| Soils and potting mixes that include compost | | | | - Add algae and seaweed. Rinse off any salts |
| produce healthier plants whether it is used for | | | | before using. |
| indoor gardening, rose gardening or vegetable | | | | - Add straw for an excellent source of carbon |
| gardening. Although it won't guarantee the best | | | | but make sure it doesn't contain weed seeds. |
| vegetables, fruit or flowers, composting can help | | | | Materials Not to Add |
| make up for all kinds of plant deficiencies by | | | | - Do not add fats, pet droppings, or animal |
| improving your garden soil. Adding compost will | | | | products. These elements attract pests to the pile |
| boost plant health and helps the environment by | | | | and can spread disease. |
| reducing the amount of organic material that goes | | | | - Do not add ashes to the compost bin (or do so |
| to waste (literally) in landfills. | | | | sparingly) since they are alkaline and affect the pH |
| Following are materials to add or not to add to | | | | of the pile. |
| create optimal composting for gardening: | | | | - Do not add plants treated with pesticides or |
| Materials to Add | | | | herbicides (like weed and lawn clippings). |
| - Add aged manure, cottonseed meal, alfalfa meal, | | | | The compost is finished when it looks, feels and |
| blood meal or a compost starter. These elements | | | | smells like rich, dark soil. You should shot be able |
| are rich in nitrogen and will help jumpstart the | | | | to recognize any of the elements placed in it. |
| microbes responsible for breaking down the | | | | Finished compost is generally less than half the |
| organic matter into compost. | | | | volume of the materials placed in the bin, but it's |
| - Add a mixture of green materials (grass | | | | much denser. |
| clippings, food scraps and manure) with brown | | | | Compost piles should remain damp but not |
| materials (dead leaves, hay, wood chips and | | | | saturated (think of a wrung out sponge). Aerate |
| shredded newspaper) to add necessary nitrogen | | | | the compost pile regularly (every two weeks) to |
| and carbon. Both elements create rich compost | | | | create air spaces which will reduce the smell. |
| for quick decomposition. A ratio that combines | | | | Apply the finished compost to your garden about |
| equal portions of both works best. | | | | 2 to 4 weeks before you plant to give the |
| - Add coffee grounds and let the worms help | | | | compost time to integrate and stabilize within the |
| with the composting. | | | | soil. |