Compost

What is is and why is it important?

I know I have read a lot of short articles on the internet and in gardening magazines about compost. Prior to vegetable gardening I did have a compost bin, but what was I ever going to do with the small amount of compost I was creating, there certainly wasn't really any need to put the type and quantity of compost I was generating into my native garden. But now the vegetable garden is going I don't have enough compost....in my eyes....to keep things going.

My compost bin is just a black plastic type bought from Bunnings. Basically just a tube with a lid. I put all my vegetable and fruit scraps (not citrus or onions....worms don't like these) from my kitchen into this. The one problem with only including these waste items from your kitchen I have found is the compost becomes too wet and a magnet for cockroaches! It is very important to put dry materials into your compost as well. The articles I have read recommend old leaves, etc from around your garden. Unfortunately I don't have a lot of trees that lose their leaves and the ones that do they just all go into the garden as mulch. So the substitute I have found is the weekly local newspaper that gets delivered in your mailbox. Just shred it and put it in. Also put paper towel every time I put something in from the kitchen. Another tip, turn the material in your compost over as often as you can. Weekly is probably best to ensure enough air is getting through the material and all the good bugs can access the new stuff you're pouring into the bin each time.

Still not generating enough compost in my garden...think this is due to heat availability. Another thing that I would change would be to buy a compost bin that had some sort of easy access type contraption at the bottom so I didn't have to basically disrupt the entire bin each time I needed to access the compost at the bottom.

Will keep learning though. Pin It