Why should you learn how to make compost? After all, it can seem like a lot of work, and it’s something that you might not think you need in your garden. However, composting is one of the most natural things you can do for your garden, and it offers a wealth of benefits.
These are the main topics we’ll cover in this article:
What Is Compost And Why Should I Make It
The benefits Of Compost
This Is How To Make Compost In 7 Easy Steps:
1. Choose A Compost Bin Or Pile
2. Collect Organic Materials
3. Things That You Should Not Put In Your Compost
4. Add Water
5. Turn The Compost Regularly
6. How To Know When Your Compost Is Ready
7. How To Use The Compost In Your Garden
Some Additional Resources To Boost Your Garden
So, if you’re ready to learn how to make compost, keep reading.
What Is Compost And Why Should I Make It
Compost is a soil amendment made from decomposed organic matter. It can be used to improve the soil structure, fertility, and water retention of garden soils.
Composting is easy to do at home and can be done with a variety of materials including kitchen scraps, lawn clippings, leaves, and manure.
Composting is an easy way to improve your garden soil and helps to keep it healthy by adding essential nutrients back into the ground. Compost also helps to suppress plant diseases and pests, and it’s a great way to recycle organic materials.
The benefits Of Compost
Composting offers a wealth of benefits. Some of the benefits of composting include:
- Preventing water pollution
- Attracting beneficial insects
- Helping retain soil moisture
- Improving soil structure
- Improving soil fertility
- Reducing the need for fertilizers and pesticides
- Conserving resources
Composting is also a great way to recycle your kitchen scraps and yard waste. Not only is it good for the environment, but it’s also free!
Now that you know the importance of composting and some of the benefits it offers, let’s take a look at how to make compost, step-by-step.
This Is How To Make Compost In 7 Easy Steps
Okay… We’ll now show you, step by step, how to make compost. The steps are very easy to follow and apply. You can adapt steps 1 and 2 to suit your situation. But try to apply steps 3-7 as outlined below.
1. Choose A Compost Bin Or Pile
There are a variety of different compost bins to choose from. You can purchase a compost bin or make your own out of materials like wood, wire, or plastic. If you decide to make your own compost bin, be sure to make it easy to turn so you can mix the compost regularly.
If you don’t have a bin and don’t want to make one, you can also use a compost pile to make your compost. Just choose a convenient place outside, close to your garden, to set up your compost pile.
1.1. Where To Place Your Compost Bin Or Pile
Where you put your compost bin or pile is important. It should be outside, not indoors. You want the pile to be near a water source so you can easily wet it down, but not too close to the house or any other structures. The pile should also be in an area that gets plenty of sunlight.
The perfect spot for your compost bin or pile is near your garden.
2. Collect Organic Materials
One of the main challenges people face is knowing what to include in compost and what to keep out. This can be tricky, as there are many different types of compostable materials.
In order to make compost, you need three things: browns, greens, and air. Browns are things like leaves, dead plants, or straw. Greens are things like grass clippings, vegetable peels, or coffee grounds. You can also add a small shovelful of soil to your pile to help it decompose faster.
The key to making good compost is to have a variety of different organic materials.
Start collecting organic materials by saving kitchen scraps like fruit and vegetable peels, coffee grounds, and eggshells. You can also collect leaves, grass clippings, and straw.
3. Things That You Should Not Put In Your Compost
There are some things that should not be put into your compost pile because they can harm the composting process or create bad odors.
Do not put meat, dairy, oily foods, or pet waste into your compost pile. These materials will rot and create a foul smell, so do not use them in your compost. [1]
4. Add Water
It’s important to keep the compost moist but not wet. Add enough water to keep the ingredients moist but not wet.
You can do this by watering it every other day or putting a cover over the compost bin to keep the moisture in. If it’s too dry, the compost will not break down properly. If it’s too wet, the compost will become saturated and smell bad.
You’ll know that you’ve added enough water when the compost is the consistency of a damp sponge.
5. Turn The Compost Regularly
Another important step you must note in learning how to make compost is the need to turn the compost regularly. This will help it break down faster and create a more uniform mixture. You can use a pitchfork, shovel, or your hands to do this. If you have access to a composter, you can also use that to turn the compost.
Turn the compost every week or so using a shovel or pitchfork to mix everything together and add more air.
6. How To Know When Your Compost Is Ready
When composting material is fully broken down, the resulting material is known as finished compost. On average, it will take about four to six months for your compost to be ready to use. You can tell it’s done when it’s dark in color and doesn’t smell bad.
To know when your compost is ready, look for signs that the compost is breaking down, such as heat and moisture. You can also test the compost by stirring it up and smelling it; if it smells earthy, it’s ready to use. If it doesn’t smell right, you may need to wait a little longer.
Finished compost also has a crumbly, earthy texture. When added to soil, it helps to improve drainage and aeration.
Compost is ready to use when it’s dark in color and doesn’t smell bad.
7. How To Use The Compost In Your Garden
Now that you know how to make compost, what do you do with it? Great question!
Compost can greatly improve the quality of your soil and help your plants grow better. You can either mix compost in with the soil before planting, or you can use it as a topdressing for established plants. Either way, your plants will thank you!
If you haven’t yet started planting, do the following:
- Add the compost to the soil before you plant your seeds or seedlings.
- Work the compost into the top few inches of soil.
- Use enough compost so that the soil is dark and rich in color.
If your garden already has established plants, you can do the following:
- Mound the compost around the base of the plants.
- Gently pat it down with your hand to make sure it makes contact with the soil.
- Water well to help activate the compost and encourage growth.
That’s all there is to it! With a little bit of compost, your garden will be thriving in no time.
Some Additional Resources To Boost Your Garden
Composting is an easy and convenient way to improve the quality of your soil. If you’ve ever wondered how to make compost or what is the easiest way to make compost, then we hope this article was helpful to you.
By following the 7 steps on how to make compost, you can create your own compost pile and start enjoying the benefits of this sustainable gardening practice.
If you’re looking to take your gardening skills to the next level, be sure to check out our other gardening articles. From “How To Start A Garden” to “The Top 25 Raised Garden Bed Plans”, we’ve got you covered!
