Most every gardener knows some of the benefits of compost, but often they have a hard time making enough for their use. Here are some tips to getting your garden compost bin working faster.
For most of us there is no such thing as too much compost. Compost is good for the garden soil in many ways. Compost improves the soil drainage while it retains the water better in dry periods. It buffers the pH of the soil, reducing that acidity of soils that are too acid, and reducing the alkalinity of alkaline soil. Sifted compost is a good seed starting medium, great for those small seeds like carrots.
While the exact ratio of high carbon to high nitrogen materials doesn't have to be exact, it does help to make sure that we don't have too much of one or the other. Avoid using all one type of compost material like leaves or lawn clippings. Try about an even mix of brown and green materials for you composter, and it should heat up without overheating and smelling.
The more you can break down the material going into the pile, the better it will work. This reduces the amount the material needs to be broken down, and improves the effectiveness by exposing the insides of the material. Chop down the size of the larger pieces with a pruner, or even use a lawn mower for larger amounts. You may want to buy a electric chipper shredder to do a thorough job.
Processing compost in batches works well for faster composting. Once you have a pile working, start another pile or keep your kitchen waste in a compost crock or pail. Try putting a smaller bin or pail near the back door, and save up the kitchen materials for a larger batch to process.
To get compost the fastest, it's necessary to turn the bin or pile every day or so. This has the dual advantage of bringing fresh composted material into the hotter center of the pile, while improving the air flow throughout the pile as well, refreshing the oxygen supply to the microbial activity in the hot middle of the pile.
The ideal moisture level is a pile that is like a damp cloth. It should not be soaked, as that can cause a slimy, smelly pile, and too little moisture will just bring the activity of the pile to a stop. To keep it from getting too wet, make sure you can cover it during a rainstorm. Try a few of these tips and turbocharge your composter this season.
