Composting+Basics

=Composting 101=

What is compost?
Compost is defined as decayed organic matter used as a plant fertilizer. It can be made of any plant or animal based material, such as manure, dead leaves, or fresh grass clippings.

Why does Highlander Harvest make its own compost?

 * 1) **Teaching Tool:** One of our goals as a community garden is to offer teaching tools. We use the compost to teach members how a compost pile works, and to show that it doesn't have to be intimidating. In fact, it's hard to go wrong at all with composting.
 * 2) **Self Sufficiency:** A garden can often be grown very simply, using materials you already have. Our compost helps demonstrate one way people can create garden resources for themselves.
 * 3) **Reduce Costs:** Buying fertilizer can be expensive. Because our compost is made out of our waste products, it comes at no cost to us. Why pay for something you can make for free?
 * 4) **Reduce Waste:** Our compost is made out of yard waste, (dead leaves, grass clippings, mulch, etc.) kitchen waste, (apple cores, spoiled food, banana peels) and other waste products (shredded cardboard, shredded newspaper, etc.). Many of these items would typically be sent to take up space in a landfill. Now, they are being reused to create something beneficial.

How do we compost?
There are several popular methods of composting, all of which are fantastic. Highlander Harvest will be using the following steps to create our compost.
 * 1) We will have two compost piles, made from wooden pallets. These will be placed along the outer wall of our tool shed. One is our "weed" compost pile, and one is our "non-weed" compost pile.
 * 2) The "weed" compost is used for any hardy weed species, such as Bermuda Coastal grass. We don't use this compost pile for fertilizer, we simply use it to contain the weeds most likely to spread. When in doubt, toss your garden debris in this bin.
 * 3) The "non-weed" compost is used for all other garden debris. For example, feel free to add any of the following items to this compost: crops that are finished for the season and need to be cleared from your plot, old leaves from your lawn or your neighbors lawn, grass clippings (old or fresh), coffee grounds, and kitchen waste (any type of food scraps other than meat).
 * 4) When adding material to the non-weed compost, it is best to layer "brown" and "green" materials. "Brown" materials include any dead leaves or dead grass. "Green" materials include any still fresh materials such as recently clipped grass, apple cores, banana peels, etc. Brown materials represent the amount of carbon in the compost, while green materials represent the nitrogen. The ratio of carbon to nitrogen is important in helping the materials to decay. There should be more carbon materials than nitrogen.
 * 5) If you feel up to it, stir the pile with a stick. This will help speed the process. However, it can also be hard work. Composting will occur even without stirring, but it will take longer. Don't stir if you don't feel up to it, it's not worth passing out.
 * 6) Now you're ready to use some of the compost. The most well composted material will be near the bottom of the pile. However, even if compost is not fully decomposed you can still use it. Just make sure you aren't grabbing any giant chunks of still-recognizable food. It is best to sprinkle some compost in when you are planting seedlings, to mix in with the regular dirt. You can also add compost to the top layer around your plants, to give them a little boost when you water the plants.
 * 7) If you'd like to learn some of the finer details about composting check out the Heart of Texas Master Composters Guide to Composting.

Want to start your own compost?
It's simple to do, and there are many resources available to you! Consider starting your compost journey at our very own Heart of Texas Mater Composters' web page for a list of how-to's and workshops.

I'd like to buy some compost
The Highlander Harvest compost pile may not produce compost quickly enough, or abundantly enough, for every garden member. If you'd like to get more compost you can do so in several different places around town. Keep Waco Beautiful has semi-regular sales of compost, which are listed on their web page.