Composting is the natural cycle of plants living, dying,
and breaking down to pass their nutrients to other plants.
Compost is a source of nutrients for plants. It helps to
improve the texture and fertility of the soil. You learned
earlier in this case.
Compost is made up of a lot of different things. Think
of compost as the soil's diet. The diet should be balanced
between materials that are high in nitrogen and those high
in carbon, between wet and dry materials, and between acidic
Microorganisms in the soil break down the organic matter
to make compost.
The basic compost pile is made up of layers of organic matter,
sprinkled with a little soil and fertilizer, kept moist
and turned to keep oxygen going through it. You can speed
up the process by making the size of the organic matter
smaller and by turning the pile frequently.
There are four basic ingredients in a compost pile:
Carbon (from organic
matter like leaves) provides the food for microorganisms.
Nitrogen (the fertilizer) comes from grass clippings
and dead green plants and provides the energy microorganisms
need to break down the carbon.
Water and oxygen, that microorganisms need lots of
to do their job.
Now come learn about food that grows
under the soil.