How to Handle Garden Leftovers

The garden has been cleared of all leftovers from the growing season. The leaves have been raked and the lawn has been mowed for the last time. Now comes the second harvest: all that's left of the nutrients and minerals that were taken from the soil to grow the vegetables, fruits, and herbs you enjoyed over the summer. This represents an investment of sunlight, fertilizer and time, so let's not waste it. It's time to start the compost heap.

Begin by layering the leaves and grass clippings alternately, with some of the bulkier material between layers to trap pockets of air to help supply oxygen to the decomposing microbes. A one-inch layer of garden soil or old compost added occasionally will add microbes and help compact the pile, allowing good heat buildup. With this method, and regular turning and wetting down (moist but not sopping), you will end up with a nutrient- and mineral-rich material that is easily used by plants when added to garden soil.

To help the composting process along, sprinkle some AGGRAND Natural Fertilizer 4-3-3 on the pile (3 oz per gallon of water) before layering or turning, and leave the top of the pile concave so liquid can seep down gradually. Cover the pile to keep rain from over-saturating it.

Worm Composting

The easiest way ato compost is to introduce composting worms, aka red wigglers (Eisenia fetida or Eisenia andrei) into your pile and let them do the turning. There are several places to find them on the internet, and they may cost around 20 to 25 dollars per 1000, which is all you need to get started. Simply make a hole in the center of your pile and place the worms in it. Cover with a healthy layer of fresh compostables, water in with AGGRAND 4-3-3 and let them go to work. In a few weeks your compost pile will begin to shrink as the worms do their job. They will even take care of household food scraps. Just remember to dig a hole for the scraps and then cover with leaves. If you live in a frigid climate, you might want to try indoor worm composting, which is easily researched online.