Backyard composting is fun
By Ted Schaaf
Gardens on Spring Creek
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May is composting month at the Gardens on Spring Creek. Composting is
nature's way of decomposing and recycling organic matter. It is also a
way to reduce the amount of trash in landfills by 20 to 40 percent.
I must confess that I am a new convert to composting. As a horticulturist
I have been using compost for years, but always found some excuse to keep
me from making my own compost. My conversion came last year.
Now, after 12 months of tending the Gardens compost pile, I have been rewarded
with a full bin of rich, brown humus (highly decomposed organic matter)
that I can use as an amendment to improve soil structure.
Making compost
There are many different composting setups available. The type you choose
will depend both on your available space and the amount of plant waste
you have to compost.
At the Gardens, we have a compost demonstration area that showcases a number
of different options. My personal favorite is the three-bin system. In
this system, the first bin gets fresh, green, nitrogen-rich material such
as grass, garden clippings and kitchen scraps mixed with brown, carbon-rich
material like dry leaves, straw, wet paper towels and cardboard.
Once these materials start to decompose, transfer them into the second
bin using a pitch fork as shown in the photo. This frees up the first bin
for new material. Material from the second bin should be transferred to
the third bin when it is about three-quarters composted.
The process is completed in the third bin. Once you have your finished
product, you can incorporate it into your planting beds by simply digging
the compost into planting areas before planting season begins. You can
also use compost as mulch by spreading it around the base of your trees,
flowers and shrubs.
Key to success
I always like simplicity when it comes to gardening projects, and maintaining
a compost pile is just that. It can take as little as five minutes per
week. Following a few easy rules will guarantee success.
To start with, the smaller the material is that you add to your bin, the
quicker it will decompose. If you plan on composting a lot of woody material,
a chipper shredder might come in handy. I have found that spending a few
extra minutes cutting up my plant material with either pruners or loppers
can really speed up the composting process.
It's also important to turn the compost pile at least once a week. Due
to our dry climate, adding water is a must. How much water, you ask? I
turn on the hose and water the pile until I see water flowing out of the
bottom of the bin. The final ingredient is, of course, the sun.
If your compost pile emits a foul smell, you should add more of the brown,
carbon-rich material. Use no more than 50 percent wet, green material.
Timing of the finished product can be anywhere from one month to as long
as a year. The Gardens compost is ready for use after about nine months.
Turning, mixing, and proper moisture levels will speed up the process.
Remember to join us at the Gardens on Spring Creek's for our Get Down and
Dirty composting festival. This fun and educational event will be held
from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on May 16. You'll have an opportunity to meet local
farmers and learn about sustainable gardening. The Gardens will also have
portable compost bins available for purchase at a reduced rate.
Happy Gardening!
Ted Schaaf is a horticulturist for the city's Gardens on Spring Creek,
located off Centre Avenue about a half mile south of Prospect Road in Fort
Collins. He works in a 1,600-square-foot greenhouse with dedicated volunteers.
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