There are so many reasons why you should start composting. Did you know that they make the best soil for your garden, instead of paying tons of money for organic rich-soil you can make them in your own time for FREE! It enhances your soil and reduces your impact on the environment by keeping the organic materials away from the landfill. The food scraps and garden waste in your compost pile will eventually decompose into soil-like substances that can be used to help plants grow. Feeding your garden with nutrient-rich compost is essential.
Decomposition of natural materials can take anywhere from weeks, months to a year depending on the materials and used and size of the compost pile. You can store them in a sealed container as it will help keep the smell inside, and will make the compost better when it finally gets to the compost pile.
So, where to begin?
Choose a compost bin; there is no right and wrong as each bin have their advantages and disadvantages. Decide a spot for your compost bin in your garden. Remind your family/housemates/friends how the container works and not to throw those banana peels, apple cores etc. away.
Begin in your home, look around and see if there are any organic materials can be used in a compost pile. It’s important to know what you can compost. Any organic materials laying around your house or garden such as dead leaves, newspaper, grass clippings, straw, tea bags and natural food wastes such as skin-fruits can be used. Along these lines, you must also be aware of what you cannot compose! You should never put any dairy.plastic, metal or meat products into your compost pile. Make sure you know what is allowed and what is not as the wrong ones can introduce harmful parasites and attract animals to your garden and soil.
A thumb rule to follow is to balance the nitrogen and carbon in your compost pile. Brown materials such as dead leaves, twigs and branches will give you carbon, and green materials like grass clippings, fruit scraps and vegetable wastes will provide you nitrogen. Make sure to alternate your brown and green materials when adding them to your pile along with some soil. Your compost pile should remain moist. Put your compost in a shaded part of your garden to prevent it from drying but also do not over-water it as it should not be soggy.
Now you can start collecting compostable materials and add them to your pile. As we mentioned before, the process of decomposition could take a while, so grab a pitchfork or a shovel and stir the pile regularly to maintain an even temperature and for your collection to get air.
Once you start seeing a nice dark rich soil, it means that your compost is ready. You can start spreading it around your garden when you no longer recognise your organic scraps anymore. And that’s it, ladies and gentlemen, composting is that easy!
Make sure to comment below and let us know what you think of composting! Do you compost or not? Share your thoughts guys!