Composting How-To

No one likes gross things. Well, no one except Mike Rowe. That's a man who likes to get down and dirty. Now I am all for digging your hands into the earth, feeling the soil you work with, letting nature be a part of you-- all that. There is just one thing I find disgusting and fascinating at the same time: my compost bin.

I love that pretty much all of my food scraps can go in there. (tip: I don't eat meat so no meat scraps!) I love that I put a box of worms in there a year ago and now I have hundreds of little worms hard at work. And, most of all, I love that I am saving all of those food and yard scraps from the landfills and instead they are becoming black beautiful dirt that I use in the garden.

Fall is a great time to get a pile going. The pile will need some time to develop and, to really turn into good usable soil, it takes heat and time. And turning. Lots and lots of turning. But start building your pile now and you'll have some great soil to look forward to soon!
There are several different ways to compost.

1. I use the old single bin method. The bin was given to me by a local caterer's assistant, Kat, who didn't use it and said she never would. Would I be willing to take it? she asked. You bet your asparagus I will! My bin requires turning if I want usable soil every six months or so. Otherwise, it takes about a year with the worms working all on their own.
2. The three pile method is popular among people with lots of space (and far away neighbors). You have three piles in varying stages of compost-ness that you tend to. There are no lids involved so turning often is key to keep critters at bay. Also, I do not recommend this method in a residential situation. Your neighbor's nose will thank you.
3. One of the most popular methods is the compost tumbler. This bin on a stand comes with a handle for easy turning. You simply turn it around a time or two every so often and you can have luscious dirt in only a few weeks! Now that's speedy!
   
   

There are also a few rules:

• always keep your pile moist- it helps with decomposing and keeps critters (read: rats) from setting up shop
  
• choose a site in full sun. Compost needs heat to activate so give it all you've got
  
• NO MEAT SCRAPS. Think about it- this stuff is going back into the earth in the long run so don't put anything in it that didn't come from the dirt.
  
• Do not compost your dog or cat waste. 'Nuff said.
  
• Worms are your friends. Go get a box or bag of worms at the local bait and tackle shop and give them a new happy home. All of their worm friends will be jealous.
  
• Have fun- what's good for the planet is good for you!
  

Have a composting tip to share or a how-to question? Leave it in the comments!