Composting 101

No garden would be complete without its own natural recycling system, a compost pile. Without a way of dealing with compost, weeds and scraps are waste. But why create more trash when you can turn your garden and kitchen waste into valuable soil-building fertilizer?

One of the first steps to starting an organic garden should be to begin a compost pile. Composting will break down organic matter into nutrient-rich material that builds soil and nourishes plants. And just like anyone can garden, no matter their situation, there are composting possibilities for everyone!

Possible Composting Methods

• A big outdoor compost heap or bin. If you have the space in your garden or yard, a large compost heap is the best way to make the most of all your organic matter waste and fertilize a large garden. Your compost pile can be as simple as a loose heap in a sheltered area of the yard, or as fancy as a pre-made tumbling bin.

A compost pile should be at least 3′ x 3′ x 3′ to break down the organic matter well. It’s best to allow it to breathe, and you’ll need to be able to easily access it to stir your compost every so often to keep it going.

• A worm bin for vermicomposting. The idea of keeping a bin of worms to eat garbage freaked us out at first, but now that we’ll soon be harvesting rich worm castings and seen the results. We're big believers in worm power.


You can build your own worm bin or buy a ready-made stacking bin.


Worm composting can be scaled to your available space, so it’s great for keeping in a garage, deck, or even in the kitchen. You can use both a worm bin and a garden compost pile because your worm bin can only digest so much, so we only give the worms kitchen or canteen scraps. Some worms often don’t like things like onions, citrus, and hot peppers, so those can go in the compost pile.

Source: www.care2.com