i don't have much room in my yard to make a large compost pile but I did have a spot to put my old plants from my garden (mainly my tomato plants) my question is, (i am still new to all of this) will this compost pile be ready for use as fertilizer for next spring? do i need to do anything special with this pile? i was only able to throw things on top of some weeds/bushes/leaves in my backyard.
i just want to know if this pile will be useful next year and if i need ot do anything to this pile.

i live in a neighboorhood and don't have a lot of room to work with.

any advice will be great!
thanks!
sarah

I wouldn't use an open compost pile, because it takes too much space, is unsightly and may attract pests. Better to get or build a bin. A google or yahoo search on compost bins will give you lots of information and ideas.

I've been using a black plastic composter that I picked up for free from my county extension office. I can turn over yard and kitchen waste into useable compost within 6 to 9 months. See my "Got Watermelons" post for the results.

Hi Sarah
I'm surprised the Compost Queen hasn't replied to this thread.....she must have missed it with all of the excitment happening down in Banter Hall.

Anyways, I have a compost pile behind our garage. It was actually here when we bought the house and I asked the previous owners to leave it. It is made of 5 pallets....like the kind that warehouses use. There is one on the bottom and then 4 around the sides....so that it is basically a box without a lid. I believe they put some soil on the bottom so that the worms had some way of getting to whatever was put in the pile. Anyways...I was told I could put any trash from veggies and fruit in that pile and also anything from the garden. I have never turned the pile at all. I just load it up and every spring I take the front pallet off and scoop nice soil from the bottom for my beds and then put the front pallet back (its just screwed on, but I'm sure you could make it hinged with a latch on it). During the summer when it is dry around here, I take the hose up to the pile and water it. I have never had a yucky smell from that pile either.....which really surprised me. Oh! There is 1/2 of a pallet on the top......just towards the back of the "box" I'm not really sure what purpose that has. All I know is that the pallets work really well and when we move, I'm going to build one just like the one we have here.

I hope that helps you a little bit. I'll try to find the "queen" and have her comment a little too.

**Hisgal/Jenn,
Queen was tied up w/Boyscouts and Cubscouts..
Almost literally..

Ms Sarah,
First off....

I add lots of scraps from the kitchen , grass clippings , leaves , crushed egg shells , plant scraps , coffee grounds filters and all , shredded newspaper , shredded cardboard , hair from hairbrushes as that keeps pests out , composted cow manuer (I have a cousin with a few head of cattle and I go gather dry stuff yearly and leave to dry til next spring , the older stuff is ready to add to compost now and turn ) ,and chicken manuer to my piles. I have an open air compost area , actually it is an old dog pen 10 X 20 out in the back yard that I keep all my piles in there . I turn and rotate them weekly and water a couple times a week to keep them moist , about the consistency of a wet sponge. In winter time I put a black plastic sheeting over the top to keep it warm . If there are heavy down pours or extended rainy times I cover the piles to keep them from washing away . I have 5 piles not counting the cow manuer , one is going to be ready when I am ready to put the plants in the ground , one is at the point of turn , water and cook , 3 are having stuff added to them everyday . I have bags of leaves that my son raked for a neighbor . I keep them so I can add to the piles as I add new green stuff . My piles do not stink and they are doing real good , I don't have to worry about neighbors because it is in a spot that the only one who sees it is me and grandpa and he helps with the compost too . So no worries there . If you like Paul James the gardener guy check his website for options on compost , there are ways to do it that no one even knows what it is . I really like his "compost in a can" idea . Actually I like all his ideas , LOL , just love that gardener guy . My kids say I am cheap when it comes to things like gardening , I say I am frugal and why pile up the landfill when I can pile up the compost ? Right????