The Compost Pile

The compost pile is a miracle of nature happening right before our eyes! We put in old food, weeds, grass clippings and old leaves; then we make sure that the pile gets sun, water & air throughout; and -- presto! -- we end up with incredibly rich fertilizer to use on our plants! Why isn't everyone doing this with their leftovers?

The magic of the compost pile is performed by our good friends, the decomposers. The soil bugs, bacteria and fungi work to break down organic (once-living) matter and turn it into nutrient-rich soil. They're pretty incredible for teeny tiny things you can hardly even see with a magnifying glass or microscope. So next time you find bugs or worms in the soil, don't squish them -- they have one of the most important jobs on Earth! Imagine what our world would be like without decomposers -- everything would be covered with layer upon layer of leaves and grass and old food -- you'd have to wade through just to get out of your house -- gross! So we here at Boxerwood say "three cheers for decomposers"! We hope you'll welcome them, and a compost pile, to your yard.

Students visit each of the three types of pile -- youngest, middle-aged, and oldest -- to see the compost process & decomposers in action. They scoop compost into buckets to spread around plants in the garden. Here are some kids composting their lunch discards... Hey, that apple still looks good!

Learn how to make a compost pile of your own -- check out the learning station next door!