1. Keep composting simple. You can rake organic ingredients into a mound
and they will eventually compost. There are no compost bins on the forest
floor.
2. When composting, build a pile that's no less than one cubic yard; 3'
high by 3' wide by 3' deep. Piles in this range retain heat while
allowing adequate air flow.
3. Placing a compost pile in a protected
area, or in a compost bin, will reduce leaching during a rainstorm.
4. To keep a compost bin active throughout a cold winter, use a dark
colored bin located in the sun, or insulate the sides with bales of hay.
5. When adding kitchen scraps to your compost pile bury them inside the
pile.
6. Grass clippings are a good source of nitrogen for a compost
pile. Mix them with carbon-rich material such as leaves, straw, sawdust,
or shredded paper for a good balance. Grass alone will smell bad.
7.
For quick results, turn your compost pile every two or three days.
Finished compost will look and smell like dark, rich soil. You can use a
pitchfork.
8. Some leaves contain substances that can be harmful to plants, and
should not be used for mulch without composting them first. These
include: acacia, cypress, oak, pine, pittosporum, red cedar, and walnut.
9. A five percent increase in organic material will quadruple the soil's
ability to store water; a significant amount in hot, dry landscapes.
10. If possible, keep a brush pile in your yard. Birds love deadfalls, the tangle of branches
and twigs
provides protection from cats or hawks.
11. For continual blooms,
container plants need a lot of fertilizer. Water almost every, day, but
since watering washes out nutrients, this can present a problem. Use your
own compost as a top-dressing.