COMPOST...WHAT IS IT AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
Compost is simply decomposed organic matter.While composting may seem mysterious or complicated, it’s really a very simple and natural process that continuously occurs in nature, often without any assistance from us. If you’ve ever walked in the woods, you’ve experienced compost in its most natural setting. Plants or foliage that die at the end of the season are consumed by animals of all sizes, from larger mammals, birds, and rodents to worms, insects, and microscopic organisms. The result of this natural cycle is compost, a combination of digested and undigested food that is left on the forest floor to create rich, usually soft, sweet-smelling soil.
WHY IS COMPOST IMPORTANT?
Compost is important in several ways. First, by creating a compost bin a person can keep on average 50% of what we throw away out of landfills. Organic waste in a compost bin has the resources to decompose naturally and become wonderful organic material for our plants, vegetables, and flowers with no artificial growth hormones you may find in some commercial fertilizers. This is even more amazing when you realize that in a landfill, natural organic matter cannot break down and can actually causes 1/3 ton of greenhouse emmissions per year! So don't throw away all that earth saving goodness...COMPOST!
WHY IS COMPOST IMPORTANT?
Compost is important in several ways. First, by creating a compost bin a person can keep on average 50% of what we throw away out of landfills. Organic waste in a compost bin has the resources to decompose naturally and become wonderful organic material for our plants, vegetables, and flowers with no artificial growth hormones you may find in some commercial fertilizers. This is even more amazing when you realize that in a landfill, natural organic matter cannot break down and can actually causes 1/3 ton of greenhouse emmissions per year! So don't throw away all that earth saving goodness...COMPOST!
SO...HOW DO I GET STARTED?
The following is the most simple compost construction and perfect if you are just starting out. It was the first composting structure I had been introduced to over 15 years ago. Thanks Roe and Dan! Roll out and cut 12½ feet of poultry wire, hardware cloth or plastic coated wire mesh using the wire snips or tin snips. If you use poultry wire, roll back three to four inches at each end of the cut piece to provide a strong clean edge which will be easy to latch and won’t poke or snag. Now form the wire in the form of a circle and secure the ends with clips or wire ties. Your bin is now ready go! Bring the bin to the place where you would like it to be and then space the posts around edge inside wire circle. Hammer the posts firmly into the ground while tensing them against wire to provide support. You now have your compost bin!
Be sure to put only organic plant material in your compost bin, keep it in a warm location, keep it slightly damp occationally, and turn it about once a week. In about one season you will have created rich, dark, nutritious goodness. Your plants will be blissful and your EARTH will love you for it!
- Round Wire Compost Bin
Be sure to put only organic plant material in your compost bin, keep it in a warm location, keep it slightly damp occationally, and turn it about once a week. In about one season you will have created rich, dark, nutritious goodness. Your plants will be blissful and your EARTH will love you for it!
- Round Wire Compost Bin
- 12-1/2 feet of 36" wide 1" poultry wire, or 1/2" hardware cloth, or 16 gauge plastic coated wire mesh
- 4 metal or plastic clips, or copper wire ties
- 2 or 4 four foot wooden or metal posts for poultry wire bins
