Are you looking for a way to recycle your veggie scraps and banana peels? Composting is becoming a popular option for recycling decomposed organic materials. Compost is often made up of tree leaves, grass clippings, vegetable scraps, black and white newspaper and shredded twigs and is used to enhance the soil in your garden or lawn.
Compost is the result of organic matter decomposing with the aid of water, oxygen, invertebrate organisms like slugs and bugs, and microorganisms. Compost is a soil enhancer and requires a balanced “green to brown” ratio. The green compost that comes from vegetable scraps provide the nitrogen while the brown compost that comes from newspaper and dry leaves provides the carbon for your soil. It is recommended to have double the brown compost to green for optimal conditions of decomposition. Here are some steps to follow if you want to reduce waste and create a rich soil for your plants and garden.
Step by Step Composting Guide
Step 1: Lay sticks at the bottom of your compost bin. Add the brown layer first as your compost foundation. Next, add a layer of green compost. Add topsoil and water all of the layers. Repeat steps until pile is around 3 feet high. The top layer of the compost pile should always be brown. Cover with a lid.
Step 2: Aerate your pile throughout the entire composting process. Air helps speed up the composition of your organic waste.
Step 3: Keep an eye on your compost pile and once the waste ingredients are no longer recognizable, add to your garden soil. Your “black gold” compost will fertilize plants, lawn, or garden.
5 Tips For Composting
Get a Bin
If you are composting in your kitchen, get a metal or plastic bin to hold all of your food scraps. The size of the bin depends on how much you compost. Larger see-through mesh wire bins are recommended for outdoor compost materials. Keep a lid on your compost pile.
What Stays Out of the Compost Bin
Do not put animal waste in your bin. Also avoid greasy food scraps and dairy products.
When is Compost Ready to Use?
Compost is ready to use when the appearance is dark grown and smells “earthy.” The texture should be crumbly. With regular care and maintenance, it takes around 1-2 months for your waste to compost.
How To Use Compost
Spread compost on top of your soil or lawn as a soil enhancement. Sprinkle in your garden beds or add to the soil of your potted plants. When mixed with topsoil, compost allows water drainage with heavy soil and water retention with sandy soil.
Benefits of Composting
Composting generally takes less than ten minutes to do per week and helps the environment by reducing household waste. You are also creating a rich soil that your plants and garden will thrive in.
Compost Things Like:
-Banana Peels
-Teabags
-Eggshells
-Coffee Grounds
-Potato Chips
-Corn Cobs
