Composting

Compost Bin

If you have a backyard garden of any size it makes a lot of sense to compost. Composting is really simple, you just need to follow few basic steps and you will end up with beautiful nutrient rich organic material to add to your garden soil. You can purchase a composting bin at garden centers and recycling centers fairly inexpensively. You can compost without using a bin but having one makes it more convenient.

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Composting Directions:

1. A compost bin usually has a removable top, vents and a small sliding door on the bottom half so you can remove composted material that sits on the bottom.
2. Place your compost bin in a convenient location near a door. You will need to place compostable waste in it a few times per week.
3. Place a small pail or container with a top in the kitchen near your waste bin. Line it with newspaper or a paper towel to keep it clean. The paper products can be composted along with your kitchen scraps.
4. Chop up larger items like corn cobs, watermelon rinds and any other large scraps. The smaller the pieces, the faster they compost.
5. After you empty your kitchen scraps into your compost pile make sure you stir it well. Mixing the new with the old. This adds oxygen to the mix which helps it break down.
6. Add a handful of leaves, pine needles, or other dried yard waste to the pile. This will add carbon and will help reduce the chance of adverse odors and fruit flies. Place the top back on.
7. Composting can take up to 6 months. This means every every spring and fall you will have wonderful compost to add to your lawn, flower or vegetable garden with very little work on your part.
8. Composting material should be kept damp. Like a sponge that has been wrung out.

What to Compost

1. Kitchen Greens: fruit scraps, vegetable scraps, corre grounds, rice, pasta, egg shells, tea bags
2. Yard Greens: flowers, vegetables, plant trimmings, seaweed, hedge clippings and small amount of grass
3. Kitchen Browns: coffe filters, paper towels, brown paper bags, shredded paper, napkins, dryer lint, hair, stale bread
   
4. Yard Browns: dried leaves, small twigs, chips, hay, dried weeds

What Not to Compost

• Meat, fish, bones, poultry
• Dairy products
• Oils, fats, sauces
• Ashes
• Pet waste
• Diseased plants
• Mature weeds or flowers with seeds