Discover the Dos and Don'ts of Composting to Cultivate a Healthy Garden

The composting procedure is affordable and accessible, turning your garbage into plant food. It is a great way to keep biodegradables away from landfills and reap the rewards of composting "black gold." It helps you revitalize your garden and adds valuable nutrients and organic materials to your soil. It is an eco-friendly practice that helps reduce the amount that contributes to landfills by recycling garden and kitchen waste. Suppose you want to avoid attracting pests, spreading plant diseases, or compromising the overall texture of your compost pile. In that case, you should consider adding only approved or compost-friendly materials.

When creating a compost pile, you should create a diverse mix of materials, which helps create a balanced and nutrient-rich mixture. Composting materials are of two types: brown and green. Green materials are filled with moisture and are nutrient-rich, comprising eggshells, foodstuffs, vegetables, fruits, grass clippings, and coffee grounds.

To layer the compost pile, ensure proper aeration and moisture control. Start by accumulating coarse materials like corncobs, sticks, and so on at the bottom level. The bottom layer will allow air and water to pass through it quickly.

Moisture is a vital part of the composting procedure. The compost mixture you prepare should be neither too dry nor too wet. The mixture should be damp but not soggy. You should check your pile occasionally to ensure it stays dry.

It is crucial to keep your compost pile healthy for good decomposition. The organic matter in your compost bin becomes fertilizer through microbes that break down materials. These microbes require oxygen and moisture for survival; therefore, your compost should have a healthy amount of both. Otherwise, it will die and slow down your decomposition rate. To ensure your compost pit remains filled with oxygen, you should turn your compost pile at least once a month.

You can maintain the ideal range for decomposing the compost pile by offering proper hydration. The compost pile you prepare should be smooth enough to break down completely. Therefore, it is essential to boost the moisture level in the compost pile, as it will help break down the organic matter in less time. Therefore, setting your compost pile near a water source is possible.

When creating a compost pile or bin, it is crucial to choose the best possible location for it. The best thing is that it should be at least 30-35 feet away from your house. As per the recommendation of several gardeners, the compost heap should be built next to the garden.

It is essential to provide the right amount of heat, microbial, fungal activity, and airflow to your compost mixture. It is likely that providing these conditions for the compost is impossible. Keep patience in terms of results, as it may take 6 months or longer to produce finished compost. The soil amendment will help boost plant health in the backyard of your house.

There should be some form of protection to keep insects and animals away from your compost mixture. Consider covering your heap with a tarp or wooden frame to speed up the composting process. A dark-colored tarp will be ideal for keeping the process ongoing even during the winter.

To avoid attracting pests, spreading plant diseases, or compromising the overall texture of your compost pile, ensure you add only approved materials. It is essential to add compost-friendly materials when it comes to avoiding common composting issues. When you are unsure whether something is compostable, you should do some research before adding it to your compost heap.

When it comes to building your compost, smaller is better. For green waste such as shrub and tree prunings, organic materials should be finely shredded or chopped. It is the case with kitchen waste as well. Whole heads of watermelon rinds or old lettuce will break down. You can support the system by chopping it finely before it goes into the compost bin.

Final Thoughts
Composting is a great way to produce protein-rich fertilizer for any garden and reduce the impact on landfills. At the time of preparing compost, you can make a lot of mistakes. Therefore, following the above dos and don'ts for the compost pile should make it healthy and efficient and help it produce high-grade fertilizer in less time.