BLACK GOLD Fall is the Perfect Time to Start a Compost Pile

Posted on: Sunday, 12 October 2008, 15:00 CDT By JOANNE KEMPINGER DEMSKI How can you compost? Let us count the ways. You can buy a fancy bin that works fast and looks so attractive that neighbors might think you've added garden art to your yard. Or you can just toss your garden refuse into a pile and let nature take its course. Either way, you'll end up with what garden experts call "black gold." Added to your garden beds or lawn, compost delivers nutrients to plants and improves the condition of your soil. There are other reasons to compost. It's easy to build and tend to a compost heap, it's good for the environment, and it makes gardening easier and cheaper because you won't have to drive to a garden center to buy dirt or products to amend your soil. It can even help prevent identity theft: Just shred your important... [read full story]