Compost: A Gardener's Delight

Isn't it amazing that all that waste food that we can't or don't want in the kitchen is such a good food source for the plants in our garden? What makes it even better is the fact that we can grow vegetables in our gardens, cook and eat them, and whatever we don't use goes back into the garden to make the next lot of vegetables grow better and healthier than ever! It's a perfect demonstration of the life cycle, and also a great teaching opportunity for your kids.

A closed plastic compost for garden waste. Suomi: (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Compost not only helps to feed your plants by improving the quality of the soil but it can also control diseases in the garden, as plants that are well nourished with all of the nutrients they need are less susceptible to all kinds of disease.

You can create compost simply by throwing all your waste on a pile and waiting for it to rot, however this can take quite a long time if the compost pile is quite large. The rotting process is aided by keeping the heap moist and this might require watering in hot climates. Having the compost in an enclosed container can help to retain the heat and moisture, which will speed up the process.

It is possible to buy specific containers that are made for fast composting and apart from the fact that they will keep your yard looking a lot tidier, you will get the benefits of using the compost sooner and there will be less 'bad smells' in your garden.

Contained composts are also a lot better at keeping vermin out which can sometimes become a problem with uncovered waste on your property.

Many containers will spin or "tumble" to help with keeping the contents aerated and uniformly moist. Some of the premium compost containers have separate bins which can be rotated, thereby giving you access to the compost at the bottom of the container, which is ready for use without having to dig through the fresh waste at the top.

This convenience will ensure you have quality compost that you can use as soon as it is ready rather than waiting months for the contents to rot.

Good Compost Bins & Tumblers:
   

Making Your Uwn Compost Bin

With spring just around the corner, it is already time to start thinking compost! The sooner you get your compost going, the faster you will have great compost to add to your garden. Even if it isn't quite warm enough to get some good composting action under way just yet, you can at least begin preparing for the season. If you intend to make your own compost pile, it would be nice to make an enclosure or compost bin for your convenience and general neatness. There are a number of compost bins commercially available in various garden stores (see below for some examples). You can buy one if you have the money, or you can make your own compost bin fairly easily. It’s really not that difficult and the materials you need are not that hard to find.

Image via WikipediaSome commercially available compost bins have their own systems or devices for turning over the compost. Some have harvesting trays or mechanisms for easier collection. But those things are just add-ons and are made for added convenience for the consumer. You really don’t need such stuff. All you really need is a basic enclosure to keep the compost materials from being scattered around the area (and hopefully keep the animals out).

Possibly the only limitations you have in making your compost bin is the amount of imagination and ingenuity you have. Fortunately, you can look in your storage room or garage and look for suitable materials and most likely you will find some quite suitable ones. They can be made from heavy plastics or wood or tin. Like I said, it’s just a matter of how you handle the “paints” to create a “masterpiece”.

One of my suggestions would be using a wire mesh, a couple of wood planks or even pipes. The idea would be like creating a simple wired fence around your compost pile with the pieces of wooden plans or pipes as support. You can tie the wire mesh to the pipes or planks to make it more secure. The shape is up to you. You can make it round, square, rectangular or even triangle shaped.

Just keep in mind that you will need to have easy access to the compost pile to turn it over at least once each week. You can create a doorway in the wire mesh or you can make your enclosure in such a way that you can easily lift and put back the whole enclosure.

Image via WikipediaAlso, if you have some left over wooden slats from an old fence or wooden planks from an old shed, I’m sure you can assemble a quite sturdy compost bin in your backyard. Just make sure to let the air in by allowing spaces between the wooden boards. This will keep the air flowing inside the compost pile and make decomposition quicker. If you have enough loose boards lying around, you can create a dresser-type compost bin complete with a door with hinges for easy access to the compost pile.

You can even fashion one from a garbage can. Look for an old discarded can where you can afford to experiment without being scolded by your wife or your mother later on. What you need to do is punch a few holes in your garbage can to allow the air to circulate through the composting materials. Then just put your composting materials inside the can. Before you cover it, wet the materials inside until they appear damp.

You can turn over or roll it around to let the materials mix while always keeping the compost pile damp. In a few months, you should be able to get satisfactory results from all your effort.

You see, making your own compost bin is very easy. You just need to consider the following fundamentals: air should flow inside the bin, you should have quick access to the compost pile or the ability to easily turn and mix the contents, and you should be able to wet the pile when needed.

Some Commercially Available Compost Bins: