What you put into your compost pile determines what you get out. Lee Reich, Ph.D., author of The Pruning Book and “hands-in-the-dirt” gardener, advises to take the time to get the right balance of ingredients in your compost. The result will be a rich, dark-brown mixture with a pleasant, woodsy aroma.

For a more detailed look at building a compost bin and fine-tuning its ingredients, see Lee’s article, “Making Compost,” in the September/October 2001 issue of Fine Gardening (#81).