How to Build A Compost Pile for an Organic Garden

Now is the perfect time to gather all the falling leaves in your yard and prepare to build a compost pile for an organic garden. Not only is it easy to do, but you can have your entire family spend a day outdoors raking the leaves and having a great old time. Kids usually love to play with leaves, especially when the leaves are piled high enough for them to jump into.

More importantly, however, your own compost pile for your organic garden will be rich in nutrients for the soil, and it acts as a catalyst to fertilize your soil using organic materials.

What materials are required to create the compost pile? While there is no hard and fast rule, there are three ingredients to create a compost pile… and if you can remember “brown, green, and water,” according to the EPA, you are ready to begin.

Let’s look at the brown material first. It would consist of dead leaves, branches, and twigs, bathroom tissue, cardboard rolls, coffee grounds, hair and fur, nut shells, and wood chips, to name a few. The green material would consist of grass clippings, vegetable waste, fruit scraps, and coffee grounds. The water is essential to keep the compost from drying out.

Therefore, with the right combination of all three elements and an equal amount of brown and green material, you can easily layer the material in an alternating fashion.

According to the EPA, “the water will keep the pile moist and break down the organic material.” Also, the brown material is important because it emits carbon while the green material provides nitrogen. This perfect blend is necessary to produce compost that will enrich your soil when you prepare your organic garden for planting.

Where should you place the compost pile? Well, it is recommended that you choose a dry area in your yard that is near a water source, and in a shady area. After you and your family have raked the leaves and piled them to the spot you have chosen, you can then begin to add the other brown and green materials mentioned above. It is also recommended that you lightly water the materials as you add them to the pile. Finally, cover the compost so that you can keep all contents moist.

How do you know when the compost is ready for use? Look under the covered compost and reach under the bottom of the pile. If the material is dark in color, it is ready for use.

According to the EPA, compost usually takes anywhere from two months to two years to fully develop.

You now have the information to build a compost pile for an organic garden. If you begin now, the compost will be more than ready for spring planting.

** Note that there are some things that you should not put into your compost pile. Here is a list of them, and the reason why they should be left out:

* Black walnut tree leaves or twigs – Releases substances that might be harmful to plants
* Coal or charcoal ash- Might contain substances harmful to plants
* Dairy products (e.g., butter, egg yolks, milk, sour cream, yogurt) – Creates odor problems and attract pests such as rodents and flies
* Diseased or insect-ridden plants- Diseases or insects might survive and be transferred back to other plants
* Fats, grease, lard, or oils – Creates odor problems and attract pests such as rodents and flies
* Meat or fish bones and scraps – Creates odor problems and attract pests such as rodents and flies
* Pet wastes (e.g., dog or cat feces, soiled cat litter) – Might contain parasites, bacteria, germs, pathogens, and viruses harmful to humans
* Yard trimmings treated with chemical pesticides – Might kill beneficial composting organisms

Have fun composting!

Five Fertilizing Options for Organic Gardens

Most people have different ideas on how to fertilize their organic gardens.  While some depend on compost, others visit their local gardening stores to purchase ready-to-use fertilizer.  To this end, here are an additional five fertilizing options for organic gardens which you may consider as well.

Due to the fact that nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus are the three main ingredients needed for organic garden fertilization, home-made compost may not be enough to do the job.

If you want to ensure that you are giving your organic garden enough of what it needs to be able to plant a healthy and quantitative crop, here are some fertilizers which can assist you in this endeavor:

1.  One fertilizer that has all of the nutrients needed for your organic garden is alfalfa meal.  Its components contribute to plant growth.

2.  Much has been made of a fertilizer called blood meal.  A source of nitrogen, it has a ratio of 12-2-1.

3.  Bone meal is also being recommended by garden experts.  Since it is a great source of phosphorus and calcium, it’s a good one to add to your list.

4.  High in potassium, kelp meal is recommended as well.  Using it in combination with bone meal is ideal, since kelp meal does not contain enough phosphorus.

5.  Another nutrient which is high in potassium and nitrogen is comfrey.  This is especially useful if you plan to grow organic tomatoes and fruit.

In addition, you can also compost certain nutrients which can further enhance the fertilization of your garden.  The first nutrient is called nettles, which is a food which insects ingest and which can also be composted into an organic liquid.  The second alternative is to use compost worms with any waste products from your kitchen.  This will also provide nutrition for the soil.  The third is the process of composting tea.  If you find that your soil is not at its best, this process will add the nutrients that are lacking in your organic garden.

Well, there you have it.  These are the five fertilizing options for organic gardens you can utilize when you begin planting in the spring.  For now, it may be prudent to take all the leaves in the back yard and prepare a compost pile.   Since the compost pile is a rich source of carbon, nitrogen, and water, there is no doubt you will be sufficiently prepared to plan what to plant in your organic garden.