Composting at home means you transform the organic, degradable waste in your home into a nutrient rich fertilizer at home. Your plants would thrive on this low or no cost organic fertilizer and if you have more than what you need, you can donate it or even sell it. You just have to provide air and water to your compost pile, encouraging the microorganisms to flourish and compost faster. If composting is new to you, here are a few things you could do for better composting:
Start with a compost bin
You can either build a compost bin or buy one to start composting. The compost bin can be placed behind a shrub or blend in with your garden, so that your yard is organized and neat.
Or you can start a compost pile 3x3x3 ft if you choose. This should be the biggest size as bigger than that is hard to manage and will decompose at a slower rate. Check the bin/pile after you set it up, and if it’s hot in the centre, it means it’s ready.
Maintain the heat
The compost pile should receive direct sunlight, and you can store the compost in black plastic bins in winter for the composting process to continue. Hay bales can insulate compost piles too. Compost decomposes fastest at 120-160 degree F.
Materials you can compost
It’s not just kitchen scraps that you can compost – you can throw dead houseplants, coffee grounds and tea bags, fireplace ashes, kelp and seaweed, eggshells, used napkins and paper towels, eraser rubbings and pencil shavings, bamboo skewers, toothpicks, organic degradable decorations, used matches and so on, basically anything that is biodegradable.
Materials you should not compost
Pet fats…
