With the amount of gardening that I do, and with the high yield of fruit, veggie and other compostable kitchen scraps that come from our four-people household, those plastic put-them-together yourself- bins that municipalities regularly hand out just don't cut it for me. Those bins are either simply too small, filling up too fast or are too cumbersome to effectively use, making turning the pile and retrieving ready-made compost challenging at best.
But you don't need a fancy bin to start composting. All you need is a (preferably hidden) space in your yard, and something to contain your compost, like a wire cage, bales of hay, cinder blocks or these old wood panels that my husband used to build ours. I find it is easier to turn the compost pile with these large, custom-made bins and turning your pile allows more air into the centre, to help your compost decompose faster. Larger piles (3ft X3ft) heat up more than smaller piles will, which also helps speed decomposition of organic matter. So what are you waiting for? Forget the fancy bin. Go out and build your compost pile so your plants can reap the benefits of compost this fall.
But you don't need a fancy bin to start composting. All you need is a (preferably hidden) space in your yard, and something to contain your compost, like a wire cage, bales of hay, cinder blocks or these old wood panels that my husband used to build ours. I find it is easier to turn the compost pile with these large, custom-made bins and turning your pile allows more air into the centre, to help your compost decompose faster. Larger piles (3ft X3ft) heat up more than smaller piles will, which also helps speed decomposition of organic matter. So what are you waiting for? Forget the fancy bin. Go out and build your compost pile so your plants can reap the benefits of compost this fall.
Why Use Compost?
Gardeners know that compost is good for plants. Regularly adding compost to the garden replenishes the soil with essential nutrients such as phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium that enable plants to thrive and ward off pests and diseases. An overdose of compost will never 'burn' your plants like chemical fertilizers can. And compost doesn't just boost soil fertility. It will also improve your soil's structure, making sandy soils more water retentive and clay soil more porous. This is important because a proper balance of air and water in the soil is also essential for proper plant development.
Gardeners know that compost is good for plants. Regularly adding compost to the garden replenishes the soil with essential nutrients such as phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium that enable plants to thrive and ward off pests and diseases. An overdose of compost will never 'burn' your plants like chemical fertilizers can. And compost doesn't just boost soil fertility. It will also improve your soil's structure, making sandy soils more water retentive and clay soil more porous. This is important because a proper balance of air and water in the soil is also essential for proper plant development.
RSS Feed
