Composting is one of the aspects of gardening that is gross but essential to growing plants. It’s the circle of life. There is dirt to grow crops. Crops grow, and we harvest them. We eat it, then throw it away. But where does it go after it’s thrown out? Usually, a trash dump, right? Of course. However, what if you can help your garden by throwing out the things you eat by composting them instead of tossing them to improve your soil? How does this help me, and why would I compost?
What is Composting? Why is it important when gardening?
Composting is a mixture of decomposed organic materials, which helps with fertilizing your plants. Your pile comprises green and brown materials from your yard or food waste. Once you have the elements for your Compost together, add water regularly and sunlight. Finally, ensure you turn over the Compost, and abracadabra, you get rich Compost.
Composting is important for plenty of reasons:
- By composting, you return food waste back to agriculture and not into a dump
- It keeps food waste out of the dumps. Did you know that more than 25% of food is tossed into dumps that could be composted instead?
- It also helps with reducing methane gases from landfills.
- You have better quality and growth of crops with compost.
- Compost helps to repair your contaminated soils from hazardous waste, and it doesn’t break your budget.
- It helps with reforestation, wetlands restoration, and habitat revitalization by remedying and improving their soil.
- Protects the quality of groundwater
- Prevents erosion and turf loss from roadsides, hillsides, etc.
- Reduces the use of fertilizers
- Increases earthworms in your soil to aid in producing good quality crops
- If you have sandy or clay soils, compost will increase soil content.
What Do I Need to Start Composting?
Before you start composting, you have to decide or think about where you live and how that will affect your composting. You can compost if you live in a city or a rural environment. But, you need to consider what kind of gardening you are doing and how much soil you need for your plants. Again, this depends on where you live; you can build a compost pile in your backyard.
You will need a few things before starting your pile. The supplies are below. Some are optional, and you can use them, depending on how deep your bin or pile is.
Supplies include:
- Water (a hose or a watering can)
- A bin (depending on where you live)
- Compost pitchfork (a long one lets you toss the organic matter better if it’s a pile)
- Shovel or Spade (to turn the almost completed compost
These supplies depend on what compost container or pile you use.
Now that you have your supplies in your compost pile, you are ready to begin composting. All you need now are the main elements to make compost.
Green VS Browns of Composting
Composting consists of both green and brown materials in a pile. Each has its job of creating rich soil for your garden. There are nutrients that your compost pile needs to create quality, rich soil.
Greens are materials that add nitrogen to your compost soil. In addition, these materials give decomposer organisms that assist in creating healthy soil and protein. Some examples include vegetable and fruit scraps, coffee, tea, green clippings, and plants.
Brown materials are carbon materials. Browns help by being energy for organisms in the soil. It also needs to be triple the number of greens. Some examples are dead leaves, pine needles, hay, and newspapers.
A GOOD THING TO KNOW:
The compost pile is NOT supposed to smell. What if it does? What should I do? When it starts to reek, you have more green materials in your bin than browns. The ratio of your Compost is 2:1.
So, remember adding more brown materials than greens equals better and less stinky odors. A bonus point for you is that your neighbors won’t complain about the smell if you do this. I know it’s easier to put in green materials than add browns.
What Can I Put in the Compost?
| Greens | Browns |
| Most kitchen scraps, such as most fruit and vegetable waste | Hay and Straw |
| Eggshells | Nutshells |
| Pet fur and human hair | Cereal boxes |
| Tea grounds and tea leaves | String, wool, and cotton thread |
| Corn husks and cobs | Leaves |
| Coffee grounds and filters | Toilet paper and paper towel rolls |
| Fresh grass clippings | Sawdust, wood chips, and ashes from wood |
Above are only some examples of green and brown materials that can go into your compost bin.
What Cannot Put in the Compost?
- Plastic (like plastic grocery bags
- Animal bones
- Meats
- Fat, oils, and grease
- Colored newspaper
- Dairy products
- Whole eggs
- Pet waste and kitty litter (only put waste in the compost if the pet has a vegan diet)
- Glossy paper
- Coal or charcoal
- Large wood pieces
- Treated wood
- Leftovers (unless they are vegan)
- Combustible utensils and take-out containers
- Tissues and paper towels (REMEMBER: ONLY PAPER TOWEL AND TP ROLLS)
- Plant waste treated with pesticides
Where Should I Put My Compost Pile or Bin?
It would help if you had your compost pile or bins somewhere easy to access. However, please do not put it where your neighbors catch wind of the awful smell of the pile. As a side note: your compost should NEVER smell.
Make sure the compost bin or pill is placed on leveled, well-drained land and a place that gets ample sunlight.
How to Get Quicker Results for My Compost Pile Since I Need It Now?
There are quite a few opinions about the completion rate of your compost pile. The average rate you can have completed Compost is from 1 month to 1 year, depending on how much you are tending to the mound and how much is in a pile.
Is there a way to get your compost to finish faster? Yes, there are a few ways. You can:
- Air it out. Organisms in the compost pile need a bit of oxygen every once in and while to live. Turn over your pile weekly to ensure that these little creatures helping you out are properly oxygenated.
- Increase your space inside the bin for new materials. Use your pitchfork to get in there and break down the compost into smaller bits before adding more into the pile. This aids the organisms in breaking down the compost easier and faster.
- Check the Water of your compost pile. I
- If you want to speed up the process for your compost pile, make sure you have about 40-60% water in your compost pile. Your compost proceeds slower if you have a dehydrated pile.
- To test your pile, take the clumps of the piles from different areas and squeeze them. You are on the right track if the clump feels like a wrung-out sponge. If not, water that pile.
- If you want to speed up the process for your compost pile, make sure you have about 40-60% water in your compost pile. Your compost proceeds slower if you have a dehydrated pile.
If I Have More Food or Yard Waste Than I Need for My Compost Bin or Cannot Compost, How Can I Contribute and Help the Environment? Where Can I Take It?
If you want to help your community and have extra brown and green materials that you need for your compost pile, you can:
- Check out the Compost Now website at compostnow.org to see if they service your area. The service office, homes, and restaurants help reduce food waste in trash dumps.
- Donate to a local farmer.
- Contact your county extension agent for possible places to donate food waste
- Look into local nurseries or landscapers to see if they make compost for their business
