Gardening Composting

compost for gardening

Gardening composting or compost is one of the most important words to a happy gardener. Black gold. Garden alchemy.

Compost is a mixture of soil and decomposed organic materials densely enriched with nutrients your soil craves to grow a garden that delights even the most contrary gardening Mary. Compost helps provide the ideal concentration of moisture to the ground around your precious plants and improves the drainage of almost every kind of soil.

You�ll notice after a few seasons of gardening composting that heavy soils, even clay, will become lighter and easier to work. Water absorption will improve and runoff will be minimized.

Gardening compost will help thin, sandy soil retain moisture and encourage stronger root systems for your plants. Even rocky terrains will see improvement from regular gardening composting.

One of the nicest things about healthy garden soil composting is that it really does promote a thriving garden, almost as if my magic.

Another really nice thing about garden composting is that it�s so easy anyone can do it. In fact, it can be as easy as buying a bag or two of prepared compost from your local garden center. That�s a good quick way to get started but many gardeners enjoy the multiple benefits of composting themselves.

Depending on how formal and tidy your garden or how relaxed and laid back, containers for composting come in many sizes and shapes. You can purchase tumblers, bins, and fencing to contain your gardening composting project. Or you can start healthy freestanding heap in any out-of-the-way spot in the yard.

how to make garden compost

For simplification, we�ll use the term compost heap to mean your compost for garden project, whichever container you choose to use.

Your compost heap should consist of layers of soil sandwiched between layers of organic matter that includes raw fruit and vegetable kitchen scraps, cleaned egg shells, straw or hay, and yard debris made from fallen leaves, deadheaded flower blossoms, plant cuttings, and lawn trimmings.

Many people recycle used paper plates, napkins, and facial tissue in their compost heaps, too, so long as they are biodegradable products. Shredded newspaper can be used in gardening composting where the finished compost is designated for ornamental plants only, not edibles. Some inks are toxic and should not be used on anything you�ll want to harvest for dinner.

Got livestock handy? Adding manure can be highly beneficial but never add pet or human manures. Parasitic and bacterial infestations from these sources will be counterproductive.

Don�t put seeds or roots from culled weeds in your gardening composting heap. They might just love it in there, sprout, and take over.

To assemble, divide your materials into as many thin layers as possible. This encourages the most rapid decomposition, which means your compost will be ready to use sooner. To speed up the process, add some earthworms to the heap and let them get to work.

Water your compost heap when rain is scarce and turn frequently to speed up the process. Don�t be alarmed if you notice it�s pretty warm in the thick of it all. The heat being generated simply means the heap is alive, thriving, and you�ll be able to enjoy it soon.

When the material on the bottom of the heap looks like rich dark soil, it�s ready to use. Spread it around your garden like mulch, work it into the soil, or use it for potting.

Continue adding layers as available and your gardening composting project will continue to produce black gold for your thriving garden season after season. And the recycling effort is great for the bigger environment, too.

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