LADYBUG SAYS...THERE'S MUCH TO DO TO PREPARE GARDEN FOR GRUELING WINTER

Successful composting can be made easy. Backyard composting takes advantage of the natural cycle of plants -- living, dying and then decomposing to pass their vitality to new generations of plants. The end result is compost.

For the past several years much has been written about compost for it dramatically improves the soil for the next generation of plants. Compost improves soil structure, texture and aeration. It also increases the water holding capacity of growing plants. This provides a better root system for better health of the plant, helping new plants to resist disease and withstand drought.

Yard waste is converted to compost by the action of microorganisms. The four basic ingredients for any good compost pile is carbon, nitrogen, water and oxygen.

Carbon provides the energy food for microorganisms, just like carbohydrates provide energy food for us. Most of the materials used in trying to turn into compost are high in carbon, like leaves, straw, shredded paper, etc.

High nitrogen material provides the protein microorganisms need to break down the carbon. Green vegetation such as weeds, grass clippings, over-ripe fruit and vegetables are the primary high nitrogen materials. If the compost pile needs more nitrogen, material such as manure or blood meal can be added.

Moisture is a most important part of the composting process. Too much moisture will force out the air and suffocate the microorganisms.

Microbial activity needs lots of oxygen to break down the material. Aerating or turning the pile will keep air moving through it freely. A shortage of nitrogen will slow down the composting process considerably. A common practice to obtain fast, hot compost is to mix two parts grass clippings to one part leaves.

The ideal compost is made in layers to produce the quickest and most complete decomposition. A bin can be made from several different materials. Woven wire fencing, concrete blocks, bricks, or wood slat fencing.

It is recommended that the first layer (of six to eight inches) be of coarse material. The second could be 1 cup of fertilizer containing nitrogen, such as 10-10-10 or decomposted manure, and the third, a couple of inches of soil. These layers may be repeated.

Authorities stress that a compost pile should not be garbage disposal. They advise against putting fatty food wastes such as meats or bones onto a compost pile as they can attract rodents, raccoons, flies and other pests.

Other things not for the compost pile include butter, cheese, chicken parts, fish scraps, meat, milk, peanut butter, salad dressing or vegetable oil.

Some items that can be used on the compost pile include weeds, evergreen needles, grass clippings, leaves, straw, sod, vegetables, coffee grounds, egg shells, tea leaves, wood ashes and small wood chips.

There are new products on the market called compost "activators" that combine laboratory raised microorganisms with high nitrogen ingredients such as alfalfa, fish meal and dried manure. Their manufacturers claim that these combinations will turn inactive mounds of high carbon yard wastes into biologically active, hardworking compost piles.

Another compost helper is the common earthworm. They make many contributions to nature and do a magnificent job of bringing up bits of subsoil and depositing bits of decaying vegetable matter into the soil. With its burrowing habits, it also allows the soil to aerate and let moisture sink down.

It is said that composting puts back into the earth what you have taken out. Compost has been described as a dark, crumbly, earthy smelling form of organic matter that has gone through a natural decomposing process. Compost can be used to loosen tight, heavy clay soil. It helps sandy soils retain moisture and nutrients. It is excellent used as mulch around garden and landscape plants. It enriches soil with a natural source of nutrients.

When we moved here 45 years ago, there was only clay subsoil with which to work. When it was dry it was like concrete and when wet like chewing gum. After years of composting, it has improved by working the compost into the garden and flower beds.

Compost is ready to use when it is dark, crumbly and earth smelling. A compost pile will shrink to about half of its original height. Before there were trees in the yard, we would go to neighbors and get their huge bags of leaves for the compost pile. No longer.

There is a wonderful little booklet, "Make Compost in 14 Days" available from Rodale Press, Inc. and "Making and Using Compost" available from the University Extension center.