkling of blood meal or other all-natural source of nitrogen. Poke a few holes in the sides of the bag, and add enough water to moisten the leaves. Tie the bag up. In a few months the leaves will decompose and produce perfect compost. Every week or so, pick up the bag and give it a few shakes.

If you want finished compost faster, shred the leaves first with a shredder or a mower. Another method is to fill a trashcan half to three-quarter full of leaves. Be careful not to include debris such as sticks or stones. Put on a pair of safety goggles and a dust mask, and place a string trimmer in the can. Turn it on, and in no time at all those leaves will be shredded to perfect consistency.