• Adding compost to your garden can add nutrients that help plants bloom.garden image by Horticulture from Fotolia.com
  
  Composting is the process of using decomposed organic materials to produce a rich, loamy, soil-like material called compost. When people use compost in the gardens and on their lawns, they are recycling materials back into the soil to be used again and adding extra nutrients that will help their gardens grow. Composting is not difficult. It only requires a few tools and a basic knowledge of compost techniques.
  
  

Compost Bin

• The most basic piece of equipment for composting is the compost bin or container, where you will place all your yard and kitchen waste to decompose into composted material. This can be any size, depending on how much waste you wish to turn into compost for recycling. You can easily make your own bin from simple materials such as wood and galvanized chicken wire, or purchase bins especially made for composting. The bin must be placed on a flat area, at least 2 feet away from structures for good air circulation. Home composting units should be at least 3 feet by 3 feet by 3 feet, but not larger than 5 feet by 5 feet by 5 feet. A smaller pile will not generate enough heat for decomposition, and a larger pile will hold too much water. Layering the material thinly and evenly will help it to be broken down by microbial action.
  
  

Pitch Fork

• A 4- or 5-tined pitch fork is needed to turn the organic material that is to decompose. The pitch fork can also be used to pierce the material to keep it aerated. You must monitor the temperature of the pile and turn the material whenever the temperature dips below 110 degrees. This will allow for the fastest breakdown of the materials.
  
  

Shovel

• A shovel is used to turn over the material in the compost heap to help it to decompose evenly. This is important to allow microbes to get to all surfaces of the material in order to break it down. As you add new material to the pile, turn the outside of the old pile into the center of the new pile. Add just enough water to keep the pile moist.
  
  

Compost Thermometer

• The heat generated within the compost pile is crucial to the decomposition process. Knowing the temperature of the heap will tell you whether sufficient waste ingredients are in the heap, whether moisture in the heap is sufficient to facilitate the decomposition process, and whether there is enough air within the pile. The temperature will tell you when the composting process is finished, according to the University of Illinois Extension Service.
  
  

Compost Aerator

• A compost aerator is a special steel tool that was developed to put additional air deep into to a cold compost heap so that it will generate heat for the decomposition process. The tool provides more oxygen for the microorganisms in the pile that do the work of breaking down waste to form compost.
  
  

Garden Cart

• A garden cart is a handy tool to have to carry your compost from the heap to the garden area.