Composting is a natural way to boost your garden's productivity and recycle yard and kitchen waste. A well-tended compost pile creates ideal conditions for decomposers—bacteria, fungi, insects, and earthworms—to thrive and consume organic matter. The resulting product is a dark crumbly material that does not smell and has a texture and nutrients that improve the soil.

Compost bins aid the composting process by holding in heat and moisture. Simple holding bins can be made from chicken wire or wooden pallets. To keep out pets and pests, use an enclosed bin.
The materials in your compost pile provide essential nutrients to the decomposers. Materials that are still fresh and moist (called "greens") provide nitrogen; dried materials (called "browns") provide carbon. To start a compost pile, fill your bin with dried yard waste or fill it one-third full with shredded newspaper. Then add greens. If adding kitchen scraps, cover them with browns to mask the scent of the food and deter pests.

Water and air are also essential to the composting process. Mix in water in the beginning and be sure the compost remains moist. Add air by loosening or turning the compost, approximately once a month.
An active composter can achieve usable compost in as few as six weeks: Add equal amounts of greens and browns, keep the pile moist, aerate it regularly, and chop pieces to small sizes before adding, and the pile will "cook" efficiently. (Microbial activity actually heats the materials and is a good sign of an active process.) A more relaxed composter will achieve usable compost in six months to a year.

Once your compost is ready, add to your garden and enjoy the results. One note of caution, if you compost yard wastes that have been treated with pesticides, do not use the compost in vegetable gardens.

For more information, go to www.nyccompost.org.
The information in this article is summarized from materials provided by the New York Botanical Garden Composting Project, at www.nybg.org/compost.