DIY Network

Capturing Water and Making a Compost Heap Joe Lamp'l shows how to capture water from natural sources and start a compost pile from household scraps. From "Fresh from the Garden" episode DFFG-306

Catching water from your house's gutter system isn't the only way to get free water--and water isn't the only natural resource you can take advantage of. Here are some more suggestions for utilizing natural resources in the garden.

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Using Natural Water Sources

Figure A

Some of us are lucky enough to live by a natural water source such as a stream or a lake that we can use to pump water into the garden or yard. A simple submersible pump may be all you need to use water from a pond, river, stream or lake on your property (figure A). Because it's inexpensive and convenient, a natural source of water can be a gardener's best friend. If your property has a stream running through it, you may be able to use some of the water for your yard. This can save you money and time, but be sure to check with your local county extension service or Department of Natural Resources before pumping water. Some counties and states don't allow pumping, so do some research before investing in a pump.

Making a Compost Pile

In addition to using captured water in your yard, there are other sources around your home that will make your garden healthier. Turning kitchen scraps and yard clippings into usable compost is another terrific family project. You may be surprised how many things that you would usually throw in the trash or disposal can actually be turned into compost.

Composting means using recycled or gathered materials, such as leaves and grass clippings, to make a healthy soil-amendment mix. These natural materials break down into their base elements such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. These are the same ingredients you buy in bagged fertilizers; compost is their organic counterpart.

Composting accomplishes a lot of things at once: First, it keeps yard debris out of landfills. Second, it speeds up the natural process of decomposition, which will eventually happen anyway. Third, putting decomposed plant waste back into the garden really improves the quality of the soil--and that adds up to bigger and more productive vegetable plants.

Compost needs a certain ratio of brown and green materials in order to work most effectively. Brown things are dry, like paper and fallen leaves, and should make up about 75 percent to 80 percent of your compost; green materials still have moisture in them, like fresh grass and fruit and vegetable peels; these should make up the rest of your compost pile.

Almost anything that comes from nature can be composted, except for meat and certain types of pet waste. You can use bread, hair, fruit and vegetable peels, coffee grinds and shredded paper to enrich your compost. The wider the variety of sources, the more nutrients they will produce.

You don't have to limit compost ingredients to things you have around the house; there are lots of other sources too. Think about the industries that are around you and look for ways to put their leftovers to use. If you live near a sawmill, ask for sawdust and bark; if you live near the sea, find seaweed or fish meal. You can get coffee grinds from a local coffee shop or extra lawn clippings from your neighbors.

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