Homemade compost is an excellent alternative to commercial organic fertilizers.
Start the compost pile in early spring. You do not need to build a compost bin. Continue layering these ingredients, from the bottom up, at the following depths and amounts. Be careful not to overload the pile with wastes that are hard to decompose, such as leaves, cornstalks and large, woody material. Feed these in gradually and in small amounts, or chop them up.