How to Make Compost       Making compost is easy! Compost can be made from nearly any organic matter. In general, there are two ways of making compost: active and passive. Active composting is fast because you monitor the compost heap and manage its temperature, pH, moisture, and ratio of ingredients added. Under constant management, you can get finished compost as soon as 3-4 weeks. Passive composting is simply doing nothing else other than piling organic matter onto a stationary heap, letting it slowly decompose over time. This may take up to 1-2 years.       To start an active compost pile, it is important to have a balanced amount of nitrogen-rich "green" material (grass clippings, fresh greens or kitchen scraps), and carbon-rich "brown" material (fallen leaves, woodchips, or straw). The ideal ratio is to use 1 part greens to every 25 part browns, by weight.       Some wonderful compost ingredients include: grass clippings, garden weeds, spoiled hay or straw, manure, seaweed, and kitchen scraps such as banana peels, melon rinds, apple cores, leftovers, and expired breads and cereals. It's advisable not to add bones, meats or dairy products as this may cause strong odors and scavenging animals. When compiling your compost pile, be sure to shred and chop large tough material into smaller pieces to quicken the decomposition process.       The compost pile will start to heat up because of the microorganisms that are feeding and thriving inside. If a handful of your compost feels warm or hot, this means that the microbes are well at work and your compost pile is successfully decomposing. If the temperature of your pile feels no different than that of the outside air, than this means that the microbes have become inactive. Most of the microorganisms in the compost pile are aerobic organisms, meaning they need air to survive. So make sure you periodically aerate your pile by turning it with a shovel or pitch fork. Also, pay attention to the moisture of your compost pile, and don't let it get too wet or too dry. A handful of compost should always feel like a wrung-out sponge.       When compost is finished, the temperature of your pile will drop, (proof that there are no more organic matter left for the microbes to decompose). Finished compost will have a dark brown color with a crumbly texture. It'll also smell like earth! This becomes wonderful humus to be used in your garden, potted plants, or flowerbeds. For more information, visit www.compostguide.com. Mt. Olive 3445 Adelaida Rd. Paso Robles, CA 94336 Tel:(805)237-0147  /  Fax:(805)239-4257 www.mtoliveco.com