Easy Compost

Firmly grounded in the motto, ""Feed the soil, not the plant,"" each essay in this well-balanced collection, part of Brooklyn Botanic Garden's 21st-Century Gardening Series, presents a particular perspective on the composting habit: from the ancient Athenians to microbiology, from outdoor piles to indoor worm bins, from the whys to the hows of managing nature's decomposition. The information is always practical and pertinent, never superfluous or daunting. Grace Gershuny's essay, ""Nourishing the Earth that Nourishes Us,"" explains how compost adds soluble nutrients slowly, releases insolubles locked-up in the soil, allows necessary water and air to pass through soil and fights pests and diseases. Benjamin Grant's ""What Happens in the Bin"" gets up close to the ""no-see-ems""--the invisible chain of decomposers that will work double-time if gardeners add water and air. ""Making Humus in Small Spaces,"" by Patricia Jasaitis, includes balcony composting and burying kitchen scraps directly in the garden, while Rod Tyler's ""A Buyer's Guide"" to commercially available products helps gardeners who ""need a lot of compost quickly."" This is an indispensable introduction to composting for gardeners--whether they manicure houseplants on the windowsill or ride a tractor around a truck garden. (Dec.)