Making a compost is not difficult, and it is probably the best and cheapest way to provide your plants with the nutrients that they need. A good compost needs only a few ingredients and these include nitrogen, carbon, air, and water. To get these ingredients, you simply just have to collect kitchen and yard waste, and then carry out these important steps.
1. Purchase or Get a Compost Bin
Buy a compost bin from any agricultural store or supplier. If you can’t find one, you can also build a box of your own using some wood. If you go this route, make sure that the box is put on moisture-free, bare soil.
2. Establish a Bottom Layer
At the bottom of your compost bin, add some small holes using a gardening fork. This is to assist in drainage and proper aeration. The next step is to place twigs, feeble sticks, and other straw-like substances at the bottom. This should be 4-6 inches high.
3. Fill Your Compost Bin
Add nitrogenous compounds. This includes cut grass, raw peelings from vegetables, coffee grounds, diluted urine, manure, and weeds. Follow this up by adding carbon compounds such as cardboard, dead leaves, cereal boxes, and hedge clippings. With a garden fork (or something similar) mix the fast-rotting nitrogenous compounds with the slow-rotting brown materials. This adds oxygen to the mix and helps speed up the decomposition process.
To aid this process further, make sure that everything is cut into small pieces, and remember to continue adding water as you fill up the compost heap.
4. Inspect the Compost Heap After Three Days
After three days, place your hand over the top of the heap to feel if it’s hot. If so, the decomposition process has started. Visit the compost heap after one week, and repeat the same procedure. If it has cooled down, mix it thoroughly. However, if it still feels hot, leave it for another week.
5. Mix the Contents of the Garden Compost
Once a week has passed, return to the heap and mix the matter thoroughly to add some more oxygen. If the content appears to be dry, you should add some water before you start mixing. Repeat this process for the next 4-6 weeks.
6. Check if the Compost is Ready
To determine if the compost is ready, look for a dark brown color, which should have the smell of earth.
Source: balconygardenweb
