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Composting is a method of recycling naturally, a process that uses microorganisms, that include bacteria and fungi, to decompose organic material into a nutrient rich humus or organic matter that can be used to amend your gardens soil and add nutrients for plant life to benefit from.

There are several ways that you can create a composting system. You can use a compost bin, tumbler or just a simple pile, they all are good methods. It is best to keep the area that you do your composting dry and not in a low area that water sits, along with an area that has good air circulation.

Even though you can compost green material or brown material separately, it is best to mix these two components equally. Green material being nitrogen rich, like by-products of plant life and brown material being carbon rich, like cardboard, paper, and saw dust or wood shavings. Avoid the use of any dairy products, cooked foods, meats or litter from cats or dogs. plants that have suffered from diseases should be avoided, especially if you are cold composting.

Collecting equal parts of brown and green organic material at the same time is not always possible, just be sure as you collect material that you mix it together well with what already exists in your pile if you are hot composting. With the cold compost method you can just keep piling the material as you get it and leave it to decompose naturally, it just takes longer for the decomposition process to finish. The end results will still be a nutrient rich humus, known as organic matter. Keeping your compost pile mixed, moist and
aerated will allow the process of decomposition to process the material quicker and avoid the possibility of any odors that my occur.

Depending on the method you choose for your composting operation, it can take anywhere from as little as six weeks to a year to have a product that is ready to use for your organic gardening needs.

Compost has many benefits, when added as a soil amendment, it will supply nutrients for plant life to benefit from, helps plants build a resistance to disease and pest problems, it aids in the breakdown of toxins that may exist in the soil, improves the soils structure, and retains moisture to name a few.

Used as mulch, compost also has benefits that will create a healthy environment for the plants you are growing. It is a great way to suppress weeds and prevent moisture from evaporating from the soil.

Composting your organic household and yard waste is a cost effective method of recycling, along with being healthier for the environment by avoiding the use of chemical fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides.