VOA慢速英语 自己为花园制作堆肥

　　Do-It-Yourself: Compost for the Garden

　　自己为花园制作堆肥

　　This is the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.

　　Compost is a dark, rich material added to soil to improve it. Compost is produced when bacteria and fungi break down organic matter, aided by insects, earthworms and other organisms. This natural recycling returns nutrients to the soil. Some experts advise adding five centimeters of compost for every fifteen centimeters of turned soil.

　　More and more people are making their own compost at home. Composting can reduce the amount of garden and cooking waste that would otherwise go into public landfills.

　　Monica David from the University of Illinois Extension oversees the master gardeners program in her state. She explains that you can make a compost pile or dig a pit or use a waste container with holes cut in the side.

　　There are different methods of composting. Some take more work. Others take almost no work but may require waiting up to a year.

　　Advice about composting can be found from extension services, at garden centers, in books and on the Internet.

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