by Staff

If you’re into gardening (and you probably are if you’re reading this), you know how important it is to keep the soil fertile and to make your plants thrive. But what do you use as fertilizer? Do you just get store-bought chemical fertilizer or do you invest some free time into making your own? Banana peels, coffee grounds, eggshells, a pile of leaves you’ve just raked… All of that is excellent for composting and it’s a much healthier alternative to chemical fertilizers. Plus, it’s free.

Anyone can compost. Even if your backyard isn’t big or you don’t have a lot of gardening experience, you can still compost. You don’t even need a backyard; you can do it in an apartment. Of course, it’s more than just tossing leftovers in the bin and hoping for the best, but it’s still pretty easy to do.
Let’s see how it’s done!

How to Start Composting

When you decide to compost at home, you get a simple way to reduce waste and fertilize your garden, so there’s really no drawbacks to this. And luckily, more and more people are realizing it. The state of Pennsylvania composts around 2 million tons of organic waste per year, while California diverts a whopping 5.9 million tons of waste through composting programs, being the top U.S. state in this industry. New York, is the worst, with only about 1 million tons.

You’ll need some supplies if you don’t have them already, so take out your phone (or your desktop computer/laptop) and browse for “landscaping supplies near me”, find a local or nearby business, get your essentials, and then let’s compost!

1. Choose a Method

The first thing to do is to choose a method of composting. If you have a backyard, an outdoor compost bin would be the best choice, but an open compost pile will work, too. Both of these methods are ideal for handling large amounts of waste, whether that’s food or yard waste.

If you don’t have a lot of outdoor space or you don’t have any, you can get an indoor compost bin and tuck it into a corner somewhere. If you live in an apartment, you might also want to consider vermicomposting. It uses worms to break down organic material, it has no scent and it’s very efficient.

2. The Right Location

Location is a big deal. If you’re composting outdoors, pick a spot in the shade that’s well-drained so your pile doesn’t dry out or get waterlogged. A partially shaded area will protect the compost from heat and still allow it to warm up enough so that it decomposes quicker.

If you’re composting indoors, then you’ll need an area that’s well-ventilated, like under the sink, in the laundry room, or, ideally, on a balcony.

3. Gather Your Materials

You need to balance two types of materials – greens and browns. Greens are items that have a lot of nitrogen, like vegetable scraps, fruit peels, coffee grounds, and grass clippings. Browns are items rich in carbon, like dry leaves, shredded newspaper, and cardboard.

The ratio should be about two to three part browns to one part greens because that will give you the optimal decomposition.

Make sure you avoid meat, dairy, oily food scraps, and pet waste. They’ll smell like you wouldn’t believe and they’ll also attract pests.

4. Assemble and Maintain Compost

You’ll have to layer your pile correctly to keep the air circulation and for the moisture levels to be just right.

Start with a layer of browns at the bottom for drainage and to reduce odors. Next, add a layer of greens, then another layer of browns. As you collect your materials, keep alternating the layers.

The key is in the right amount of moisture; your compost should feel like a wrung-out sponge. If it’s soggy and/or smelly, there’s too much moisture inside, but if there’s not enough of it, decomposition will take forever.

5. Turn and Keep an Eye on the Compost

Turn your compost on a regular basis so that it has enough oxygen. Oxygen will speed up the breakdown of organic materials, so your pile of “trash” will turn into compost faster. Use a garden fork or a compost turner to mix the pile at least once every two weeks. If it’s decomposing slowly, turn it more often.

Keep an eye out for any signs of trouble, like bad smells, pests, or materials that aren’t breaking down. If you notice problems, add more greens or browns, depending on what’s causing issues.

If you did everything right, the more you turn your compost, the faster it will decompose.

Conclusion

Isn’t it amazing how something you’d normally throw away can actually be useful? Your homemade compost can make your garden thrive, and the best part is – it takes hardly any work and money to make it happen.
But composting isn’t just a nice gardening trick. When you decide to compost, you contribute to our planet being healthier and cleaner because every single banana peel that becomes compost is one less piece of waste in the landfill.

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