Compost Zodiac

The Microbe Manager

Profile: You know that the bacteria and fungi in your compost pile are its most valuable asset.

Advice: Add a wide variety of ingredients to your pile to ensure that you have a diverse microbe population, says Mark Hutchinson, a University of Maine extension educator. The microbes exist in nature, so add a shovelful of soil or compost to a new pile instead of buying a commercial activator.

What's Your Sign?

• The Slacker

• The Engineer

• The Speedster

• The Alchemist

• The Worrier

• The Mystic

• The Hoarder

• The Microbe Manager

• The Industrialist

• The Novice

• The Nonbeliever

• The Evangelist

Turn kitchen scraps into super-fertile soil!  Learn more.

New for your e-reader or tablet: Compostology 1-2-3.