Home Composting
the Easy Way
I read that yard and food waste makes up approximately 30% of the waste in the U.S.
Wow – that’s a lot of waste.
I’ve been thinking about this statistic for a while now- and my plan this year is to contribute to the green movement by making and using compost in my own gardens.
Do you know the ins and outs of home composting?
Composting creates an inexpensive yet great quality soil amendment using our natural resources,and it doesn’t add to the environmental problems we have.
The way I see it, it’s brilliant idea;good for the earth and my pocketbook.
After researching on how to compost, I was pleasantly surprised to learn how low cost and easy it is to turn yard and kitchen waste into organic compost. All that’s needed is air, water, brown and green waste. And it only takes about a month to create rich, nutritious crumbly soil amendments.
There are resources and books that are dedicated to composting and can give you more detail - but here are some basic easy to follow steps to get you started creating your own organic fertilizer.
Simple Compost Equipment
Compost Bin
You'll need a compost container or 3 high x 3 deep contained area where you can “pile” the waste. Home Depot or Lowes have composting bins if you want to go that route.
Or you can create a contained area in your yard with any type of fencing and an opening to get in to turn the pile or remove the compost batch.
Garden Shovel or Pitchfork
Needed to turn and aerate the pile of yard and kitchen waste.Not required if you have a compost that tumbles
Organic Soil
A few shovels full of organic soil to start this whole process off.
How to Compost at Home
What should you put in your new composter?
Green ingredients: kitchen scraps vegetable, fruit, coffee and tea grounds, fresh grass clippings, eggshells, weeds,
Brown ingredients: Dried leaves and grass, paper ( paper towels, non glossy mail) straw, saw dust , pine needles, cardboard, tea bags
What do I do with the brown and green waste?
1. Layer a combination of brown and green ingredients ( listed above) and spread out to the edges of the compost. This layer should be alternating layers of brown and green waste; about 10-12 inches deep. Don’t pack the layers down – air needs to circulate to break the materials down
2. Water lightly. You should moisten everything – but not soak it.
3. Add a shovel full of organic soil; this will get the composting process going.
4.Turn the pile every few days.
If all of the leaves and twigs have been mulched - you should get organic fertilizer within one month if you follow these directions.
No Fail Composting Tips
Dos
- Do turn the pile every few days so that air circulates. This aids in the breakdown of your compost materials.
- Do use gray water to keep the home composting pile damp (water from the laundry or sink as long as the detergent isn’t harmful to the environment).
- Do bury kitchen scraps in the middle of the pile so animals won’t smell it.
- If you're making your own compost bin-Add a layer of chicken wire on the bottom to discourage animals from burrowing underneath.
- Do add more green materials if your compost doesn’t heat up in 24-42 hours. You should feel the heat and can sometime see the steam coming from the pile.
- Mulch the leaves and chop the twigs and branches before throwing in the pile so that they'll break down quicker.
Don’ts
- Don't add dairy products or meat products to your home compost.
- Don’t pack your green and brown layers too tightly.
- Don’t add too much green materials- it may and not "cook" properly and will give off an ammonia-like smell. If this happens- add more brown to the pile .
- Don’t throw diseased or moldy flowers and plants into the pile.
Try this organic gardening idea ; home composting can be fun for the kids too.
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