Compost simple to make, beneficial to garden

During the fall, we are cleaning up leaves and plant debris, and we need to get rid of it. Rather than sending it to the landfill, compost it.

Composting is the natural, organic way to decompose grass clippings, leaves and almost any scraps from your kitchen. Compost improves our alkaline soils with ingredients that are virtually free. It eliminates the need to send the debris to the landfill. In fact, more than 25 percent of the garbage that we send to landfills can be composted.

There will be a composting workshop at 8:30 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays in October at the Springs Preserve, 333 S. Valley View Blvd.

Finished compost is dark, crumbly organic matter that has that fresh-potato smell. There's no mystery to making compost. It's nature's way of recycling the stuff around us.

Compost improves soil water retention as well as drainage and aeration in our soils. It provides food for microorganisms to break down debris, making the nutrients available to your plants.

Here are seven simple steps to composting:

■ Select an inconspicuous spot in the yard near the house, discouraging the use of the garbage disposal.

■ Build a bin. Make it out of cement blocks, boards, chicken wire or any building material except treated lumber. Make it at least 3 feet square for easier working. Never let the pile get more than 4 feet high to prevent compressing, which can create odor problems.

Build more than one bin to speed up the process: one to hold finished compost and the other to restart the process. If you don't want to build a bin, purchase one at a nursery.

The pile must have adequate ventilation to allow air-loving microorganisms to do the composting or you will end up with odor troubles.

■ Feed the pile a steady diet of vegetation such as grass clippings, leaves, kitchen scraps, twigs and even newspaper. Shred branches and larger items to enhance composting.

Do not put meats, greases or fats in the compost pile. They create odors that attract dogs, cats and other creatures and might slow the compost process.

■ Prime the pile with soil or old compost to introduce microorganisms to start decomposition.

■ Add manure or cottonseed meal, which is essential for the microorganisms' diet, so they'll work harder and faster.

■ Turn the pile often to accelerate the process and create a uniform product. If done right, expect compost in two months.

Composting generates heat up to 160 degrees. That's not enough to kill Bermuda seeds, so don't add those clippings to the pile.

■ Moisture is essential. If the pile dries out, the process stops, and if it's too wet, the pile will stink. To correct the smell, turn it more often. Maintain the moisture at the consistency of a wrung-out sponge.

Your compost will be ready when you can't recognize any of the original materials you put in the pile.

Here are some ideas on how to use your compost:

■ Till it into the garden.

■ Use it as potting soil for houseplants.

■ Use it as mulch.

Here are some things not to compost:

■ Meat, bones, oils and grease to avoid attracting pests and becoming rancid.

■ Cat, dog and pet bird manure because of potential pathogens.

■ Plants gone to seed, which will survive the process.

■ Glossy magazine and newspaper inserts. They resist water and have unwanted elements.

Here are some reasons why your composting might not be working:

■ If it's composting too slowly, add more nitrogen and turn the pile more often. Also, it might be too dry or the pile too small. You need at least a cubic yard of organic products for composting to take place at a reasonable speed.

■ If the pile smells rotten, you need to turn it more often.

■ If it's attracting flies and other pests, bury the food scraps deeper into the pile.

■ If you see grubs and worms, don't worry; they are part of the composting army.

Remember, composting is an art and a science. It is very forgiving; when things get out of balance, re-adjust your composting by adding more materials and increasing aeration.

For more composting information, I encourage you to dig deeper into the subject by going online.

Linn Mills' garden column appears Sundays. You can reach him at linn.mills@ springspreserve.org or 822-7754.