Developing a Planet-Friendly Practice
Composting—the act of decomposing organic matter like vegetables and eggshells—is common practice on a farm, where the final product is then used as fertilizer. But if you live in the city or the suburbs, you can still try your hand at it. There are systems for tabletop, small-scale, and urban composting. Here’s how to get started no matter where you live.
START WITH YOUR END GOALS
Why do you want to start composting? Some composters hope to create rich dirt to feed their houseplants or square-foot gardening obsession. Others see it as a way to decrease his or her carbon footprint. Even if you don’t personally have a large garden plot, you may be willing to share your organic riches with family or friends who garden. Keep in mind why you’re starting this project; that will help you make decisions about the right system to choose and how much effort you’re willing to put into the practice.
KNOW WHAT YOU CAN COMPOST
Not all organic matter is suitable for composting. Fish, meat, bones, dairy products, refined sugars, fats, and oils don’t belong in a compost heap; however, fruit and vegetable waste, eggshells, nutshells, tea leaves, coffee grounds, cereals, and grains make an excellent organic base. Steer clear of baked goods like bread, pies, and pastries because yeast and sugar attract pests.
Newspaper or paper shreds can be good additions but avoid glossy paper from magazines or sales flyers. The gloss contains heavy metals that aren’t safe to consume. If you have a yard, gather leaves, grass clippings, small twigs, wilted (but disease-free) flower heads, and straw. If you have dogs or cats, collect their hair from grooming to add a nitrogen boost to your mix. Cold fireplace ashes and natural-fiber dryer lint are good carbon-based additions.
DECIDE ON A SYSTEM
Choose a system based on your available space and whether it will be indoors, outdoors, or a combination of the two. Pick a tabletop bin if indoor composting is your only option. Online guides detail how to layer organic materials in these bins to control pests and odors. If you have some space outdoors like a small deck, patio, or yard, a compact tumbler or bin may be the right choice. A quick online search reveals bins and tumblers that range in size from a few gallons up to 100 gallons and more.
To be effective, you must aerate (turn) your compost pile. This process adds oxygen to the mix that’s required to speed up decomposition, control smells, and prevent materials from lumping or matting. With bins, turn compost with a shovel. For tumblers, refer to the packaging for specific directions. With larger yards, you may be able to set aside space for in-ground or aboveground composting.
In-ground composting involves digging a small trench in which you place your collection of organic materials and then cover with dirt. You’ll have to water the trench occasionally, but trench composts don’t have to be turned often—once or twice over the span of a couple months should do the trick. With aboveground composting, you may need to enclose a space with chicken-wire fencing so your compost doesn’t blow away or become rummaged by animals. Again, occasional watering is needed, and you can turn it over less frequently than bin or tumbler composts.
SET REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS
Composting takes time and work. Depending on the system you choose, it may take weeks to months to create the rich garden dirt that you want. As with any new project, trial and error will be involved. You’ll have to remember to save things you once threw away without thinking. It will take practice and experimentation to figure out how to correctly mix nitrogen-based and carbon-based components to create the best organic mix. You’ll need to set aside time for aerating your mix and keeping it moist to aid decomposition.
While small-scale composting may not always be easy, the payoff is huge. You get the reward of creating useful, nutrient-rich dirt comprised of things you used to treat as trash. You’ll no longer need to trek to the home-improvement store to buy soil for your gardening projects. Even for urbanites, composting is an inexpensive and simple way to leave the earth a little greener than you found it. Written by Ronda Swaney. Illustration provided by ©iStockphoto.com/MrJub.