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Make Your Own Compost

Healthy gardens start with healthy soil. A master composter shares his secrets to cooking power food for the soil.

A thermometer in the composte pile reads the temperature.

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How do you tend the pile?

I let it heat up for 10 to 14 days. When the temperature inside reaches 140° or 150°, I pull off the straw cap and turn the pile by pushing it over and dividing it. Then I reassemble it (but not in layers) and put the straw cap back on. When the temperature climbs to 130° or 140°, I turn the pile again.

Next »How do you know it's done?

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Manure is added to the top of a composte pile.

Previous What else goes into the pile?

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A handful of composte, which resembles dirt.

Next How do you know it's done?

4 of 6 A thermometer in the composte pile reads the temperature.

A thermometer in the composte pile reads the temperature.

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