Composting is nature’s way of recycling. You can turn scraps and yard waste into a valuable soil amendment that helps your plants grow better. Composting is also one of the best ways to reduce the amount of waste you send to landfills, saving you money in disposal costs.
So, how to make compost for garden? We will give you step-by-step instructions here in this post.
Table of contents
Composting Basics – How To Prepare For Composting
Check that you have the proper components, including green and brown elements. Browns include decaying leaves, twigs, branches, and wood chips. Fruit and vegetable waste, grass clippings, and coffee grounds are examples of greens.
There should be an equal quantity of browns and greens. You should also alternate layers of organic components with varying particle sizes. The brown materials supply carbon for your compost, the green materials supply nitrogen, and the water supplies moisture to aid in the breakdown of organic matter.
How To Make Compost For Garden?
Step 1: Combine Green and Brown Materials
To begin composting, you must first pick what type of composting system you wish to employ. Compost bins come in a variety of styles, both commercial and handmade.
The container should be at least three feet tall to provide enough bulk for heat to build and speed up decomposition. For brown and green materials, the optimum ratio is 3-1. If you look at it with your eyes and it’s still not moist enough, add a bit more water and incubate the leaves.
It would be best to position your bin on soil so that worms and other creatures may easily reach it.
Step 2: Spray Water
Then, before laying another layer of material on top of it, sprinkle some water over the material layer to wet it. Continue to alternate layers of material with water until all of your composting materials have been used to fill the hole in the earth. The leftover material can then be piled over the hole to add more later if necessary.
Choose a location that drains properly and gets lots of sunshine. A sunny location can help your pile heat up and decompose faster. Use a dedicated thermometer to track the progress of your project regularly.
Step 3: Stir Up
Your completed compost should have a nitrogen content of 25 to 35 percent. Nitrogen is vital because high nitrogen levels generate heat, which speeds up the composting process.
To do this, you must stir your compost pile regularly to give it additional air. When beginning this process, we recommend utilizing a specialized meter and measuring the temperature to roughly 140 degrees F.
Turning the pile on a regular basis also keeps the material aerated, which aids in preventing of odors. In the fall, turning should be avoided since decomposition slows significantly in cold temperatures.
Step 4: Feed Your Garden
There are several ways to fertilize ornamental plants, but surface fertilization, soil fertilization, and foliar spraying are the three most common.
Surface fertilization should be done using your hands to distribute the nutrients equally. Furthermore, you may punch holes and then fill them with manure and water to swiftly dissolve the fertilizer into the soil.
When foliar spraying, pay attention to the amount of water used so that the spray solution reaches the plant uniformly. It is vital to wet and loosen the soil before watering to allow plants to absorb.
Conclusion
Starting a compost pile is something anyone can do, whether you live in the country or the city. All you need is some space to keep your compost, your kitchen and yard waste, and a little time. Whatever type of composting system you choose, remember that composting is as much an art as it is a science. The key to success is getting the right amount of air, water, and “brown” materials mixed with “green” materials.
We hope this post on how to make compost for garden is useful for you. Thank you for reading, and thank you for taking your time.
Last Updated on 3 years by admin