Compost Made Easy

Home Gardening Center Compost Demonstration

What is compost?
Compost is a dark, crumbly, porous, soil-like material. In nature, "compost happens" as plant materials break down and form humus, the rich, organic component of soil. This breakdown occurs through the work of many living creatures. By understanding how this process works, we are able to control and manage it to get the results we want.

Why use compost?
Adding compost to your garden soil will improve its structure and drainage by creating spaces for roots, water, and air. Compost also slowly releases and unlocks the nutrients your plants need to grow and remain healthy, resulting in tastier vegetables, bigger flowers, and stronger plants that can more easily resist pests and diseases.

How does it happen?
The chemical and physical breakdown of plant materials occurs through the work of many organisms. These include various microorganisms (bacteria, actinomycetes fungi,) and macro-organisms (worms, mites, millipedes, sowbugs). As they work to break down your materials, your pile will heat up and shrink in size. By consistently providing for the basic needs of these organisms — just the right combination of browns, greens, air, and water — you create ideal conditions for them to thrive and multiply. This results in finished compost in just 6 - 8 weeks!

When is it ready?
Finished compost is a rich, dark material that looks like soil and has an earthy smell. To check if it is ready, place a few handfuls in a sealed jar or plastic bag. If, after a few days, it has an unpleasant ammonia-like odor, it needs more time to mature.

How do I use it?
Compost can be mixed directly into your soil, applied as a thick layer of mulch, used in a thin layer on your lawn, or soaked in a bucket to make "compost tea" for watering your indoor or outdoor plants.

COMPOSTING BASICS

Add equal amounts of "Greens" with your "Browns." Greens are fresh, moist, nitrogen-rich plant materials that still have some life in them — fresh leaves, prunings, grass clippings, etc. Browns are dry, carbon-rich plant materials with no life in them — autumn leaves, straw, wood chips, twigs, etc.
Keep the entire pile damp, but not soggy. Moist piles provide ideal conditions for the organisms that do the work of turning your plant materials into finished compost. Dried-out piles take a LONG time to break down.
Mix your materials. This adds air into your pile, distributes excess water, and speeds the process by providing the most contact between browns and greens. Compacted or soggy piles can produce unpleasant odors.
Chop everything into smaller pieces. Breaking them up creates more surfaces for the organisms to work on. Your pile will compost faster and be easier to mix together.
Pile it up! A 3-foot-wide by 3-foot-high pile will hold in the heat and moisture that makes compost organisms thrive.

For more information on composting, call the Bronx Green-Up "Rotline" at 718.817.8543

Season: Fall