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Composting is Easy! (Show 1315)
Mr. Freedson, from the flower shop, grows his flowers in a field behind his house on the outskirts of ZucchiniLand. Once, when we took a tour of the flower field, we asked about his compost pile. This is what he told us: Compost is decaying plant material, which, when it's broken down, is very good to add to garden soil. Making your own compost pile or bin is easy, and it helps cut down on the amount of garbage you'd otherwise put out, in addition to creating rich soil. Here are two ways to go about composting in your very own yard.
The simplest option is a COMPOST PILE. All you need to do is dig a hole about 3 feet deep by 3 feet wide. Put a layer of twigs on the bottom (for circulation), and then a 6- to 8-inch layer of plant material, such as grass clippings, leaves, fruit and vegetable scraps, egg shells, weeds, dead plants, coffee grounds, and even dryer lint! Avoid putting any meat or fat scraps into your compost pile. Cover with a layer of soil, manure, or compost activator. Continue alternating 6- to 8-inch layers of plant material and soil, manure, or compost activator, watering after each added layer. Every now and then, stir the pile, turning it inside out, so it won't dry out.
Another method of composting relies upon a COMPOST BIN. For a compost bin, you'll need to push 4 stakes into the ground, forming a square that is at least 3 feet wide. Next, wrap chicken wire around the stakes, to make an enclosure. It's best to angle the stakes so the bin is narrower at the bottom and wider at the top. Make (and remember to water) layers, as described above. In order for the compost material to break down properly, the pile inside the bin should be at least 3 feet tall.
Within a couple months, you'll have rich, fertilized soil to feed your garden and/or plants. And you'll also notice that your garbage container is less full each week! |
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