Organic gardening compost is easy to make and requires nothing in the way of special equipment or high-tech knowledge. Although it is common to see compost being created in special bins or barrels, this is not really needed and it can be done in the open. What is required is that the compost is in contact with the soil during the forming process so that the organisms present in the soil can mix with the compost and, if this is not possible (if the compost is on a concrete slab for example) then soil should be added to it so that the organisms can form part of the process. If there is enough space available, it is best to have 2 or 3 compost piles in different stages of development as this will ensure that adequate amounts of compost are always available as needed.

Organic gardening compost is made up of two main components – materials that have a high carbon content and materials that are rich in nitrogen. While there are no strict rules about the composition of organic gardening compost, the best results are achieved when the amounts of carbon and nitrogen rich materials added to it are in more or less equal measure. High nitrogen materials that are great components of organic gardening compost are things like manure, soya bean and cotton seed meal, table scraps, cut grass and so on. High carbon content may be found in straw, hay, leaves and other dry bulky plant material.

Top soil, although it feels solid to touch, is 50% water and air and good organic gardening compost should also be the same – too dense and it will not mix with the soil. Grinding up the materials you add to the compost pile in small – but not too fine – particles is the best way to keep the compost from becoming to dense and maintaining the consistency that allows it to mix easily into the soil. But should you not have the facilities to grind up the inputs, do not let it worry you – even without this the compost will be usable, although the absorption by the soil will be slower. Ensure that the compost remains moist but not so wet that you can squeeze water out of it.

During the composting process, the pile needs little attention besides ensuring that it remains damp. Temperatures in the pile will soar and can touch 170 degrees F which is nothing to worry about – it is part of the decay and fermentation process. Some organic gardening guides advise that the compost pile should be turned over at regular intervals to ensure that the development is uniform but this can also slow down the natural fermenting process and it is better not to touch the pile unless you are sure it is required. The best thing about organic gardening compost is that it is a completely natural process and with a little care, nothing can really go wrong and the result will always be usable compost.