Compost Changed His Life...

Often referred to as 'black gold,' compost is a dark, nutrient-rich material that is vital to soil building.

To create great compost (from Patricia Lanza's book Lasagna Gardening):

1. Select a site on level, well-drained soil in full sun.

2. Plan on each completed pile being 3 to 4 feet on each side. You can make it free standing or build an enclosure using lumber, chicken or fence wire, or other readily available materials. If you build an enclosure be sure that air can circulate through the sides. Leave air space at the bottom by laying down a foot or so of heavy brush or a 6-inch layer of scrap wood in a grid pattern.

3. Feed you pile in a 4:1 high-carbon to high-nitrogen ratio. High-carbon ingredients include brown, dry material, such as leaves, straw, and hay. High-nitrogen ingredients include moist- and often green- material such as grass clippings, manure, and kitchen waste like leftovers, rinds, peels, crushed egg shells, used coffee grinds, tea bags, etc. You can also add cardboard, newspaper, and sawdust from your fireplace. If you don't have enough high-nitrogen material, use a thin layer of bloodmeal bought from a garden center. DO NOT add fats, meat, bones, oils, pine needles or wood, or cat or dog poop.

4. Chop or blend the materials into small pieces to speed up the compost process.

5. When the pile is about 3-4 ft high, its big enough to start heating up. When it cools off, let it sit for another week or two before using the somewhat chunky end product. For a finer, more crumbly material, stir or fluff the pile with a pitchfork, then let heat and cool again before adding to your garden.