Composting: Trash to Treasure

Composting is an economical way to feed your lawn and garden. Compost is made from your everyday household and garden "trash". Anyone can compost, even for the lazy gardener. In no time at all, you will reap the benefits of your vitamin enriched soil additive created from garbage.

To begin it is relatively inexpensive. You can make it an expensive endeavor by purchasing fancy compost tumblers if you like, but this is not necessary. I recommend starting small with a pile in the back corner of your yard before you invest in man-made compost bins.

Find an area in your yard that is accessible easily to dump your kitchen waste in. If it is hard to get to, or out of the way, you'll give up sooner rather than later. You can make a small, 3-sided frame using old pallets found behind grocery stores. Just nail them together to form the shape of a "U". Stake them into the ground for support and you are ready to go.

There are many household and garden waste items that can be dumped into your compost pile. Vegetable scraps, eggshells, rotted fruit and vegetables, coffee grounds and filters, dryer lint, sawdust, yard trimmings, shredded newspaper, teabags, hair/fur, cotton or wool rags, fireplace ashes, nut shells, houseplants, leaves, branches, twigs manure and hay or straw are ideal items to compost. Do not compost meat, bones, diary products, fats, oils or pet waste. Once you start collecting these items from your yard and kitchen, you'll be surprised how much less trash you'll be hauling to the curb. This results in less trash in your landfills.

Get a large coffee can with lid to contain scraps until you decide to make a run to the compost pile. Store it under the sink to keep it out of sight. There are many items on the market made for this purpose as well. They have charcoal filters to prevent odor and tight fitting lids. They are typically more aesthetically appealing than a coffee can, but let's start off small. If you find that composting is for you, upgrade to the more hip gadgets later.

Composting can be as simple or as complicated as you want to make it. It takes between 1 month and 2 years to make good quality compost depending upon the items you include and how much attention you pay it. There are three components to compost: brown, green and water elements. Brown is comprised of dead leaves, twigs, and branches (this is your carbon element). Green is grass clippings, vegetable/fruit waste, coffee grounds, etc. (this is the nitrogen element). Equal amounts of all three are required for a good balance and quick decomposition into vitamin-rich compost.

Gather together your tools: a shovel, pitchfork and water hose. Start by making layers of brown and green items. Make sure your brown components are shredded to a manageable size, don't use large branches or twigs. Chop these up smaller for quicker decomposition. Start with a layer of brown material about 4-6 inches deep. On top of that, layer the same amount of green material. Watering in these layers will aid in decomposition. When you begin to add household scraps, bury them within the green and brown layers as to not attract bugs or animals. Turn your compost pile with your pitchfork at least once a week moving the dry materials around and distributing moisture throughout. Incorporating air into your pile is essential. Keep a brown pile next to your compost bin to cover up newly incorporated household scraps.

Although not necessary, a tarp covering your compost pile will increase the heat within the pile. This heat will aid in faster decomposition. The matter at the bottom of the pile will be ready first. Keep turning your compost as you add more matter.

Once your compost is finished, you can add it to garden beds, mulch around trees and plants, use in houseplant soil mixtures and garden boxes. It will enrich your soil mixture resulting in a higher yield of blooms and garden growth.

Composting can also remediate contaminated soil and prevent pollution. It can absorb VOC's (volatile organic compounds) and bind to heavy metals, thus preventing them from entering our water supply. When you compost your organic material, you reduce the amount of methane gas produced by landfills and a consequent reduction in pollution.

Composting is an economical way to reduce the need for pesticides, fertilizer and water in your lawn and garden. Using just a few tools, you can easily start your own compost pile and within a few months have a nutrient rich soil additive for your garden.

http://www.epa.gov/waste/conserve/rrr/composting/index.htm