There are a number of different structures that are suitable for composting in your desert garden.
First, remember that your compost pile doesn't have to be attractive. It just needs to work. You want to end up with garden-rich humus. Place your compost in an out-of-the way place (like behind a garage or shed). That way, the lack of aesthetics that is inherent in compost piles won't become a visual eyesore to the rest of your yard or garden.
If you are really, really concerned about aesthetics, you can purchase a rotating barrel composter. These are relatively expensive containers, but they are much less messy and are much faster producing completed compost because they can be turned rather easily. Fins inside the barrel keep the mixture aerated. Rotating barrels come in many different sizes, and are made of either metal or plastic.
Another type of composter is the three-bin type. These can be as expensive or as inexpensive as you want them to be. You can make them out of redwood slats, hardware cloth, concrete blocks or even chicken wire and some two-by-fours. One made of redwood is obviously going to be more expensive. The idea is to put uncomposted vegetation in the first bin, turning it regularly. When it is partially decomposed, place that in the second bin, and refill the first bin with uncomposted vegetation. Remember to turn the second bin as well. When the material in the second bin is fully composted, move it to the third bin.
A third method of composting is heap composting. This is by far the cheapest, but it's also the messiest. Simply pile the material to be composted, and turn it regularly. Two heaps can be maintained, moving the material from one to the other until it becomes finished compost.
There are also other types of composters available on the market. Some work well, others work marginally well, and some work not at all.
Materials that are ok to use in composting
- Leaves
- Sawdust
- Grass clippings (although you might want to exclude sprigs of Bermuda grass, which not only will not compost well, but may sprout and grow through your compost)
- Annual weeds
- Uncooked vegetable wastes (exclude onions and citrus peels)
- Uncooked fruit wastes
- Straw
- Shredded brush and tree clippings
- Uncoated paper
- Coffee grounds
- Used tea bags
- Animal manure (except pigs and pets, which may carry microbes and/or diseases harmful to humans )
What not to put in your compost pile
- Perennial weeds (which may resprout)
- Diseased plants or parts of diseased plants
- Pig manure
- Pet manure (dogs and cats, especially)
- Meat (both cooked and uncooked)
- Fat (cooked and uncooked)
- Milk and dairy products
- Cooked vegetables
- Wood ash
- Roots of Johnson grass, Bermuda grass or bindweed
Ways to compost
One of the best (and most popular) method of composting includes placing alternating layers of organic material, soil and fertilizer or manure.
First, lay down about eight inches of an organic material, preferably one that is fairly coarse, like sawdust, shredded corn cobs, or corn shucks. This will allow air to circulate up from the bottom of the pile. It will also absorb any organic chemicals that leak down through the pile.
