FREE online courses on Vegetable Gardening - Landscape and Garden - Building a Pile

 

First, build up a 6-12 inch layer using your organic material.

 

Then add your inoculant or regular fertilizer to act as a catalyst and speed up the process a bit.

 

Water this layer so it's completely moist.

 

Repeat this layering process until you get to the top or at the desired height.

 

Keep the pile moist and stir it every week or so to keep the air circulating.

 

Oxygen is required for the bacteria to decompose, so the more often you turn your heap, the faster you'll have compost.

 

In a couple months, you'll have compost ready for the garden. You can tell it's done when it has a uniform dark brown color and crumbles easily.

 

If you don't need the compost until next spring, only turn it every couple of months and the process will slow down.