Compost can do some surprising things. Like when it starts to let off steam! It can be quite an alarming sight. In fact, some people mistake this for smoke and worry that their compost might start a fire! But what exactly is going on? And is this a typical event? Below I’ll explain everything you…
Imagine my surprise. Opening up my compost bin one day, I found a bunch of weeds growing in my compost! Weeds have evolved to become highly adept at surviving. Often, they out-perform the plants we actually want to grow! Yes… You can dig them up, chop them into pieces, and torture them any way you…
Gardening in raised beds gives the gardener a significant level of control over the growing environment for their plants. But since you are not planting in the ground, you need to provide the best possible soil health for your plants. Compost can help you achieve this. It can improve nutrient availability, drainage, and water retention…
You have a good idea of what should and shouldn’t go into your compost. But, it’s tricky knowing whether some types of waste belong there. Like weeds! Many gardening experts warn against composting weeds. But others say it’s safe to toss your morning glory, crabgrass, ivy roots, and blackberry bushes in with the rest of…
Do you want to know about underground compost bins, but you’re unsure where to begin? There are lots of subtleties to using this kind of subterranean system. And if you get it wrong, it could lead to problems further down the line! But what if you could set up an in-ground compost bin in just…
For some gardeners, maintaining compost just seems like a lot of work. Balancing greens and browns. Getting the moisture level just right. Regularly turning over the compost. Pfew! But you’ll be glad to know there’s an easier way! In-ground composting is perhaps one of the simplest ways to make compost. From burying food scraps in…
If you’re thinking of getting a compost bin, it can be tricky to figure out how big your composter needs to be. What if you get one too small, and your composting efforts never succeed? On the other hand, if you have limited space, you don’t want one that’s too big. And what’s the most…
Unfortunately, you can’t just whip up some compost whenever your garden looks out of sorts. Even in a world where you can get almost anything you want fast (pizza in 15 minutes, anyone?), you still need to wait for decent homemade compost. There’s a good reason it takes months to make, though. To turn waste…
It’s time! Your compost is finally ready. But just because your compost is good to go doesn’t mean it’s the perfect moment to add it to your garden. You’ll get better results from your compost if you wait till the time’s right to use it. Coming up: Your schedule for the top times to add…
It’s the question on everyone’s mind as they start composting: when will I get to use my compost? Frustratingly, there isn’t a simple answer. You could be lucky enough to have finished compost in less than a month, or you might need to wait a whole year or longer. Some factors influencing how long it…