Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 9
Making Compost
There are many composting methods, but the most common is probably the outdoor,
above-ground compost pile. It's a good method. The size of the pile is important. Too small
and it won't heat up properly, but too big and it won't get enough air. The best dimensions
are three to five feet long, wide and high.
Although it isn't always necessary, an enclosure can keep out critters, prevent the pile
drying from wind and look a little more tidy. It can be made of used wood pallets or fresh
wood, concrete blocks or anything else that holds the compost in place. Some gardeners
have two or three such enclosures for different stages of the pile, such as raw materials, in-
process compost, and finished compost.
Compost is easy because microbes do the work. All we need to do is construct the pile to
have the correct air, moisture, temperature and carbon to nitrogen ratio.
