​Gardening 101

New to composting? Its a cinch.  Here in Syracuse, NY where we get all four seasons, we really only have 3 that are beneficial in breaking down the matter to give us the stuff they call  "black gold."  Just start by putting your vegetable and fruit scraps in a pile in the sun (or a small composter), cover with soil and continue to do this to help the food materials to break down.  Add grass clippings, shredded cardboard, cleaned eggshells, old plant material (as long as it is not diseased), and continue to make your compost "sandwich" covering with soil every few layers. Water, do not drench, but water enough to get the pile damp.  Take a pitch fork and turn a couple of times as this aerates the pile. This enhances microbial activity which enhances the breakdown of the material into compost.  When fully "done," compost should be light, fluffy and have a rich dark color like the picture to your left.  You should never have a bad aroma coming from your pile if you are doing it correctly.  It should be a "sweet" earthy smell. Never add dairy items (other than eggshells), meats or diseased plant materials.