compost pile at your home is one of the best ways to add nutrients to the soil of your garden to get the best yield. But how do you make compost? The steps are easier than you think! Learn all about the steps for how to compost for the garden here!
Understanding Compost
The best way to think about compost is a place where you can put your food scraps and yard waste to make your own nutrient-rich soil for your garden. Composts are particularly useful for vegetable gardens, especially if you are planning to use home-grown vegetables year-round. Building your own compost for your garden is one of the easiest DIY projects you can do.
Step One: Pick a Compost Location
Picking a compost location is key. When you consider what you’ll be putting in the compost, you’ll quickly realize that the ideal location is as far downwind from your windows as possible. Good locations for your compost might be the rear end of your back yard or somewhere tucked into an out-of-sight corner. However, you also want to be sure that your location has some covering from rain, is not exposed to too much sun, and can be protected from critters that might want to raid your compost for food.
When you do find your ideal location, make sure that you can measure out the correct size in relation to your garden size. You don’t need a huge compost if your garden is only growing a few vegetables! A good size compost for an average garden that grows four or more vegetables is three by three feet wide and two feet high. If you’re low on space, simply make your compost taller.
Step Two: Build the Compost
You will want to build a barrier around your compost to keep it tidy and not spilling over into your garden prematurely. The compost barrier can be built with many materials, although you’ll likely have an easier time using basic plywood or wooden posts and chicken wire.
Plywood can be bought from your local home improvement store or can be reclaimed or recycled wood. Chickenwire can usually be bought online or at your local hardware store. You will need a rubber mallet for the posts, nails, and a hammer. You can also paint your compost or decorate it to match the rest of your garden.