Tips for Successful Composting at the Garden
Please DO
- Water the compost pile regularly. This may be the biggest challenge to success. The pile should remain moist so it can be squeezed out like a damp sponge. I doubt we can overwater the pile here, so go crazy.
- A tarp is used to cover the pile and reduce evaporation. Please keep the tarp in place and tuck it in a bit on the sides to keep it in place and minimize the impact of the drying winds.
- Cut up large items. Use your judgement, but woody items should be no larger than 1/4 inch in diameter and only a few inches long. That is pretty small. Less dense items (that you can squeeze) can be larger.
- Turn the pile on work days. Regular turning (but not daily) is necessary to mix in new material and maintain the temperature.
- Add dry, dead plants. Most of our compost material is green, so adding dead plant matter is good for getting the right chemistry.
- Be aware of bad smells and rodents. It should smell earthy and we’d prefer the pile not become a home to any mice families. Let us know if you notice either foul odors or rodents near the pile.
Please DO NOT ADD
- Do not add any thorny weeds that are too sharp to handle with your hands. We have one really nasty weed that shows up occasionally. These should be disposed of in the dumpster.
- Do not add large fibrous material like corn stalks, unless you chop them into small bits. The thicker and denser the material, the more time required to compost.
- Do not add items from home such as food or yard scraps. We will generate plenty of compostable material in the garden. Home items are more likely to attract pests.
- Do not add manure, plants treated with any pesticide or weed control, grass clippings, cottonwood or elm leaves, coniferous (juniper, pine, spruce, etc.) material, meats, whole eggs or dairy products.
Finally, composting seems to be part science and part art, so don’t be obsessed with every rule.
