Getting The Dirt On Compost

One of the first things that I did when moving into my new house in January was to set up a compost heap.

We have the luxury of having plenty of space to set up fo making compost, and there were also some materials that were left in the yard that can be used for making the heap. However the first compost heap used a part of the cardboard box that our new refrigerator was packed in.

I simply cut down a part of the box, removed the base and located it directly on the soil in a suitable place in the yard, and started adding kitchen scraps, weeds, straw and soil.

After a few weeks the box in the yard that heap was ready for setting aside to brew.

Version 2 of my compost heap was then set up. It was made from sheets of roofing iron held in place by metal stakes. It too was established directly on the soil. When it too was ready for leaving to stand and brew, I simply built alongside this heap to start another.

I have been able to use the compost made in these heaps to help with soil structure and to give transplanted plants a good start to their new life in their new homes.

It has been amazing to see how many worms have found the compost heaps and how busy they have been helping to break down the scraps to become a sweet smelling and friable compost. 

There are several parts of the yard that could benefit from having compost added to help with establishing and maintaining the vegetables and flowers.