Composting for Better Soil and a Happier Planet!!

Here in Forest Grove, OR, our soil is near perfect. We are lucky enough to have almost 18" of topspoil!
For our neighbors in Hillsboro, OR,Beaverton, OR, Lake Oswego, OR and of course Portland, OR, your soil could use a little help. Composting is the best way to jump-start your soil.
The essential elements to making compost are warm weather,  the right mix of brown adn green waste, sufficient moisture and oxygen.

The basic componets to making compst are the same,no matter what season it is. Brown waste  provides the carbon source neededto decompose the rawmaterial. Otside, it typically comes from leaves, twigs and straw. Inside from paper, lightweight cardboard, egg cartons and such are th most common sources.

Green wast provies nitrogen that fuels the energy exchange during the decomposition process. Outside, yard debris from grassclippings is the most common source. Inside, the kitchen provides a plethora of green waste: vegatables, salad scraps, bread and fruit will quickly fill an indoor compost holding bin.
But never add meat, dairy products or grease. These harbor potential pathogens and attract unwanted pests.

The ideal ratio of brown to green wast for optimal decompositoin is rather scientific, but not really complicated.
Combining three or four parts brown to one part green waste serves as an easy guide to get compost off to a good start and keep it cooking!

Your compost needs water. Too much water is just as bad as not enough. A saturated pile can force out oxygen and literally drown the microorganisms making the compost. Keep it simple and add enough water so that your compost is always as moist as a damp sponge.

Oxygen is a necessary element for making the compost aeorbically active. An easy way to ensure compost remains well aerated is to turn it over periodically. Use a pitchfork or other tool once a week or so to breathe new life into your compost heap.  Another option is to drill large holes into a PVC pipe, and place it dpwn into the center of the pile. As contents are added around it, oxygen is supplied to the center, keeping it aerated.

All you need is a heap or bin  3 by 3 by 3 feet. Smaller sizes don't allow   bacteria to become active enough.
Cold weather can still dramatically reduce the rate of decomposition, as can the size of the material you add.
So be sure to make the material fragments smaller before tossing them into your pile. This provides more exposed suface for bacteria to break down.
You can also insulate the compost through winter. Tightly pack straw bales around the pile, adding an optional barrier of plastic sheeting and a clear or opaquje cover that allows the warmth of the sun in but keeps much of the cold out.

If you really want to be pro-active with your composting, try worms, which is called vermicomposting. It;s a great way to build super compost in the colder weather and is fun for the whole family. You can even do it indoors! A little goes a long way and it's a resourceful way to deal with all of those kitchen scraps.

The main thing is to start or continue composting through winter, not only to get a head start on spring, but to keep all that compostable material out  of the landfills. Green or brown, it's all "garden gold" to us. And that's not only good for our gardens, but it's good for the earth!