Composting
Organic Compost
Why Composting?
Composting is a sustainable way to manage organic waste, and it has numerous environmental, economic, and personal benefits:
1. Reduces Landfill Waste
- A significant portion of household waste is organic material (food scraps, yard waste). Composting diverts this waste from landfills, where it would otherwise decompose anaerobically (without oxygen), producing methane—a potent greenhouse gas.
2. Creates Nutrient-Rich Soil
- Compost enriches soil with essential nutrients, improving soil structure, moisture retention, and promoting healthy plant growth. It’s a natural fertilizer that boosts soil biodiversity, aiding plant health and resilience.
How to Compost?
There are two common ways to compost at home
Here’s a simplified DIY guide to composting at home:
1. Choose Your Composting Method
- Outdoor composting: Best if you have a yard or garden space.
- Indoor composting: Use small bins for kitchen scraps, especially in an apartment or small space. Vermicomposting (with worms) is a great indoor option.
2. Build or Buy a Compost Bin
You can make your own bin or buy one:
- Outdoor Bin:
- Use a plastic or wooden container with a lid.
- Drill holes on the sides and bottom for airflow and drainage.
- Indoor Bin:
- A small plastic bin with a lid works well.
- For vermicomposting, add red wiggler worms to the bin.
3. What to Compost (Green and Brown Materials)
- Greens (Nitrogen-rich): Kitchen scraps like fruit and vegetable peels, coffee grounds, tea bags.
- Browns (Carbon-rich): Dried leaves, paper, cardboard, twigs, and wood chips.
- Avoid: Meat, dairy, oils, pet waste, diseased plants.
4. Layer Your Compost
- Start with a layer of browns at the bottom of the bin to help with aeration.
- Add greens, then cover with another layer of browns.
- Alternate layers and keep a 2:1 ratio of browns to greens.
- Cover food scraps with browns to reduce odors and pests.
5. Maintain the Compost
- Turn the pile every 1-2 weeks to add oxygen, helping materials break down faster.
- Check moisture levels: Keep the compost damp like a sponge. Add water if dry, or more browns if too wet.
6. Know When It’s Ready
- Compost is ready when it’s dark, crumbly, and smells earthy. This usually takes 3-6 months depending on how well you maintain it.
7. Harvest Your Compost
- Sift out any large pieces that haven’t broken down and return them to the pile. Use the finished compost in your garden or houseplants for nutrient-rich soil.
This simple method helps you turn kitchen and garden waste into compost, reducing waste and enriching your plants!
Worm Composting
Very Easy. The cost of worm compost is $5 per Lb. You can convert all your kitchen scraps, garden green waste etc to fine worm compost using certain kind of worms.