Filed under: Family time, Food, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Herbs, Landscaping & Gardening, Love, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles | Tags: Amended Topsoil, Compost, Compost Tea, Composted Manure, Composting, Food, Free Compost, Gardening Ideas, Grass Clippings, Leaves, Natural Resources, Organic, Organic Gardening, Permaculture, Soil Amendments, Starting a compost pile, Vegetable Scraps, Vernicompost
I have been asked a few times on the radio lately about composting, so I went back in the archives and pulled this up. This was 1st published 10 years ago – To the day! đ„
A big blowing storm is coming thru tonight, ie; A leaf stripper! đ Plenty to get yaâ startedđ
âFall is one of my Favorite seasons! Cooler weather, fall planting and gardening and all the great family gatherings and food are wonderful. Fall is also a GREAT time to start a compost pile. All those leaves, plants and grasses to cut back and all of the upcoming holiday food scraps add up too a great supply of usable components in a compost pile!
Starting a Compost pile is quick , easy and wonât cost you anything to get started! Compost is one of natureâs best mulches and soil amendments and you can use it instead of chemical fertilizers. Compost improves soil structure, texture and increases the soilâs water-holding capacity. Compost loosens clay soils and helps sandy soils to retain water. The organic matter in compost provides food for microorganisms, which in turn keeps the soil in a healthy, balanced condition. Nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus are produced naturally by the feeding of microorganisms, so few if any soil amendments will need to be added.

Once the process is complete you can use this free resource as mulch, soil amendments, top dressing for your lawn, to make compost tea for veggies & more. | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, Tennessee
Itâs easy to get started .
-Bag your grass clippings and mulch up all those leaves for the compost pile!
-Save those kitchen scraps and add them to the compost pile. Kitchen scraps are typically high in nitrogen, which helps heat up the compost pile and speed up the composting process. Egg shells, coffee grounds, fruit and vegetable peels and scraps are good candidates for the compost pie. But DONâT add meat, grease or other animal products!
â With a compost pile, bigger is often better. Heat builds up with a bigger pile, but you donât want to get much bigger than about 3 feet by 3 feet, if itâs too big it can be hard to work around. Multiple piles may be in order .
â Aerate your compost! If you are composting with a pile, or in a static (non-tumbling) compost bin, be sure to mix up the contents so that the pile gets oxygen and can break down effectively. Insert a few pvc pipes to get oxygen to the core and Turn it with a pitch fork from time to time .
â Donât let the compost completely dry out. A compost pile needs moisture to keep the composting process active , BUT , donât keep it too wet.
â Too much of any one material will slow down the composting process. If you have all leaves, all grass clippings or an overload of any other single type of material, it can throw off the balance of the pile. Itâs best to keep a balanced mix of green (nitrogen) and brown (carbon) materials.
When ready, this compost will be wonderful for the whole garden!
Good Luck and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!â
Mark Carter
Carterâs Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph.#Â 731-424-2206
http://www.cartercountry.com
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Filed under: Family time, Food, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Herbs, Landscaping & Gardening, Love, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles | Tags: Compost, Compost Tea, Composted Manure, Composting, Fall Cleanup, Fall Gardening, Free Compost, Gardening, gardening 101, Gardening Ideas, Grass Clippings, Kitchen Scraps, Leaves, Organic Gardening, Permaculture, Vernicompost
We had a few calls on the radio show (The 180) Yesterday about HOW- TO start a compost pile. Here is a little info to help get you started â

This is the perfect time to start composting! You can make your own compost from the leaves, grass clippings and organic waste you already have to dispose of!
Fall is A great time to start composting. All those leaves, plants and grasses to cut back and all of the upcoming holiday food scraps add up too a great supply of usable components in a compost pile!
Starting a Compost pile is quick , easy and wonât cost you anything to get started! Compost is one of natureâs best mulches and soil amendments and its natural! Plus you can use it instead of chemical fertilizers. Compost improves soil structure, texture and increases the soilâs water-holding capacity. Compost loosens clay soils and helps sandy soils to retain water. The organic matter in compost provides food for microorganisms, which in turn keeps the soil in a healthy, balanced condition. Nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus are produced naturally by the feeding of microorganisms, so few if any soil amendments will need to be added.
-Bag your grass clippings and mulch up all those leaves for the compost pile!
-Save your kitchen scraps and add them to the compost pile. Kitchen scraps are typically high in nitrogen, which helps heat up the compost pile and speed up the composting process. Egg shells, coffee grounds, fruit and vegetable peels and scraps are good candidates for the compost pie. But DONâT add meat, grease or other animal products!
â With a compost pile, bigger is often better. Heat builds up with a bigger pile, but you donât want to get much bigger than about 3 feet by 3 feet, if itâs too big it can be hard to work around. Multiple piles may be in order .
â Aerate your compost! If you are composting with a pile, or in a static (non-tumbling) compost bin, be sure to mix up the contents so that the pile gets oxygen and can break down effectively. Insert a few pvc pipes to get oxygen to the core and Turn it with a pitch fork from time to time .
â Donât let the compost completely dry out. A compost pile needs moisture to keep the composting process active , BUT , donât keep it too wet.
â Too much of any one material will slow down the composting process. If you have all leaves, all grass clippings or an overload of any other single type of material, it can throw off the balance of the pile. Itâs best to keep a balanced mix of green (nitrogen) and brown (carbon) materials.

Once the process is complete you can use this free resource as mulch, soil amendments, top dressing for your lawn, to make compost tea for veggies & more. | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN
Good Luck and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
â Mark Carter
Mark Carter
Carterâs Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph# 731-424-2206
www.cartercountry.com
Filed under: General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Landscaping & Gardening, Love, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles | Tags: Compost, Compost Tea, Composted Manure, Composting, Earthworms, Fall Cleanup, Free Compost, Grass Clippings, Leaves, Mulch, Mulching, Organic, Organic Gardening, Organic Pest Control, Vegetable Scraps, Vernicompost
FALL is one of my Favorite times of the yearly ! Cooler weather, planting, gardening, fire pits, football đ and all the family gatherings – Wonderful!
All this beautiful color has gave way to the incredible yearly leaf đ fall… Thatâs why Fall is a GREAT time to start a compost pile!  All those leaves + all the plants and grasses that we have to cut back + all of the upcoming holiday food scraps = a great supply of FREE usable components in an âall natural compost pile!
Starting a Compost pile is quick , easy and wonât cost you anything to get started! Compost is one of natureâs best mulches and soil amendments and its natural! Plus you can use it instead of chemical fertilizers to feed your veggies & other plants.
PLUS –
- Â Compost improves soil structure & texture, plus it increases the soilâs water-holding capacity.
- Compost loosens clay soils and helps sandy soils to retain water.
- The organic matter in compost provides food for microorganisms, which in turn keeps the soil in a healthy, balanced condition.
- Nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus are produced naturally by the feeding of microorganisms, so few if any soil amendments will need to be added.
Itâs easy to get started
-Bag your grass clippings and mulch up all those leaves for the compost pile!
-Save your kitchen scraps and add them to the compost pile! Kitchen scraps are high in nitrogen, which helps heat up the compost pile and speed up the composting process.
– Egg shells, coffee grounds, fruit and vegetable peels and scraps are good candidates for the compost pie. But DONâT add meat, grease or other animal products!
â With a compost pile, bigger is often better. Heat builds up with a bigger pile, but you donât want to get much bigger than about 3 feet by 3 feet, if itâs too big it can be hard to work around. Multiple piles may be in order .
â Aerate your compost! If you are composting with a pile, or in a non-tumbling compost bin, be sure to mix up the contents so that the pile gets oxygen and can break down well. It helps to turn it with a pitch fork from time to time .
â Donât let the compost completely dry out. A compost pile needs moisture to keep the composting process active , BUT , donât keep it too wet.
â Too much of any one material will slow down the composting process. If you have all leaves, all grass clippings or an overload of any other single type of material, it can throw off the balance of the pile. Itâs best to keep a balanced mix of green (nitrogen) and brown (carbon) materials.
When ready, this compost will be wonderful for the whole garden!
Good Luck and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
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