Composting is a great way to make your own Compost and have it handy when ever you need it.The best thing ever is that you can make it without spending any money.

By using compost it greatly improves the soil structure,texture, and aeration and helps to keep the soil moist.

Natures best soil amendment and mulch.

1. The first step to a sucessful Compost pile is to pick the best place for the pile to cook.
2. You want the place to be a well draining area.
3. Make your compost bin or buy one.I use Cinder blocks for mine.I build up 3 walls and leave the fourth one open so that I can turn it.
4. Knowing what materials to use.

          a.The pile needs proper ratio (The ideal ratio is 25 parts browns to 1 part greens.)of carbon rich materials,or "browns," and nitrogen rich materials,or "greens." The brown materials are dried leaves,straw, and wood chips. Nitrogen materials are fresh or green,such as grass clippings and kitchen scraps.

          b.Be sure to shread the leaves,straw and wood chips.They'll compost much faster then.

          c.If you have a lot of grass clippings strow them out on the ground until they start to dry up some.

         d.Don't use any greens from the gardens that may have pesticides or herbicides on them. Several leaves like live oak, southern magnolia,and holly trees are too tough for easy composting. Don't use any part of the black walnut tree as they have a plant poison that survives composting. Eucalyptus leaves can be toxic to other plants. Also don't use  poison oak, poison ivy, and sumac.

         e.You can use any and all kitchen scraps as long as they are without any type of animal fat or oils as these will attract rodents.It will also cause your pile to smell bad,it should smell like good humous soil.

   Here's some things that can go into your compost pile

1. Coffee grounds
2. egg shells (crush fine)
3. Melon rinds
4. Carrot greens (also carrots)
5. Potato skins
6. Used Tea bags
7. Leaves
8. Banana peels
9. etc.    

    Now that you have everything you need to go into your pile.Start piling acording to the correct ratio  (25 part browns to 1 part greens.

Use the layer method.

25 parts browns

1 part green.......ect until you run out of material.   (You can continue to add to the pile or simply make another to start over.I do this as well.I usually have 3 going at a time.

Now water it lighty and let sit for about 1 week.Then get your Compost therometer out and check the temp.This should be between 104 degrees F and 131 degrees F . Keep the pile moist.

If you want it in about 3 or 4 weeks:

Once a week turn the pile and make sure it is moist because if it dries out it will stop decomposing.

Good luck on making your new Compost pile.

Let me know how it goes!