| You're a lazy gardener and you want to make | | | | Next shovel a thin, even layer of garden soil over |
| compost, but you don't want to do a lot of work. | | | | the layer of green organic waste. Sprinkle the soil |
| You can make compost that way, but you'll have | | | | with finished compost. You don't need to sprinkle |
| to build the pile correctly. The ingredients need to | | | | on a lot of compost, just enough to "seed" your |
| be layered in a certain order, like making a | | | | pile. Sprinkle it on as though you were adding a |
| lasagna, so the pile decomposes without any help | | | | healthy amount of parmesan cheese on top of |
| from you. In a year it will be ready to use in your | | | | lasagna and didn't have to worry about counting |
| garden. | | | | calories. |
| Here's how to make lasagna compost: | | | | Add a layer of brown organic waste on top of |
| Prepare the site. Ideally you want your compost | | | | the soil and compost. Spread it evenly into about |
| pile to be convenient to your garden but not out | | | | a one inch layer. |
| in the open for everyone to see. Find a place for | | | | Wet down the brown organic waste with your |
| it that also gets sun for a few hours a day. The | | | | hose sprayer. Don't soak it, but make sure the |
| sunlight helps to heat up the pile, which is essential | | | | mixture is moist. |
| for the compost-making process. | | | | Shovel a thin layer of garden soil on top of the |
| A good size for a compost pile is 3 feet by 3 | | | | moistened brown organic waste. Sprinkle with |
| feet. You don't have to enclose it, but if you | | | | compost as before. |
| choose to, provide a way to remove one of the | | | | Continue layering until you run out of materials. |
| sides. This will make it easy to remove the | | | | Alternate green materials with brown materials |
| finished compost. The enclosure should be make | | | | and put a layer of soil sprinkled with compost on |
| of mesh or fencing to allow air to get into the pile. | | | | top of every layer. End with garden soil at the |
| Wood slats can be used if space is left between | | | | top of the pile. |
| them for air circulation. | | | | Wait. The compost will take a year or longer to |
| Collect the materials. You'll need green organic | | | | fully break down, depending on the size of the |
| waste like grass clippings, pulled weeds and other | | | | materials you added. |
| garden waste, along with kitchen scraps including | | | | In the meantime, spray the top of the pile |
| fruit and vegetable peelings and trimmings, tea | | | | periodically if rainfall is scarce. Cover the pile with a |
| bags, eggshells, coffee grounds and coffee filers. | | | | plastic tarp if rainfall is plentiful as it can leach all of |
| Do not include fats or oils, meat or poultry. | | | | the nutrients out of the compost and into the |
| In addition to green organic waste you'll need | | | | ground. That would be a waste. |
| dried brown organic waste. These include autumn | | | | A few weeks after building your compost pile, |
| leaves, garden plants that are dried up at the end | | | | test out whether or not it is decomposing. Drive |
| of the growing season, small twigs, wood chips, | | | | your large garden fork into the middle of the top |
| and/or shredded bark. You can also use shredded | | | | of the pile. After a couple of hours, touch the |
| white office paper or newspapers. | | | | metal on the garden fork. If it is hot or even |
| Finally you'll need some garden soil and a small | | | | lukewarm, it means that your compost pile is |
| amount of finished compost. | | | | successfully "cooking" the ingredients into black |
| Layer the materials. Begin by placing an even, 3 | | | | gold. |
| inch layer of green organic waste at the bottom | | | | It should be ready in about a year. |
| of the compost bin or pile area. | | | | |