How to Compost

Compost Happens... Sounds like a bumper sticker, but it's true. Collect a bunch of plant debris into a pile and as long as it doesn't dry out, you'll get compost... eventually. With a little help, you can speed up the process. There a several ways to compost; one to fit every conceivable personality, from the type \"A" to the couch potato. Try one method to start with and as you gain experience, adapt it to your particular lifestyle. Above all, keep your system simple and convenient. The two most popular ways to compost we'll call the passive method and the active method.

Passive method

The passive method is just one step above the pile of plant debris mentioned above. A little thought into what are the optimum conditions for microbrial growth can speed up the decomposition without too much extra work.

In this method, building the pile is a gradual affair; you add the ingredients as you get them, keeping in mind the proper balance of "greens" and "browns", and keeping the pile moist. Since a passive pile doesn't get hot enough, care should also be taken not to include seeds that might sprout in your compost or diseased plants that might infect your garden.

The advantage of the passive method over the active method is that it requires less work; there is no turning required. The disadvantage is that it takes longer to get finished compost (5-12 months vs. 1-3 months for the active method)

Active method

Building a pile the active method way is not a gradual affair; the ingredients must be added all at once. The bulk is a key factor determining whether the pile can retain heat well enough for the thermophillic bacteria to kick in. When things start to cool down, the pile is physically turned which aerates the pile and it heats up again. This process is repeated a couple of times until the pile becomes compost.

Because of the high temperatures, pretty much any plant material can be thrown into the pile. However, it's still probably wise to avoid adding obviously diseased plants.

The beauty of the active method is that you can have beautiful brown compost in just a couple of weeks.