Completed compost is a living, humus-like byproduct of the breaking down process of organic material. Composting speeds up decomposition so the materials break down faster than they normally would in nature.
Compost benefits:
- Improves the texture of your soil
- Holds space for water and oxygen
- Increases the presence of micro and macro-organisms
What does a good compost pile need?
- Green material (these lists are not exhaustive)
- Grass clippings
- Vegetable and fruit scraps
- Animal manure
- Clippings from bushes/trees
- Weeds (be careful of seeds)
- Brown material
- Pine needles
- Fall leaves
- Straw
- Sawdust
- Paper
- Oxygen/Aeration
- Moisture
- Temperature
You’ll want to build your pile at least 3-ft x 3-ft x 3-ft to maximize the heat process, which will break things down faster.
If you want to learn more about composting and maximizing your garden yield, check out our course Soil Health, Composting & Natural Fertilizers, which details several methods of composting and teaches you how to transform organic waste into enriched soil.
