How to Compost
What is compost? Here's a good definition from wikipedia that sums it up:
Compost is the aerobically decomposed remnants of organic materials (those with plant and animal origins). Compost is used in gardening and agriculture as a soil amendment, and commercially by the landscaping and container nursery industries. It is also used for erosion control, land/stream reclamation, wetland construction, and as landfill cover (see compost uses). Compost is also used as a seed starting medium generally mixed with a small portion of sand for improved drainage.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compost
We have a garden and have been composting hard-core for over a year. What does that mean? Just that all our food waste and most of our paper, cardboard and lawn waste goes into the compost bin. Every week we put 2 paper grocery bags, one inside the other, in a corner on the back porch and then put any kitchen scraps and other food waste into it. Then at the end of the week we dump the whole thing, bag included, into the big compost bin (an old large plastic bin we used to keep toys in) outside. it can make for some interesting situations, like when someone forgets to close the back door all the way and the raccoons come onto the porch rooting for the stuff in the bag. Or when stuff begins to grow in the completed compost:
A few things to keep in mind when you are just starting out in composting:
1. Everything organic is not ok to compost. This includes meat, animal and human poop, and, oddly enough, onions
2. Turn your compost! Even in the winter, or else it will freeze and then in the spring you'll only have half-done compost.
3. Compost is great to work into your soil deep underground as well as using on top of the ground around the base of your plants.
Compost is the aerobically decomposed remnants of organic materials (those with plant and animal origins). Compost is used in gardening and agriculture as a soil amendment, and commercially by the landscaping and container nursery industries. It is also used for erosion control, land/stream reclamation, wetland construction, and as landfill cover (see compost uses). Compost is also used as a seed starting medium generally mixed with a small portion of sand for improved drainage.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compost
We have a garden and have been composting hard-core for over a year. What does that mean? Just that all our food waste and most of our paper, cardboard and lawn waste goes into the compost bin. Every week we put 2 paper grocery bags, one inside the other, in a corner on the back porch and then put any kitchen scraps and other food waste into it. Then at the end of the week we dump the whole thing, bag included, into the big compost bin (an old large plastic bin we used to keep toys in) outside. it can make for some interesting situations, like when someone forgets to close the back door all the way and the raccoons come onto the porch rooting for the stuff in the bag. Or when stuff begins to grow in the completed compost:
A few things to keep in mind when you are just starting out in composting:
1. Everything organic is not ok to compost. This includes meat, animal and human poop, and, oddly enough, onions
2. Turn your compost! Even in the winter, or else it will freeze and then in the spring you'll only have half-done compost.
3. Compost is great to work into your soil deep underground as well as using on top of the ground around the base of your plants.
Labels: compost
posted by Trula at
1:17 PM
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