If you want to start composting, and I think everyone should, all you need to do is find what way best fits your lifestyle. As someone who wants to be more sustainable in the garden, composting is a great way to get started, not to mention can save you some money buying expensive organic bagged soil. You will also save a lot of scraps from the landfills, lowering greenhouse gas production. Additionally, compost can help filter out stormwater pollutants.
You don't need to have much to start composting but it does require some investment to get started, again you decide how much money you want to put into setting up your compost and start there. There are small bins you can buy that do all the work for you, all you do is add your kitchen scraps. Obviously this is a more expensive option, or if you have the space you can try the open bin, just build a pile in the corner of your yard. Whether you use the open bin or an enclosed bin you could try the three bin method. I set up my third bin last fall, so that I can have one fully broken down, a second still breaking down, and a third that is still collecting scraps.
There are two main styles of composting, active and passive. I personally mix the two together, actively composting when I have the time and passively composting when I’m busy. Active compost essentially means that you are going to stir up and turn the compost frequently in order to aerate, this speeds up your compost breaking down. The easiest method for active composting is to purchase a bin that you turn the handle and the whole bin, shaped like a barrel, spins. Additionally, if you have the space an open bin and a metal pitchfork also makes easy work of active composting. I have three enclosed compost bins, seen below, which don’t quite make active composting very easy. It is a little difficult to stir up, I have a hand tiller to make active composting easier in these bins. Passive composting is much like it sounds, put everything in a pile and wait. You can see why this style is more appealing to many people!
What can you compost? Most importantly, do not compost pet waste. There is bacteria in pet waste that if you use the compost on your edible plants can pass to humans. But I have heard many people use horse or cow manure? You can use either horse or cow manure, only if they have been aged. Horses and cows don’t eat meat so there is less of a chance of passing harmful bacteria, however there is a chance of transferring weed seeds or other pathogens. You also shouldn’t put cooked food, especially meat in your compost. Don’t add any dairy products or oils. You can compost dead plants at the end of the season but make sure not to put any diseased plants in your bins. Lastly, make sure not to compost any magazines, glossy or waxed papers, or anything with color ink, newspapers can be composted however. You can compost scraps from fruit and vegetables, leaves, grass, coffee grounds, eggshells, cardboard boxes, and some tea bags. If you want to test if your tea bag can be composted try tearing it after it's been used. If it tears easily you can add it, if not it probably has microplastics in it and you shouldn’t compost it. In order to cut down on single use plastics I have purchased compostable garbage and “ziplock” bags. You might be doing the same. If so, you MUST be careful with these items. Check the description, they must be home compostable, if they are industrial compostable you shouldn’t add these. The heat generated by your home compost will not break down the industrial compostable bags and may add microplastics to your otherwise awesome compost.
Another important point to remember is to mix your greens (food scraps, spent plants, & grass clippings) and browns (dead leaves, newspapers, & cardboard). Too many greens and your compost will smell, too many browns and your compost might not heat up enough. I have seen many suggestions of the proper percentages of brown to green materials to get the perfect compost. Trying to get the perfect percentage seems difficult, if not impossible, to achieve so I don’t bother with it. I typically have a lot of greens and not as many browns. My rule of thumb is to add more browns whenever the compost gets smelly, if it stops smelling I have enough browns, if not I add more. Fall provides A LOT of browns but in spring and summer, however I usually add egg cartons, toilet & paper towel rolls to make up the browns needed to keep the stink at bay.
Hopefully you have been convinced that whatever your style or preferred method that composting is easily accomplished by anyone and something that is of value to your garden and environment as a whole. Happy composting!
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