Louisiana's Good Earth
I like composting. My lot is on a slope and part of my soil washes downhill to the neighbor's property each year. When I compost I feel like I'm helping build more soil to replace what I lose each year.
Here in Louisiana we often want to build up low areas. Completed or mature compost can help. Do not throw a bunch of leaves and vegetable waste into a ravine and expect to fill in an area. As the waste rots it takes up less space. Some people have used limbs, waste wood, and leaves to fill in areas for homes or driveways. When the organic fill rotted and shrank, there would be practically a sink hole. Use compost as a fertilizer or to fill in small holes in your lawn.
To start your own compost pile pick a well-drained spot that is out of the way of your usual walk or play areas. Near a garden would be nice. That location would be convenient when you want to throw garden plant waste in the compost pile. My pile is by the back door making it easy for me to throw out vegetable peelings and coffee grounds.
You can use chicken wire to make a round container to keep your compost in place. I have wooden boxes. Some people just have a pile with no structure.
My wooden boxes are particularly exciting from an environmentalist point of view. My neighbor was throwing them out and I adopted them for re-use.
About 75 percent of your pile should be leaves, grass clippings, small limbs, old tomato plants or garden plants. The rest of your pile can be torn up newspaper, vegetable and fruit wastes, coffee grounds, tea bags, or dryer lint. Remember no milk products or meat.
Soil from old pots is a good ingredient, as well as, cow or chicken manure. Waste from pets, like dogs and cats is not acceptable. Those wastes should continue to be disposed of on an area your family doesn't use or in your family's contribution to the landfill.
Compost piles should be watered when rain is insufficient and stirred. Its not the end of the world if your compost gets pretty dry and is not stirred (like mine often is). It will just take longer for your materials to mature.
Read more about my "environmentalism"
Saving Money with the Three R's (Reduce,
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