If you aren't already making compost at home, you need to get started today!

The soil in your yard and garden will thank you, your plants will thank you,

and so will the environment. Compost is a finely divided, loose material

consisting of decomposed organic matter.

Although many people associate compost production with small garden compost

piles that are tended with a shovel, most compost is produced in large

municipal, industrial, or agricultural facilities using mechanized equipment.

Nature has been producing compost for millions of years as part of the cycle

of life and death on Earth. Rain kept the piles wet and aided the

decomposition process, producing a rich compost. The Greeks and Romans knew

the value of compost to boost crop production and even used the warmth of

decomposing compost to produce summer vegetables in winter. Today, most

compost is processed in large facilities designed to handle a specific type

of raw material. Agricultural compost is usually produced and used on the

same farm that generated the raw materials. Industrial compost may be bagged

and sold to individual buyers, or the raw materials may be sold in bulk to

other composting facilities it also requires a source of nitrogen, oxygen,

and water, plus small amounts of a variety of elements usually found in

organic material, including phosphorus, copper, potassium, calcium, and

others. In order for the organic materials to combine with the other

materials and decompose into compost, several living organisms and

microorganisms are needed. This cylinder shaped compost bin works fast to

break down leaves, grass clippings and vegetable scraps into rich compost. 

Most home garden compost piles and municipal compost facilities use yard

wastes exclusively because of the large volume of materials available.  For

example, sugar beet pulp is mixed with other materials to make compost in an

area where sugar refineries operate. Some of the more unusual raw materials

used to make compost include seaweed, chicken feathers, peanut shells, and

hair clippings. The production of compost is both a mechanical and a

biological process.  Harmful Materials made from yard wastes, such as leaves

and grass clippings, rarely contains any harmful materials.

While you can compost successfully in a pile on the ground, a bin will keep

the process a bit neater and help to discourage animals if you are composting

food scraps. If you live in a colder climate that has a shorter composting

season, be careful of adding slow rotting items such as tough branches, twigs

and hedge clippings; wood ash; wood shavings and wood pruning. Try to avoid

composting bread, pasta, nuts, cooked food, and newspaper. From beginners to

experts this page provides composting information and tips for successful

home composting. This is the single most important supplement you can give

your garden soil also is a simple way to add nutrient-rich humus which fuels

plant growth and restores vitality to depleted soil. Good for the environment

Composting offers a natural alternative to chemical fertilizers. A layer of

soil will help to mask any odors, and micro-organisms in the soil will

accelerate the composting process. With yard and garden wastes, different

composting materials will decompose at different rates but they will all

break down eventually. If you want to speed up the process, chop the larger

material into smaller pieces, fresh nitrogen-rich material, which can release

odors if exposed to open air, with carbon-rich material, which often exudes a

fresh, wonderful smell. The biggest chore with composting is turning the pile

from time to time. You can always make or buy and tumbler to turn your

compost. I have another article on making your own tumbler composter. I hope

you enjoy reading this article to get more information on gardening go to www.Teegoes.org