Compost Tips

Helpful Hints

• Place 6 to 12 inches of organic matter (leaves, grass clippings, sawdust, etc.) in a sunny location, use small pieces. Start your compost on bare ground or in a wood, wire or block bin.
• Cover with 2 inches of soil.
• Add 5 pounds of garden fertilizer (666 is great) and one pound of lime (dolomitic) or use 6 inches manure and 3 pounds super phosphate.
• Continue layering till pile is 3 to 5 feet high leaving a slight depression in the center to catch water.
• Keep the pile damp as a wrung out sponge.
• Turn the pile contents after 3 to 4 weeks to mix and speed the process, the compost will be ready for use in as soon as 2 months as a soil additive.

Troubleshooting

• Odors: Stir or turn the pile and add some dry material (leaves, sawdust, straw)
• Insects: Dig in and cover food scraps as you add them to the pile.
• Not much Happening: Pile should be in sunny location and kept damp, add fresh grass clippings to speed things up.

Countertop Compost Bucket

Kitchen food scraps (fruit and vegetable scraps, crushed eggshells, coffee grounds and filters and tea bags) can be kept in a container until you are ready to put them in your compost pile. Cover the container to keep food out of sight and smell (you can even refrigerate or freeze it).