Composting Boot Camp: How to Have an Awesome Composting Experience
Composting is one of the most effective ways to deliver organic nutrients to your garden, and also one of the cheapest. Despite the many benefits of composting, newcomers to the composting scene can find the process confusing. Many people might want to start composting but hesitate because of misapprehensions. Thankfully, it is easy to get off to a good start with composting by following just a few simple guidelines.
Many would-be composters are squeamish about the smells their compost may give rise to. One easy trick to squelch compost odors from taking over your kitchen is to keep your compost bin in the freezer. Chest freezers work best, but the technique also works well with small freezers — just use a smaller container. This technique also eliminates the possibility that your compost could fill your kitchen with fruit flies.
Another odor-eliminating idea is to keep your compost properly aerated. When you keep your compost properly turned, it should have a pleasant, earthy aroma. Unpleasant smells result from anaerobic bacteria that grow in non-aerated pockets of your compost pile. You can turn your compost over the old-fashioned way with a shovel. Alternatively, invest in a barrel-type compost bin that can be rolled to stir the contents.
You can further encourage proper break-down of the composted materials by ensuring thorough drying. Many vegetable materials contain natural compounds that retard decomposition. A good way to get around this problem is to locate your composting area in a sunny location that promotes thorough desiccation. Dry compost also allows better airflow and is therefore less prone to colonization by smelly anaerobic bacteria.
Be sure to include a wide variety of decomposable products in your compost. Most people realize they can compost carrot tops and apple rinds, but don’t stop there. Coffee ground and egg shells also add beneficial nutrients to your garden. So do lawn clippings. Beware, though, of using yard waste that may contain weed seeds. You can even compost paper as long as you cut or shred it into small pieces that will decompose easily. An office shredder works perfectly for this purpose.
As you add items to your compost pile, try to balance your “browns” and “greens.” Greens include most herbaceous plant matter, such as vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, and grass clippings. All of these items provide sources of nitrogen for your plants. Browns provide carbon and include tree leaves, hay, straw, and fine twigs.
It is also important to balance the pH of your compost. Ideally, your compost will be somewhere close to a neutral pH to avoid skewing the pH of your soil. Alkaline sources in compost include leaves from poplar, cottonwood, and ash trees. Acidic sources in compost include oak leaves and most vegetable scraps.
A good sign to look for in your compost pile is presence of earthworms. Worms in the pile indicate an environment of healthy decomposition. In addition, worms also help break down the composted material, speeding the release of nutrients into your soil. As the worms eat the decomposing material, they give off waste products, known as castings, that make excellent fertilizer. If you want to speed the process of acquiring worms in your pile, consider purchasing a starter batch of red wigglers. In addition, be sure to keep your compost pile moist enough to support worms.
When properly done, composting will provide you with free, high-quality fertilizer with a minimum of effort. In addition, you’ll also help ease the load on our already overused landfills. Although getting started can require a shift in mindset, the basic guidelines are easy to follow. Stick to the tips provided here, and soon you’ll be composting with the best of them.