Composting

An Alarming Twist on the Ag Boom
By Chris Mayer, editor, Capital & Crisis

Over the summer, Iran bought more than 1 million tons of wheat from the U.S.

That's something we've not seen in 27 summers. In Iran's case, a tough drought cut the wheat harvest by a third, forcing the country to look abroad. But still, the fact that Iran had to come to the U.S. is telling. It's like Lee asking Grant for rations in the summer of 1863. As one analyst put it: "Do you think Iran would come to the U.S. if they had any place else they could buy it?... They're searching the world for wheat. They're buying the U.S. because it's the only thing they can buy."

Markets, like great unscripted dramas, develop their own plotlines as time rolls on. Now unfolding is a new plotline in the agriculture boom. It begins with the fact that there are fewer and fewer options these days for importers looking for large quantities of high-quality grains. But it speaks more to a deeper issue: an emerging shortage in fertile soil. Yes, we're running out of good dirt. (And that insight leads to some compelling investment ideas, as you'll see below.)

Fertile soil – good dirt – may become more important to land values than oil or minerals in the ground. Some say it is already a strategic asset on par with oil. As Lennart Bage, president of a U.N. fund for ag development says, "Now fertile land with access to water has become a strategic asset."

Doubtful? Consider rising export restrictions around the globe, which act as a sort of fence keeping the goods within borders. India curbs exports on rice. The Ukraine halts wheat shipments altogether. The number of grain-exporting regions has dwindled, like the vanishing buffalo herds. Before World War II, only Europe imported grain. South America, as recently as the 1930s, produced twice as much grain as North America. The old Soviet Union, for all its faults, exported grain. Africa was self-sufficient. Today, only three major grain exporters remain: North America, Australia, and New Zealand.

No surprise, then, to find faith in the global food supply at generational lows. So begins the scramble to secure farmland. Saudi Arabia, for example, is particularly at the mercy of the winds of global agriculture. It has little ability to produce its own food. The kingdom, reports the Financial Times, "is scouring the globe for fertile lands in a search that has taken Saudi officials to Sudan, Ukraine, Pakistan and Thailand." Saudi Arabia's quest is not one it pursues alone. There are many hunters.

The UAE has also been looking to lock down acreage in Sudan and Kazakhstan. Libya is looking to lease farms in the Ukraine. South Korea has been poking around in Mongolia. Even China is exploring investing in farmland in Southeast Asia. While China has plenty of cultivable land, it does not have a lot of water.

"This is a new trend within the global food crisis," says Joachim von Braun, the director of the International Food Policy Research Institute. "The dominant force today is security of food supplies." Food prices reflect this crimp in supply.

The mainstream press focuses on issues such as population, dietary shifts, and the impact of biofuels. One thing that doesn't get talked about much may be the most important thing of all: a growing shortage of quality topsoil. Call it the topsoil crisis...

Quality soil is loose, clumpy, filled with air pockets, and teeming with life. It's a complex microecosystem all its own. On average, the planet has little more than three feet of topsoil spread over its surface. The Seattle Post-Intelligencer calls it "the shallow skin of nutrient-rich matter that sustains most of our food."

The problem is that we're losing it faster than we can replace it. And replacing it isn't easy. It grows back an inch or two over hundreds of years.

This is not lost on certain far-seeing investors. Jeremy Grantham, the curmudgeonly head of the money manager GMO, wrote about soil depletion in his last quarterly letter. "Our farmers are in the mining business! Yes, the soil is incredibly deep, but it is still finite." For every bushel of wheat produced, we lose two bushels of topsoil.

Until the final decades of the 20th century, the amount of new farm acreage added to the mix by clearing land offset the losses on a global basis. In the 1980s, the amount of land under cultivation began to fall for the first time since humble early humanity began to farm the rich land around the Tigris and Euphrates. It continues to fall today.

We lose topsoil to development, erosion, and desertification. "Globally, it's clear we are eroding soils at a rate much faster than they can form," notes John Reganold, a soils scientist at Washington State University. Estimates vary. In the U.S., the National Academy of Sciences says we're losing it 10 times faster than it's being replaced. The U.N. says that on a global basis, the rate of loss is 10-100 times faster than that of replacement.

In any case, it seems safe to say that good dirt is in short supply. The obvious investment conclusion: Buy farmland. That's hard to do as an individual investor, although there are at least a few options. One is Cresud, which owns 1 million acres of farmland in Argentina. It trades on the Nasdaq. Another way into the idea is to own farming assets in grain-exporting countries, like Canada.

More investment ideas will surely surface as time goes by. The topsoil crisis has a long way to go. It's not going to resolve itself anytime soon. In the meantime, though, investors may want to rethink the phrase "cheap as dirt" and keep an eye on this new trend.

Good investing,

Chris Mayer

A complete guide
to composting How to Make Compost, a Composting Guide

Why Make Compost?
Compost is one of nature's best mulches and soil amendments, and you
can use it instead of commercial fertilizers. Best of all, compost is
cheap. You can make it without spending a cent. Using compost
improves soil structure, texture, and aeration and increases the
soil's water-holding capacity. Compost loosens clay soils and helps
sandy soils retain water. Adding compost improves soil fertility and
stimulates healthy root development in plants. The organic matter
provided in compost provides food for microorganisms, which keeps the
soil in a healthy, balanced condition. Nitrogen, potassium, and
phosphorus will be produced naturally by the feeding of
microorganisms, so few if any soil amendments will need to be added.

Most gardeners have long understood the value of this rich, dark,
earthy material in improving the soil and creating a healthful
environment for plants. Understanding how to make and use compost is
in the public interest, as the problem of waste disposal climbs
toward a crisis level. Landfills are brimming, and new sites are not
likely to be easily found. For this reason there is an interest in
conserving existing landfill space and in developing alternative
methods of dealing with waste. Don't throw away materials when you
can use them to improve your lawn and garden! Start composting
instead.

Our hands our being forced to deal creatively with our own yard
waste, as one by one, cities are refusing to haul off our leaves and
grass clippings. About one third of the space in landfills is taken
up with organic waste from our yards and kitchens, just the type of
material that can be used in compost. With a small investment in
time, you can contribute to the solution to a community problem,
while at the same time enriching the soil and improving the health of
the plants on your property.

Want the super quick version of how to make compost? Visit our
Composting Tips page.

The Compost Decomposition Process
Compost is the end product of a complex feeding pattern involving
hundreds of different organisms, including bacteria, fungi, worms,
and insects. What remains after these organisms break down organic
materials is the rich, earthy substance your garden will love.
Composting replicates nature's natural system of breaking down
materials on the forest floor. In every forest, grassland, jungle,
and garden, plants die, fall to the ground, and decay. They are
slowly dismantled by the small organisms living in the soil.
Eventually these plant parts disappear into the brown crumbly forest
floor. This humus keeps the soil light and fluffy.

Humus is our goal when we start composting. By providing the right
environment for the organisms in the compost pile, it is possible to
produce excellent compost. We usually want to organize and hasten
Mother Nature's process. By knowing the optimum conditions of heat,
moisture, air, and materials, we can speed up the composting process.
Besides producing more good soil faster, making the compost faster
creates heat which will destroy plant diseases and weed seeds in the
pile.

Compost Materials
Almost any organic material is suitable for a compost pile. The pile
needs a proper ratio of carbon-rich materials, or "browns," and
nitrogen-rich materials, or "greens." Among the brown materials are
dried leaves, straw, and wood chips. Nitrogen materials are fresh or
green, such as grass clippings and kitchen scraps.

Mixing certain types of materials or changing the proportions can
make a difference in the rate of decomposition. Achieving the best
mix is more an art gained through experience than an exact science.
The ideal ratio approaches 25 parts browns to 1 part greens. Judge
the amounts roughly equal by weight. Too much carbon will cause the
pile to break down too slowly, while too much nitrogen can cause
odor. The carbon provides energy for the microbes, and the nitrogen
provides protein.

Leaves represent a large percentage of total yard waste. If you can
grind them in a gas or electric chipper shredder or mow over them,
they will reduce in size making them easier to store until you can
use them in the pile, and they will decompose faster - an issue with
larger leaves. They are loaded with minerals brought up from the tree
roots and are a natural source of carbon. A few leaf species such as
live oak, southern magnolia, and holly trees are too tough and
leathery for easy composting. Avoid all parts of the black walnut
tree as they contain a plant poison that survives composting.
Eucalyptus leaves can be toxic to other plants. And avoid using
poison oak, poison ivy, and sumac.

Pine Needles need to be chopped or shredded, as they decompose
slowly. They are covered with a thick, waxy coating. In very large
quantities, they can acidify your compost, which would be a good
thing if you have alkaline soils.

Grass Clippings break down quickly and contain as much nitrogen as
manure. Since fresh grass clippings will clump together, become
anerobic, and start to smell, mix them with plenty of brown material.
If you have a lot of grass clippings to compost, spread them on the
driveway or other surface to bake in the sun for at least a day. Once
it begins to turn pale or straw-like, it can be used without danger
of souring. Avoid grass clippings that contain pesticide or herbicide
residue, unless a steady rain has washed the residue from the grass
blades.

Kitchen Refuse includes melon rinds, carrot peelings, tea bags, apple
cores, banana peels - almost everything that cycles through your
kitchen. The average household produces more than 200 pounds of
kitchen waste every year. You can successfully compost all forms of
kitchen waste. However, meat, meat products, dairy products, and high-
fat foods like salad dressings and peanut butter, can present
problems. Meat scraps and the rest will decompose eventually, but
will smell bad and attract pests. Egg shells are a wonderful
addition, but decompose slowly, so should be crushed. All additions
to the compost pile will decompose more quickly if they are chopped
up some before adding.

To collect your kitchen waste, you can keep a small compost pail in
the kitchen to bring to the pile every few days. Keep a lid on the
container to discourage insects. When you add kitchen scraps to the
compost pile, cover them with about 8" of brown material to reduce
visits by flies or critters.

Wood Ashes from a wood burning stove or fireplace can be added to the
compost pile. Ashes are alkaline, so add no more than 2 gallon-sized
buckets-full to a pile with 3'x3'x3' dimensions. They are especially
high in potassium. Don't use coal ashes, as they usually contain
large amounts of sulfur and iron that can injure your plants. Used
charcoal briquettes don't decay much at all, so it's best not to use
them.

Garden Refuse should make the trip to the pile. All of the spent
plants, thinned seedlings, and deadheaded flowers can be included.
Most weeds and weed seeds are killed when the pile reaches an
internal temperature above 130 degrees, but some may survive. To
avoid problems don't compost weeds with persistent root systems, and
weeds that are going to seed.

Spoiled Hay or Straw makes an excellent carbon base for a compost
pile, especially in a place where few leaves are available. Hay
contains more nitrogen than straw. They may contain weed seeds, so
the pile must have a high interior temperature. The straw's little
tubes will also keep the pile breathing.

Manure is one of the finest materials you can add to any compost
pile. It contains large amounts of both nitrogen and beneficial
microbes. Manure for composting can come from bats, sheep, ducks,
pigs, goats, cows, pigeons, and any other vegetarian animal. As a
rule of thumb, you should avoid manure from carnivores, as it can
contain dangerous pathogens. Most manures are considered "hot" when
fresh, meaning it is so rich in nutrients that it can burn the tender
roots of young plants or overheat a compost pile, killing off
earthworms and friendly bacteria. If left to age a little, however,
these materials are fine to use.

Manure is easier to transport and safer to use if it is rotted, aged,
or composted before it's used. Layer manure with carbon-rich brown
materials such as straw or leaves to keep your pile in balance.

Seaweed is an excellent source of nutrient-rich composting material.
Use the hose to wash off the salt before sending it to the compost
pile.

The list of organic materials which can be added to the compost pile
is long. There are industrial and commercial waste products you may
have access to in abundance. The following is a partial list:
corncobs, cotton waste, restaurant or farmer's market scraps,
grapevine waste, sawdust, greensand, hair, hoof and horn meal, hops,
peanut shells, paper and cardboard, rock dust, sawdust, feathers,
cottonseed meal, blood meal, bone meal, citrus wastes, coffee,
alfalfa, and ground seashells.

Following is a chart listing common composting materials
Type of Material Use it? Carbon/ Nitrogen Details
Algae, seaweed and lake moss Yes N Good nutrient source.
Ashes from coal or charcoal No n/a May contain materials bad for
plants.
Ashes from untreated, unpainted wood Careful Neutral Fine amounts at
most. Can make the pile too alkaline and suppress composting.
Beverages, kitchen rinse water Yes Neutral Good to moisten the middle
of the pile. Don't over-moisten the pile.
Bird droppings Careful N May contain weed seeds or disease
organisms.
Cardboard Yes C Shred into small pieces if you use it. Wetting it
makes it easier to tear. If you have a lot, consider recycling
instead.
Cat droppings or cat litter No n/a May contain disease organisms.
Avoid.
Coffee ground and filters Yes N Worms love coffee grounds and coffee
filters.
Compost activator Not required, but ok. Neutral You don't really
need it, but it doesn't hurt.
Cornstalks, corn cobs Yes C Best if shredded and mixed well with
nitrogen rich materials.
Diseased plants Careful N If your pile doesn't get hot enough, it
might not kill the organisms, so be careful. Let it cure several
months, and don't use resulting compost near the type of plant that
was diseased.
Dog droppings No n/a Avoid.
Dryer lint Yes C Compost away! Moistening helps.
Eggshells Yes O Break down slowly. Crushing shells helps.
Fish scraps No n/a Can attract rodents and cause a stinky pile.
Hair Yes N Scatter so it isn't in clumps.
Lime No n/a Can kill composting action. Avoid.
Manure (horse, cow, pig, sheep, goat, chicken, rabbit) Yes N
Great source of nitrogen. Mix with carbon rich materials so it breaks
down better.
Meat, fat, grease, oils, bones No n/a Avoid.
Milk, cheese, yogurt Careful Neutral Put it deep in the pile to
avoid attracting animals.
Newspaper Yes C Shred it so it breaks down easier. It is easy to add
too much newspaper, so recycle instead if you have a lot. Don't add
slick colored pages.
Oak leaves Yes C Shredding leaves helps them break down faster. They
decompose slowly. Acidic.
Sawdust and wood shavings (untreated wood) Yes C You'll need a lot
of nitrogen materials to make up for the high carbon content. Don't
use too much, and don't use treated woods.
Pine needles and cones Yes C
Don't overload the pile. Also acidic and decomposes slowly.
Weeds Careful N
Dry them out on the pavement, then add later.
Sod Careful N Make sure the pile is hot enough, so grass doesn't
continue growing.

Compost Site Selection
Any pile of organic matter will eventually rot, but a well-chosen
site can speed up the process. Look for a level, well-drained area.
If you plan to add kitchen scraps, keep it accessible to the back
door. Don't put it so far away you'll neglect the pile. In cooler
latitudes, keep the pile in a sunny spot to trap solar heat. Look for
some shelter to protect the pile from freezing cold winds which could
slow down the decaying process. In warm, dry latitudes, shelter the
pile in a shadier spot so it doesn't dry out too quickly.

Build the pile over soil or lawn rather than concrete or asphalt, to
take advantage of the earthworms, beneficial microbes, and other
decomposers, which will migrate up and down as the seasons change.
Uncovered soil also allows for drainage. If tree roots are extending
their roots into the pile, turn it frequently so they can't make
headway.

Look for a spot that allows you to compost discretely, especially if
you have neighboring yards in close proximity. Aim for distance and
visual barriers between the pile and the neighbors.

Seasonal Schedule for Composting
An effective storage system is the key to successfully using the
materials each season provides. In the fall, collect and shred fallen
leaves. The best use for them now is as mulch for trees, shrubs, and
garden beds. Excess leaves can be stored - leaves from 100 bags can
be shredded and put in a 4'x4'x4' container. Some decomposition will
take place over the winter, but not a significant amount. Continue to
put kitchen scraps in the pile, but it's not necessary to turn in
cold climes. If you want your compost pile to stay active during the
winter, you'll want an enclosed bin with insulated sides. A black bin
situated in a sunny spot can help trap solar radiation during cold
spells. Keep the pile as large as possible so that heat generated
from decomposition will endure. You can also stack bales of straw
along the sides of your bin to help retain the heat.

In areas with a cold winter, spring is the best time to start the
compost pile in earnest. There's an abundance of grass clippings and
trimmings. Summer is the time the compost pile is working at its peak
range of decomposition, especially if it has been turned once or
twice. Cover and store the finished compost, or use it, and start
another batch. With enough organic waste, you can produce several
batches of highly managed compost during the summer.

Making Compost
Compost can range from passive - allowing the materials to sit and
rot on their own - to highly managed. Whenever you intervene in the
process, you're managing the compost. How you compost is determined
by your goal. If you're eager to produce as much compost as possible
to use regularly in your garden, you may opt for a more hands-on
method of composting. If your goal is to dispose of yard waste, a
passive method is your answer.

Passive composting involves the least amount of time and energy on
your part. This is done by collecting organic materials in a
freestanding pile. It might take a long time (a year or two), but
eventually organic materials in any type of a pile will break down
into finished compost. More attractive than a big pile of materials
sitting in your yard is a 3-sided enclosure made of fencing, wire, or
concrete blocks, which keeps the pile neater and less unsightly. Add
grass clippings, leaves, and kitchen scraps (always cover these with
8" of other material). The pile will shrink quickly as the materials
compress and decompose. Wait a year or two before checking the bottom
of the bin for finished compost. When it's ready, shovel the bottom
section into a wheelbarrow and add it to your garden beds. Continue
to add greens and browns to have a good supply of finished compost at
the ready. After the first few years, most simple piles produce a few
cubic feet of finished compost yearly.

Managed composting involves active participation, ranging from
turning the pile occasionally to a major commitment of time and
energy. If you use all the techniques of managing the pile, you can
get finished compost in 3-4 weeks. Choose the techniques that reflect
how much you want to intervene in the decomposition process and that
will be a function of how fast you want to produce compost.

The speed with which you produce finished compost will be determined
by how you collect materials, whether you chop them up, how you mix
them together, and so on. Achieving a good balance of carbon and
nitrogen is easier if you build the pile all at once. Layering is
traditional, but mixing the materials works as well.

Shredded organic materials heat up rapidly, decompose quickly, and
produce a uniform compost. The decomposition rate increases with the
size of the composting materials. If you want the pile to decay
faster, chop up large fibrous materials.

You can add new materials on an ongoing basis to an already
established pile. Most single-bin gardeners build an initial pile and
add more ingredients on top as they become available.

The temperature of the managed pile is important - it indicates the
activity of the decomposition process. The easiest way to track the
temperature inside the pile is by feeling it. If it is warm or hot,
everything is fine. If it is the same temperature as the outside air,
the microbial activity has slowed down and you need to add more
nitrogen (green) materials such as grass clippings, kitchen waste, or
manure.

Use a compost thermometer to easily see how well your compost is
doing. They are inexpensive, and quite convenient to have.

If the pile becomes too dry, the decay process will slow down.
Organic waste needs water to decompose. The rule of thumb is to keep
the pile as moist as a wrung-out sponge.

If you're building your pile with very wet materials, mix them with
dry materials as you build. If all the material is very dry, soak it
with a hose as you build. Whenever you turn the pile, check it for
moisture and add water as necessary.

Too much water is just as detrimental as the lack of water. In an
overly wet pile, water replaces the air, creating an anaerobic
environment, slowing decomposition.

Air circulation is an important element in a compost pile. Most of
the organisms that decompose organic matter are aerobic - they need
air to survive. There are several ways to keep your pile breathing.
Try not to use materials that are easily compacted such as ashes or
sawdust, without mixing them with a coarser material first. People
who build large piles often add tree branches or even ventilation
tubes vertically into different parts of the pile, to be shaken
occasionally, to maximize air circulation.

A more labor-intensive way to re-oxygenate the pile is to turn the
pile by hand, using a large garden fork. The simplest way is to move
the material from the pile and restack it alongside. A multiple-bin
system makes this efficient, in that you only handle the material
once. Otherwise, you can put the material back into the same pile.
The object is to end up with the material that was on the outside of
the original pile, resting in the middle of the restacked pile. This
procedure aerates the pile and will promote uniform decomposition.

This is an excellent tool for aerating and mixing compost.

The following information is for the highly managed pile and the
optimum finished compost in the shortest amount of time.
Decomposition occurs most efficiently when the temperature inside the
pile is between 104 degrees F and 131 degrees F. Compost thermometers
are available at garden shops and nurseries. It is best not to turn
the pile while it is between these temperatures, but rather when the
temperature is below 104 degrees F or above 131 degrees F. This keeps
the pile operating at its peak. Most disease pathogens die when
exposed to 131 degrees for 10-15 minutes, though some weed seeds are
killed only when they're heated to between 140 degrees and 150
degrees. If weed seeds are a problem, let the pile reach 150 degrees
during the first heating period, then drop back down to the original
temperature range. Maintaining temperatures above 131 degrees can
kill the decomposing microbes.

The Compost Bin

Click on photos to get more information and pricing about each
compost bin, or visit our online Compost Bin Store.

To save space, hasten decomposition, and keep the yard looking neat,
contain the compost in some sort of structure. A wide variety of
composting structures can be purchased, or made from a variety of
materials. They can be as simple or complex as desired.

Yard wastes can be composted either in simple holding units, where
they will sit undisturbed for slow decomposition, or in tumbling
compost bins, which produce finished compost as quickly as just a few
weeks with a good mix of materials.

Holding units are simple containers used to store garden waste in an
organized way until these materials break down. A holding unit is the
easiest way to compost. It only requires placing wastes into a pile
or bin as they are generated. Non-woody materials such as grass
clippings, crop wastes, garden weeds, and leaves work best in these
systems. A holding unit can be a cylinder formed of wire (chicken
wire is too weak to hold up to the bulk), or wood scraps. Openings in
the sides need to be large enough to permit plenty of air, but small
enough to contain the materials that are composting.

Turning units are typically a series of bins used for building and
turning active compost piles. A turning unit allows wastes to be
conveniently mixed for aeration on a regular basis.

Read about why I like compost tumblers.

Browse garden tools, electric tillers, reel mowers, compost tumblers
at Clean Air Gardening.

Home gardeners are constantly inventing creative and inexpensive ways
to hold their compost - for example, bins made from wire mesh or from
shipping pallets.

Some gardeners lash together four pallets, leaving one corner loosely
attached to act as a door. Others install posts in four corners, nail
the pallets to the posts to form three sides of the bin, and wire the
last pallet with some slack to allow access.

Make a simple, three-sided bin by stacking concrete or cinder blocks.
Leave the fourth side open for turning the pile or for access to the
finished compost.

Renewed interest in recycling has prompted a great increase in the
types of composting systems available commercially. Consider the
advantages and disadvantages of each type of compost bin to choose
the best one for your yard, budget, and life-style. They range from
wire containers to plastic bins and tumblers. Composters are
available online from CleanAirGardening.com and from our online
composter store.

Learn about making compost tea on this page.

Troubleshooting
Making compost is really quite easy, but having too much of a certain
material or letting the compost get too wet or too dry can cause
problems.

Troubleshooting Composting Problems
Problems Possible Causes Solution
Damp and warm only in the middle of the pile. Pile could be too
small, or cold weather might have slowed composting
If you are only composting in piles, make sure your pile is at least
3 feet high and 3 feet wide. With a bin, the pile doesn't need to be
so large.
Nothing is happening.Pile doesn't seem to be heating up at all. 1.
Not enough nitrogen
2. Not enough oxygen
3. Not enough moisture
4. Cold weather?
5. Compost is finished. 1. Make sure you have enough nitrogen rich
sources like manure, grass clippings or food scraps.
2. Mix up the pile so it can breathe.
3. Mix up the pile and water it with the hose so that there is some
moisture in the pile. A completely dry pile doesn't compost.
4. Wait for spring, cover the pile, or use a bin.
Matted leaves or grass clippings aren't decomposing. Poor aeration,
or lack of moisture. Avoid thick layers of just one material. Too
much of something like leaves, paper or grass clippings don't break
down well. Break up the layers and mix up the pile so that there is a
good mix of materials. Shred any big material that isn't breaking
down well.
Stinks like rancid butter, vinegar or rotten eggs. Not enough
oxygen, or the pile is too wet, or compacted.
Mix up the pile so that it gets some aeration and can breathe. Add
course dry materials like straw, hay or leaves to soak up excess
moisture. If smell is too bad, add dry materials on top and wait
until it dries out a bit before you mix the pile.
Odor like ammonia. Not enough carbon. Add brown materials like
leaves, straw, hay, shredded newspaper, etc.
Attracts rodents, flies, or other animals. Inappropriate materials
(like meat, oil, bones), or the food-like material is too close to
the surface of the pile. Bury kitchen scraps near the center of the
pile. Don't add inappropriate materials to compost. Switch to a
rodent-proof closed bin.
Attracts insects, millipedes, slugs, etc. This is normal composting,
and part of the natural process. Not a problem.
Fire ant problems.
Pile could be too dry, not hot enough, or has kitchen scraps too
close to the surface. Make sure your pile has a good mix of materials
to heat up, and keep it moist enough.

Vermicomposting: Composting with Worms
Vermicomposting, or worm composting, is different than traditional
composting.

Worm composting is a process that uses red earthworms, also commonly
called redworms, to consume organic waste, producing castings (an
odor-free compost product for use as mulch), soil conditioner, and
topsoil additive. Naturally occurring organisms, such as bacteria and
millipedes, also assist in the aerobic degradation of the organic
material. Commercially available worm composting bins make it fairly
simple to do your own vermicomposting indoors.

You can learn more about vermicomposting on our worm composting page.

Using Compost
Finished compost is dark brown, crumbly, and is earthy-smelling.
Small pieces of leaves or other ingredients may be visible. If the
compost contains many materials which are not broken down, it is only
partly decomposed. This product can be used as a mulch, but adding
partly decomposed compost to the soil can reduce the amount of
nitrogen available to the plants. The microorganisms will continue to
do the work of decomposing, but will use soil nitrogen for their own
growth, restricting the nitrogen's availability to plants growing
nearby.

Allow partly decomposed compost particles to break down further or
separate them out before using compost on growing plants. Or add
extra nitrogen such as manure, to ensure that growing plants will not
suffer from a nitrogen deficiency. Compost is great for flower
gardening, herb gardening, organic lawn care and vegetable gardening.

Compost serves primarily as a soil conditioner, whether it's spread
in a layer on the soil surface or is dug in. A garden soil regularly
amended with compost is better able to hold air and water, drains
more efficiently, and contains a nutrient reserve that plants can
draw on. The amended soil also tends to produce plants with fewer
insect and disease problems. The compost encourages a larger
population of beneficial soil microorganisms, which control harmful
microorganisms. It also fosters healthy plant growth, and healthy
plants are better able to resist pests.

One inch thick is enough to spread on your garden beds. Compost
continues to decompose, so eventually the percentage of organic
matter in the soil begins to decline. In northern climates, compost
is mostly decomposed after two years in the soil. In southern
climates, it disappears even faster and should be replenished every
year.

To bolster poor soil with little organic matter, spread 2 to 3 inches
of compost over a newly dug surface. Then work the compost into the
top 6 inches of earth.

A garden soil that has been well mulched and amended periodically
requires only about a ½ inch layer of compost yearly to maintain its
quality.

Some people recommend late fall as a good time to spread compost over
a garden bed, and cover it with a winter mulch, such as chopped
leaves. By spring, soil organisms will have worked the compost into
the soil. Others recommend spreading compost two weeks before
planting time in the spring. There is really no wrong time to spread
it. The benefits remain the same.

If your supply of compost is really limited, consider side-dressing,
a way to use compost sparingly by strategically placing it around
certain plants or along certain rows. This is best done in late
spring and early summer so that the rapidly growing plants can derive
the maximum benefit from the compost.

To side-dress a plant, work the compost into the soil around the
plant, starting about an inch from the stem, out to the drip line,
taking care not to disturb the roots. For shallow rooted plants,
leave the compost on the soil surface. A 2" layer works best when
left on top.

For new lawns, a 2 to 3" layer of compost is best when planting. Once
the new lawn is established, a ¼ to ½" layer yearly will maintain the
quality of the soil.

An existing lawn top-dressed with a ½" layer of compost every year or
two will be healthier than an unamended lawn. Fall is the best time
to apply the compost, although an application in early spring is
almost as effective.

A compost mulch can benefit trees and shrubs just as it does other
plants. Spread a ½" to 1" layer of compost on the bare soil under the
tree as far as the drip line. Then cover with a 2-3" layer of some
other kind of organic mulch, such as chopped leaves or pine needles.
The mulch will hold the compost in place and keep it from drying out.

Adding compost to the planting hole of small perennial plants is
valuable, particularly perennial food plants. Annuals will also
benefit from a dose of compost at planting time.

Compost is the ultimate garden fertilizer. It contains virtually all
the nutrients a living plant needs and delivers them in a slow-
release manner over a period of years. Compost made with a wide
variety of ingredients will provide an even more nutritious meal to
your growing plants.

Compost is the best material available to enliven your soil no matter
where you live. Farmers around the world will testify that healthier
soil grows healthier plants that naturally resist disease, insects,
and other environmental pressures. Adding compost to your garden is a
long-term investment - it becomes a permanent part of the soil
structure, helping to feed future plantings in years to come.