Compost is one of the most valuable resources for beautifying your landscape, and it is virtually free. The leaves you rake, the grass you mow, and the branches you trim are some of the ingredients you can use to make compost. Finished compost is dark and has a pleasant smell. It is produced when organic matter, such as garden, lawn, and kitchen waste, is broken down by bacteria and fungi. Use it throughout your landscape - till it into gardens and flower beds, add it to the soil when renovating your lawn, Or sieve it and use it in potting soil.

Locate your compost pile on a well-drained site which would benefit from nutrients running off the pile. Your pile can be built gradually in layers and then turned to mix. Or if you have sufficient material, it can be mixed and blended at one time.

Step 1
To ensure good aeration and drainage, put down a 3-inch layer of coarse plant material, such as small twigs or chopped corn stalks, or a wooden pallet.

Step 2
Next, add about 8 to 10 inches of leaves or other dry organic wastes from your landscape and/or kitchen.

Step 3
Provide nitrogen for compost-promoting microorganisms by adding 2 to 3 inches of fresh grass clippings or fresh manure. If fresh nitrogen sources are unavailable, add about one-third cup synthetic fertilizer (36-0-0) per 25 square feet of surface area.

Step 4
If no soil is included in your compost material, add a sprinkling of soil or a compost starter to each layer to inoculate the pile with microorganisms.

Step 5
Moisten the pile as you add leaves and other dry material.

Mix the materials thoroughly. Shape the pile so its center is lower than its sides, to help water flow into the pile. Keep the pile moist, but not soaking wet. Within a few days, it should heat up. If not, it may lack nitrogen or moisture. If the pile emits an ammonia smell, it is too wet or too tightly packed for oxygen circulation; turn the heap and add coarse material to increase air space. Once a month, turn the pile with a pitch fork, putting the outside materials on the inside and vice versa.

The plant materials should decompose into compost within five months in warm weather, longer under cool or dry conditions. The center of the pile should reach 160 F to kill most weed seed, insects and eggs, and disease organisms. Composting may be completed in one or two months if the materials are shredded, kept moist, and turned several times to provide good aeration. Spread it in the garden and dig or till it under to offer your soil and plants renewed vigor.

By Diane Relf, Extension Specialist, Environmental Horticulture, Virginia Tech