Composting in Your Country Garden

in Country Garden

Composting is a really nice way to use up garden and household waste and enjoy a new level of successful growing in your garden as a result! Plus, you can keep it all under wraps in a corner of your yard in a tidy compost bin.

You can never have too much compost dug into the garden, especially the vegetable garden. Simply mix your compost into the top soil, in and around your plants and watch the difference organic nutrients can make.

What is Garden Composting?

Compost in the half decomposed state (aka humus) acts like a sponge in otherwise light soils.

This is how it retains food and moisture for your garden plants and flowers - by soaking up and holding the nutrients.

In clay soil humus provides air and drainage so your plants can grow.

What is Used in the Compost Bin?

If you live in the country you can use animal manures. On the other hand, you could truck in some large bags of aged manure to your city garden. If you do still live in the city, and want to compost but you're worried your neighbors will complain, you can still make an organic compost in the backyard without using animal manure and wash away your concerns about offensive smell.

Vegetable Waste Compost for Your Garden

This composting method describes vegetable waste. The end product is vitamin and nutrient rich soil which, when fully decomposed, and is nearly black in color. Generally it will crumble when moist, not lump in your hands.

Compost is rich in all necessary ingredients and is one of the best additives for your garden soil.

Composting bins range from natural worm bins to large, pest free containers in a corner of your back yard.

Some household waste items that are safe for the compost bin include:

leaves
spent flower buds
tea leaves
coffee grounds
egg shells
banana skins
any vegetable that has spoiled
vacuum cleaner and clothes dryer fluff
garden clippings
shredded paper (ink free)

Some organic waste to keep out of your compost pile or bin include:

meat scraps
dog or cat manure
orange, lemon or lime peel
any diseased garden plants or clippings

You can buy a compost accelerator from your gardening center or add manure to the mix - I don't ever suggest adding manure from a carnivore (dog, cat, human).

Tips for Healthy Compost Heaps and Bins

Keep your compost moist and warm - this is why so many bins in cooler regions are black (to attract heat from the sun, even in the winter).

You'll want to 'turn' the contents of the pile every month or so to keep the compost fermenting. If your ingredients going into the compost pile have been small your compost will be ready to use much quicker. Composts made with larger 'chunks' of ingredients can take up to 12 months to fully break down in optimum condition.

Where to Get A Composting Bin

If you can wait for shipping (usually 4-10 days dependant on the unit and your location), I suggest checking out the multiple sales on composters below (available through our country store).

Bins don't weigh much, there are a plentitude of styles to choose from (far more than you'd find at the local Home Depot) and the prices are always better than you'd find at a local gardening supply store.