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ARMY EARTH DAY Composting Yard Waste What is it? Composting is a natural process, basically decomposition or rotting, that converts organic waste - leaves, grass clippings, small twigs and most kitchen scraps - into a dark, crumbly material that makes a rich soil additive. The waste is broken down by naturally occurring microorganisms into a product suitable for mulching, fertilizing or conditioning soil. Why Compost? Adding compost to soil helps it retain moisture and makes soil easier to till. Plants grow better because the soil has more nutrients, resulting in less need for chemical fertilizers. More importantly, it keeps waste out of landfills and repurposes them in a beneficial way. Getting Started - The Container While starting a compost pile is more involved than just raking leaves into a pile, the whole project is fairly simple and generally can produce a good batch of compost every three to four week. Compost can be made almost anywhere. A bin isn’t necessary. An area to pile leaves and grass clippings together will do, but that can be messy and unattractive. Wooden stakes and chicken wire can be used for a simple compost bin. Inexpensive collapsible plastic bins are sold at most garden stores and are good for military families who move frequently. A good, permanent bin is a sturdy wooden box, approximately three feet by three feet. It should have a cover and a large side opening that provides a place to stir the compost and to remove it. After deciding on a compost container, choose a level spot large enough to accommodate it. It should be near a water source, cleared of grass or other vegetation, and preferably out of direct sunlight and away from the house. The compost bin works best if it is off the ground as this allows better ventilation. A wooden palette or logs covered by chicken wire make good base for the bin. Getting Started - Ingredients The four most important things to remember in composting are green, brown, water and air.  Bring together green ingredients (fresh grass clippings, weeds, kitchen scraps, etc.) and  Brown ingredients (dry leaves, hay, straw, wood chips, etc.)  Add water to keep this mixture damp but not soggy. (It should maintain the consistency of a squeezed-out sponge.)  Turn the pile every few days to mix old and layers, and to add enough air for the microorganisms to thrive. (Burying a perforated pipe in the pile will supply a constant stream of fresh air.) The green ingredients supply nitrogen, while the brown ones supply carbon, producing an ideal diet for the microorganisms. Add successive layers of this organic material if possible, but during seasons when dry, brown materials are not available, compost may still be made with only wet, green plant material.

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