My father didn't have fairies at the bottom of the garden; he had a compost pile. That pile of stuff was a mystery to me, but my father tended it well. He made regular visits and kept piling things from the garden onto it, and after a while, that pile of stuff turned into dirt, which he put back on his garden and flowerbeds. Now that I too am a gardener, I have come to appreciate how valuable that simple pile of stuff really is. The finished product is rich in nutrients, the oldest and best soil treatment around.
Composting makes sense for the environment. We can reduce the amount of household and garden waste we put into the trash. Composting is a continuous natural process, the biological reduction of organic wastes to humus. It happens everywhere that plants grow; leaves on the ground in the forest eventually turn into humus. As gardeners, we can help that process along.
We can make a pile of grass clippings, leaves, and other garden wastes, keep it moist, and turn it occasionally until it decomposes. We can build or buy a container-wooden or plastic, tumbler or box. One word of warning about those efficient tumblers, though, is that if you fill them too full, you can't turn them. I have gone back to my chicken wire container.
Living microorganisms (fungi and bacteria) accomplish the process of decomposition. These microorganisms needs a balanced mix of raw organic materials: carbon-energy source (leaves, woody stems, straw, shredded paper), nitrogen-protein source (green vegetable matter, table scraps (but not meat), just enough water to keep the materials moist but not dripping water, and oxygen. As a rule of thumb, it takes a ratio of 30 parts carbon to one part nitrogen.
Another option is hot composting. You will need at least a 3x3x3-foot container with materials such as sticks or a pallet on the bottom to allow air circulation. Add alternating layers, about 6" each, of organic nitrogen and carbon materials along with water. Stir, cover, and leave to cook, with an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. required.
Obviously there is much more information thn I can cover in a brief article, and I would encourage you to find a good book, go on-line, and/or contact your local Texas Cooperative Extension office, and learn more about the art and science of composting.
Please give composting and recycling a try. You will be amazed how much volume you can eliminate from the trash bin just by building a compost pile and by taking your recyclable plastic, glass, etc., to the nearest recycling center.
Ann Kelley, Smith County Master Gardener
Texas Cooperative Extension
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