Composting At Home
With stay at home orders affecting millions of people across the nation, many people are looking for ways to promote sustainability in their own household. One great sustainable practice that everyone can implement in their homes is composting. Compost is defined by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as "organic material that can be used to help plants grow." Follow on below as we outline the key steps to turning your food waste into nutrient-rich compost for your home gardens.
Getting Started
The first step in composting at home is finding a location to put some of the essential items you’ll need. Find a place in your house to keep a pail or bucket that will be used to store food scraps. Outside, find a dry spot to keep your compost bin. Depending on where you live, you may get a head start with community gardens that already have designated composting areas.
Composting Essentials
The key to keeping your compost healthy is an equal blend of “green” and “brown” waste. This will prevent the mix from getting too dry or too wet. Green waste commonly refers to food scraps, grass clippings and flowers. Chances are you will have no shortage of green waste available to you. Brown waste can be leaves, twigs, cardboard and newspaper. It may be helpful to collect dry leaves each fall to save and use throughout the year. You’ll want more browns than greens to prevent the compost from getting too wet. As time goes on you can dial in the correct ratio of browns to greens for your setup.
For more examples of waste you can use, see the table below.
| What Can I Compost? | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| "Green" Waste | "Brown" Waste | ||
| Fruit Scraps | Vegetable Scraps | Newspaper | Dry Leaves |
| Grass Clippings | Flowers | Sawdust | Cardboard |
| Coffee Grounds | Garden Waste | Straw/Hay | Eggshells |
| Fresh Leaves | Hedge Clippings | Twigs/Branches | Pine Needles |
Mixing The Compost
Once you have your greens and browns ready to go, you can begin the decomposition process. Keep in mind that it is very important to turn or mix the pile once per week to increase the pile’s heat. This will aid in the decomposition process. If the compost has a bad smell or looks to be soggy, add more brown waste to dry the pile and boost the decomposition.
How Long Will It Take?
Depending on a few factors, including when and where you are composting, can determine how long the process will take. If you’re in a warmer climate, the pile can be ready in 2-3 months. If you’re in a colder climate or composting during the winter months, the compost might not be ready for 6 months or longer. It is important to remain patient and keep a watchful eye on the compost over the course of the decomposition process.
Using Your Compost
You’ll know your compost is ready to be used when it resembles soil. For the final stage in this process, you’ll want to think of ways you can use your compost to benefit your home environment.
Compost is extremely rich in nutrients and serves as a great fertilizer for your lawn or garden. If you have a vegetable or flower garden at your home, adding compost can improve soil health by enhancing its ability to hold on to nutrients and water. The compost can also be sprinkled onto your lawn to serve as a fertilizer. If you have excess compost once you’re all said and done, you can gift some to family, friends or a neighbor who might find it useful.