Tips for Composting Success

Turn landscape trimmings, fall leaves and kitchen scraps into a valuable soil additive for your garden.

It's as simple as putting it in a heap and letting it decompose. The more effort you put in, the quicker you'll have compost.

Do compost disease- and insect-free plant debris, landscape trimmings, and plant based kitchen scraps in your compost pile.

Don't add meat, dairy, fat and bones that can attract rodents. Leave out invasive plants, perennial weeds and those gone to seed.

Start with an 8- to 10-inch layer of mixed plant debris, top with an inch of compost or garden soil and sprinkle on some organic fertilizer. Repeat until the pile is at least three feet tall and wide.

Contain the pile with a simple wire frame, mask it with plantings or hide it behind a fence or walled garden.

A bit more information: Mix finished compost into the soil of new gardens or existing ones you need to improve. Use compost when creating lasagna gardens or planting your straw bale garden. Spread a one-inch layer of compost over the soil in your perennial gardens every other year to keep them healthy and strong.