Compost piles are a familiar thing to most people. Compost Piles come with many benefits that will help all your gardening needs. The primary benefit of compost piles is that the soil produced from them is filled with nutrients and beneficial organisms that help your plants grow strong and healthy.
It is important where you chose to set up your compost pile, it’s ideal to have it in a spot that gets plentiful rainfall and has good drainage. In addition, you should compost in an area that gets half sunshine and half shade. Many people feel that a compost pile may not look appealing so be sure to camouflage it in by planting tall flowers around it in a way it is not an eye sore.
When making your compost pile, do not make it to small or too big, it should be about 5 feet high x 5 feet wide x 5 feet deep, at the max.
To get started, choose an area that does not have a concrete and/or blacktop base to start your compost pile on, bare ground is best. Here is how you will want to organize your compost:
How to organize your Compost Pile
Layer one: consist of organic materials such as vegetable waste, sod, grass clippings, untreated sawdust.
Layer two: animal manure, fertilizer, or starters can be used to create this layer.
Layer three: normal top soil will work for this layer.
Once you have built your compost pile wait and let it set for about 5 weeks. After 5 weeks, turn and water your compost. You can then add additional layers to it if you would like.
How much water should you apply, you ask? Simply feel for dampness or squeeze a handful of it in your hand. If one to two drops of water come out that means that there is enough water. If this doesn’t happen then you will need to water your compost pile some more.
Good luck!
