There are certain tried and true procedures for making good compost. It’s more than throwing anything in a pile and hoping for good results! Which will end up with a dirty mess or a dry pile infested with ants or other pests. Here are some time-tested tips:

1. It is OK to compost poisonous plants, such as rhubarb, yew, poison oak, etc., because the heat during composting will break down all the toxins. If you have some poisonous plants that you need to get rid of, don’t burn them! The smoke will get into your lungs and can cause all kinds of problems. Just put them in our compost pile.

2. For successful composting, you need a mix of green materials such as grass clippings, kitchen waste, cow and chicken manure, and sturdier brown materials such as twigs, cardboard, paper, plant clippings. Larger pieces prevent the stack from clumping together and becoming sticky. Once you’ve finished your compost, if you still have a few twigs or other larger pieces, you can sift them out and place them in your next batch.

3. Do not add diseased plant material to your compost heap.

4. Do not compost dog feces or cat litter boxes, cooked food, grease, or disposable baby diapers. Cow and horse manure, poultry manure, and bedding from your stables are great for composting.

5. It is necessary to keep the pile moist, but not too wet or it will not receive enough oxygen (aerobic) and will be considered an anaerobic (no oxygen) pile. Anaerobic batteries take much longer to break down.

6. Whichever compost making method you use, the pile should be turned or turned frequently. This adequately aerates the pile and speeds up the decomposition process.

7. Keep a compost bin or compost bin in your kitchen so you have an easy way to transport your kitchen waste to the compost pile. Both come with filters to control odor.

8. If you don’t make enough materials, you get leftovers from canneries or all the produce they throw away at Farmer’s Markets, ask your neighbors to give you grass clippings, get trash from barns, or ask if you can get out in their grazing and collecting “cow pies”. You are only limited by your own imagination and ingenuity.

Here are some different methods for making compost:

You can have a successful compost pile using just a pitchfork. All you need to do is keep the pile together and turn it over often. Don’t let the edges get too dry or the top get too wet. You may have a problem with rats, ants, and other pests with an unprotected, uncontained pile.

Using a compost bin protects your pile from pests and helps maintain even moisture. There are many available to buy; however, these are easy to build with wooden stakes, wooden pallets, chicken wire, wire mesh, or a host of other materials.

Using compost tumblers is the easiest. Several varieties are available, from drum shapes that are rolled on the ground to elaborate crank-driven systems. Some come with internal baffles to help compost materials aerate better. You can roll the drum around the yard or turn a handle or crank to aerate your compost. No need to use a pitchfork.

Here’s another suggestion: In the fall, when there’s an excess of leaves, it’s a better idea to put them in a black plastic bag and make a leaf mold. The process will take about a year and it will definitely be good for your garden.

The time it takes to finish your compost varies depending on the materials you’ve included, the time of year, and the type of composting method you’ve chosen. When it’s finished, you’ll have something really cool for your garden, and it was all free materials you saved from the landfill.