Composting

When can we start? How do we do it?
We can start composting today. Compost is a way of recycling left over food, dried leaves and other organic materials. It then can be used instead of commercial fertilizers to give nutrients to the soil and plants. Compost consists of a ratio of materials rich in carbon and nitrogen. Carbon-rich, also called “browns,” are things like dried leaves, straw and wood chips. Nitrogen-rich, also called “greens” are things that are fresh or green like grass and kitchen scraps (left over lettuce, egg shells, anything but meat mostly). For every 1 part “green” you want about 25 parts “browns.”

What Variety?
There are million varieties of compost; it all depends on what type of material you put into the compost. But generally compost is just one mixture of many different things. Variety doesn’t apply to compost the same way it does apple trees or chickens.

Issues/Concerns
The only issues or concerns I have about the compost is that it would smell. This would be caused by too much of the nitrogen-rich material not mixed with enough carbon-rich material.

Links
General
http://www.compostguide.com/
http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/homecompost/building.html
http://www.care2.com/channels/solutions/outdoors/211

The Purpose of Compost
http://www.kitchengardeners.org/2006/04/compost_it_will.html

Building a Compost Bin
http://www.taunton.com/finegardening/pages/g00148.asp
http://www.environmentaldefense.org/article.cfm?ContentID=2030

Complete Instructions
http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/organicgardening/compost_pf.php