An Introduction to Composting
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Composting is an easy and effective way to enrich your soil AND significantly reduce the amount of waste you send to landfill. It really is quite simple and extremely beneficial. Instead of throwing away yard waste and fruit and vegetable kitchen scraps, you can simply add them to a backyard compost bin. Give it a quick stir every now and then, and in anywhere from 1 to 5 months you’ll have a rich, robust soil amendment you can add to your gardens to help make them healthier. Rich in nutrients, compost acts as a soil conditioner, a fertilizer, and a natural pesticide for soil. |
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Before trying backyard composting, many people think it will smell bad. In fact, as long as the pile is turned (or stirred) occasionally a compost pile has a mild and a relatively pleasant, sweet odor. A good mix of dry and wet materials and a quick stir every now and then is all it takes to keep a compost bin smelling fine.
The best fuel for a compost bin is a mix of brown and green organic material. Greens include fruit and vegetable peels and scraps from the kitchen, and flowers and plant trimmings from the yard. Browns from the yard include small amounts of leaves and dried grass or weeds, and browns from the kitchen include coffee grounds & filters, breads and paper towels.
It’s not rocket science. Just remember:
- DON’T add meats, oils, dairy products, or pet waste to your compost bin. They are high in fat and do not break down as readily as vegetable matter. They can also attract vermin.
- DO add a mix of browns and greens – the best mix is about as wet as a wrung-out sponge.
- DO cut large items like pumpkin shells or corn cobs into small pieces before adding them to the pile.
- DO turn or mix the pile every now and then. Mix in new materials when adding them to your compost bin.
We’ll be publishing a guide to backyard composting and will post it here in the near future.
The FreeGarden™ EARTH compost bin has been painstakingly designed to make composting easy and rewarding. Click here for more information on the FreeGarden™ EARTH.