Time to scoop up all the falling leaves!

Once a year, the weather has given our garden a trough of treasure - the falling leaves. Scoop them up and safe them for composting. The soil and the plants will thank you for it. By doing the work yourselves and your body will thank you too. What better way to strengthen your body and soul and doing some useful work.Composting is very easy. The basic knowledge of composting is decomposing of organic materials. There are six keys to successful composting:

1. Your climate (ideal temperature: 40 to 0 degrees F.) 
2. the carbon to nitrogen ratio (C/N 4:1 - 4 green grass to 1 dead leaves)
3. aeration (Good supply of oxygen by turning the materials around from time to time)
4. moisture (50% moisture in the overall mix - too much or too little will slow down)
5. material size (It is all about surface area. the smaller the size of the material the faster it will decompose)
6. volume (Composting is all about heat, the bigger the size of the composting material, the faster it will generate heat. At the core of the composting heap, the heat should rise to about 160 degrees F.)

You should not try to make compose with just one ingredient. The decomposition requires a proper mix of carbon and nitrogen. Materials high in carbon is generally brown and dry and while the materials high in nitrogen is generally fresh and green.

If you want to know more about composting, there are several books in the market that provides a very good explanation regarding this subject. 

Composting is not only good for your plants but it is also good for the environment.