A Beginners Guide on How to Use Compost in the Garden
If you have been wondering if compost is good (and needed) for your vegetable garden, I will say definitely yes!
Adding compost to your garden is an excellent idea for your garden and the environment. We strongly believe that compost, among other things, is a significant contributor to the success of our vegetable garden.
Let's dive in and discover how to use compost in the garden. Including the benefits to your garden, what to compost, how to compost, and when to compost!
What is compost?
Compost is a mixture of organic materials such as garden debris and food scraps that have been decomposed to make a soil-like mixture rich in plant nutrients and beneficial organisms. This is the end product you will add to your garden beds.
Composting is a system where you mix the organic matter into a container or pile and create an environment that encourages fungi, bacteria, worms, and other living organisms to break down the organic matter.
The four essential things every compost pile needs are nitrogen (from the organic matter), carbon, air, and water. More on this later!
The Benefits of Using Compost
Making your own compost and using it in your garden has many benefits. Some of them include:
Reducing your waste footprint
Our food waste accounts for about 24 - 30% of the material sent to landfills. This waste takes up space in landfills and contributes to greenhouse gas emissions in two ways. First, by the energy it takes to collect and transport waste. And secondly, it cannot decompose quickly and creates harmful methane gas as it breaks down.
By recycling or composting your natural waste, you play a small part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
You are in control and save money
Store-bought compost can get expensive, especially when you need a lot. You save money and know exactly what you put into your garden beds by making your own. You'll be able to avoid unwanted ingredients like weed seeds, wood chunks, or pet waste.
Improve the quality of your soil
Soil comprises all types of organic matter, organisms, minerals, gases, and liquids. Soil high in organic matter (like compost) will hold more water and air, release nutrients to plants, erode less, and house lots of beneficial organisms.
The pH balance of your soil is also crucial for healthy veggies. By adding compost, which has a pH balance of 6.5 - 8 (the ideal range for veggies), you will balance and improve the soil's pH balance.
Remove the need for Chemicals
Compost is a natural alternative to chemical fertilizers when applied to your lawns and garden beds. Avoiding chemical fertilizers is better for your health when eating the veggies, better for the water sources in your area, and all other beneficial insects and critters.
What Can You Add to Compost?
You can add two types of organic matter to your compost system – food waste and yard and garden debris. But, some things fall under these that you should not add to your compost pile.
Food Waste
Food to compost:
All uncooked or cooked vegetables and fruit leftovers.
Starch such as pieces of bread, crackers, pasta, etc.
Eggshells are fantastic for adding calcium to the soil and keeping pests like slugs away.
Tea, coffee, tea bags, and paper filters. Did you know coffee is a source of nitrogen, calcium, and magnesium?
The occasional tissues or paper towels, as long as it is biodegradable!
Food Not to Compost:
Meat or Seafood - These will attract pests and could introduce harmful bacteria and pathogens into your pile.
Dairy
Oil, Lard, Grease
Yard & Garden Debris
Garden and yard debris is excellent to add to your compost pile. Especially anything that contains a lot of carbon, like fallen leaves.
Garden & Yard Waste to Compost:
Almost all vegetable and flower plants.
Green and dead leaves.
Fresh and dry grass clippings.
Hay and Straw
Used Potting Soil
Clean sawdust can be added but should be mixed in thinly to avoid clumping.
Garden & Yard Waste Not to Compost:
Don't add perennial weeds or diseased plants to your pile since you might spread weed seeds or diseases when spreading your compost into your garden beds.
Poisonous weeds and plants.
Anything treated with herbicides or pesticides.
Black Walnut leaves or nuts.
Pet waste.
Can You Add Manure to Compost?
Essentially it is only necessary to use either compost or animal manure, not both. So you can determine what would work best for your situation and garden.
But, you can find compost mixtures that include both manure and organic matter, and they will work perfectly fine.
If you choose to use animal manure, it needs to be well-rotted. If it is not, it can add diseases to your compost pile, which won't be great for growing food you are planning to eat.
Also, if you use manure that is not well-rotten, it may be too rich for your plants and cause more harm. Oh, and it will not smell too nice ;-)
Here at Azure Farm we have a large compost that is mostly from animal manure. Alpaca to be exact. Alpaca manure is one of the only ones to decompose quick and not hurt plants, even when applied directly on.
A lot of our vegetable scraps and such go to the chickens!
How to Make a Compost Pile
Composting is a natural process and should not get overcomplicated. Find a spot in your yard, maybe a bit further from the house, where you can start your compost pile.
You’ll need
As mentioned earlier, nitrogen, carbon, air, and water are needed for a successful compost pile.
Nitrogen - All the "green" material, including food scraps and fresh grass clippings and plants.
Carbon - All the "brown" material, including dead leaves, sawdust, hay, or straw.
Air - You can aerate your compost pile by turning it every now and then.
Water - If you don't get much rain, add water to your pile to keep it moist, and this will help the matter break down more quickly.
Add a good mix of 3:1 parts brown and green material as you grow your pile. Don't stress too much about the ratio, as eventually, it will still break down, and you will have a good mix to add to your garden.
Time
The decomposition process will take a minimum of three months when you put the work into it, and sometimes up to three years, depending on the compost materials you start with and how often you add. Be patient; it is a long-term project!
When it is ready
You'll know the pile is ready to use when it has shrunk to half its original size and the materials are unrecognizable.
During the composting process, the pile's interior will be warm to the touch and gives off steam. When it has stopped building up heat, the microbes have done their job, and the compost is ready.
The finished compost should look like rich soil with a dark and crumbly profile and smell more earthly than fowl.
Don't be hasty and add unfinished compost to your soil; it will do more harm than good!
How to mix compost into the soil
Compost can be added many times during the year and the growing season.
For new garden beds
When you make new garden beds, incorporate compost well into the top 6-8" of your soil. Tilling it well into the ground will distribute nutrients, organic matter, and microorganisms throughout and aerate the soil.
For first spring plantings
Established garden beds can be topped and tilled with a 2" layer of compost to help your seeds and seedlings grow. You could add an organic fertilizer for an extra nutrient boost.
During growing season
During the season, especially when your vegetables are starting to bear fruit, you can apply a "side dressing" technique. This is when you apply a layer of compost a few inches away from the plant to act more like a mulch but still offer all the benefits.
What if I can't make my own compost?
I realize not everyone has the space or capabilities to make a compost pile. Then it is absolutely fine to buy bagged compost.
But, there are a few things to look out for:
- Choose a compost made from a variety of materials for optimal results.
- Be cautious about free compost as you are not ensured of the contents. It may contain a lot of wood chunks or weeds seeds and diseased plants.
- It shouldn't contain too much pear moss in the ingredients. You want a good balance of all ingredients.
- Be wary of non-organic ingredients and look out for an "OMRI" label on the bag. This means it has been approved by the Organic Materials Review Institute. You're looking for "OMRI" on the bag (Organic Materials Review Institute).
- Buy from a reputable garden center or compost supplier.
When you understand how to make compost and the incredible value of using it in your garden, it will serve you for years to come. Once you get the hang of it, you will see how your garden comes to life, and you can expect a bountiful harvest.
I hope you get composting right away :-)
Love, Annette xx