A Home Compost Pile

What Goes In

• Almost any vegetative material can go into the compost pile. This includes lawn clippings and plant trimmings from the yard and garden as well as kitchen scraps such as vegetable and fruit trimmings and peels and coffee grounds. Other items that can go into the compost pile includes ash from the fire place and egg shells. Do not compost protein type items, meat, fat or cheese, as this causes odor and attracts rodents.

What to Do

• As the name suggests you have to make a pile to have a compost pile. A good basic size is a pile 3 feet high and 3 feet on each side. The pile insulates the center where bacterial action creates heat that warms the pile. Do not make piles larger than 6 feet in each dimension as this restricts air flow. Use a garden fork to turn or aerate the pile about once a week. Add water so the compost is moist but not wet.

What Happens

• The natural bacterial action breaks down the organic material into compost, a material that resembles black soil. This bacterial action produces heat as a byproduct. In some circumstances and weather conditions the compost pile can even steam on a cool damp morning. The heat also breaks down the chemicals in most lawn herbicides or insecticides rendering the compost created from lawn clippings safe to use in gardens or lawns.

How to Use Compost

• Compost is ready to use about three months after the pile is formed. At that point, the material is dark colored and crumbles when handled. A compost pile started in the spring should be ready by the fall. Apply a layer of compost up to 2 inches thick to the garden space. Work the compost into the soil with a tiller or garden fork. Don't work the compost deeply into the soil. Organic materials do the most good in the top 2 inches of the garden soil.