An essential component to gardening and small farming is composting. Compost helps support the development of humus (stabilized organic matter) in our soils and helps to maintain nutrients for our plants to grow. Composting yard waste and recycling organic matter back into our soil creates a ripe environment for earthworms and other beneficial microorganisms, essential for healthy soil.

It is increasingly necessary to commit to sustainable growing practices as we face more serious climate challenges. Composting can often feel intimidating if you are just getting started, but as high altitude gardeners (anyone growing over 4,000’), you all are no strangers to challenges so don’t worry - we’ve got this! It is possible to purchase composted soils from local garden centers, but it is essential to cultivate your own compost to move towards a sustainable practice of supporting the health of your soil with crops you grow and food scraps you create. You can close your own circle of resources instead of importing outside resources and spending unnecessary funds (also a resource we all need to conserve!).

We all love to grow what are called “heavy feeders” in our gardens, such as corn, tomatoes, beets, brassicas, lettuce, etc. And rightly so, they are some of the tastiest garden treats out there! These plants are called heavy feeders because they pull a lot of nitrogen out of the soil. Along with crop rotation for successive plantings (bringing in nitrogen fixers to that same soil like peas, beans, and rye after harvesting heavy feeders, instead of re-planting the same nitrogen “pulling” crops season over season), we can support the retention of nitrogen and other nutrients with compost. The organic matter in compost eventually sifts down into the soil and boosts nutrient content and helps support the development of humus, essential for good soil tilth. Additionally, compost can act as a sponge, retaining moisture and reducing watering needs. Compost has actively decomposing materials that tie up nitrogen so that it doesn’t leach or oxidize so quickly, therefore keeping it available for plant growth.

To start a compost bin/pile, first you need to find the right location in your yard or garden. You’ll want to consider spaces that have partial shade. Some sun heat will help kick-start the decomposition process, but too much can roast the pile and dry it out. The idea is to retain moisture so avoid windy spots. You will need to water your compost pile, so having a water source nearby is key. City ordinances can sometimes prohibit piles from being within 10 feet of property lines so be sure to check those rules as well. You should also consider potential for rodent/pest activity if that is a concern -- not placing the pile next to the house or any areas where pests could set up shop.

A local duck family found our compost pile last summer!

Some folks like to have structure for their composting areas, and some folks prefer an open pile. That is up to you, there are pros and cons to each approach. Open compost piles tend to be fine for larger properties and in more rural areas, but watch out for attracting animal activity. In more urban areas, composting bins are very useful as they keep things a bit tidier and can help keep animals away. You can keep it as simple as wood posts encircled with chicken wire, or you can purchase or build wooden structures. Many styles of bins are available for purchase commercially, but also keep in mind that ventilation is essential and some of the fully enclosed bins can quickly become a rotten mess if you don’t have your balance of materials down right.

The size of your bin should be at minimum 3’ x 3’ in order to allow for heating. If you have more brown materials higher in volume such as leaves, or if you simply have larger amounts of composting materials, you may want to increase to 5’ x 5’.

Now on to what we should put into our compost piles! Heap on those kitchen scraps, weeds, garden debris (corn stalks, leftover crops, root veggie tops, dead flowers etc.), leaves, hay/straw, grass clippings, and other plant residues. Be sure to avoid adding any plant matter that has disease. Avoid kitchen scraps that contain meat, dairy, citrus peels, oils/fats as these slow down decomposition and attract animals. Avoid adding weeds with seeds since those seeds may not get killed if the pile doesn’t get hot enough. Do not add trash, wood ash, lime, or pet feces.

Ultimately, you can just add materials as they become available. This style of pile may take a bit longer to cure but it is the most convenient. Be sure to cover kitchen scraps and manures with a bit of soil to keep down odor and keep flies away. You are aiming for a carbon (brown/dry materials) to nitrogen (green/wet materials) ratio of about 30 to 1. Practically, that looks like two parts green materials to one part brown materials. If there is too much carbon (brown material) then the breakdown is too slow, and if there is too much nitrogen (green material) then you can be creating strong ammonia odors.

If you’d like to be more methodical, then you can take the layered approach. Using 1/3 dry vegetation, 1/3 green vegetation, 1/3 soil (if you have heavy clay soil, less will be more), add materials in 1- to 2-inch layers. Start with dry vegetation on the bottom, then green vegetation, and then some soil (1/4 to 1/2 inch layer). As each layer is added, water it lightly to keep the pile evenly moist.

Watering your compost pile is essential since dry compost won’t decompose and a too-wet pile will drown aerobic microbial life.

Have fun and enjoy watching your soil improve as you implement the use of compost!