Composted MaterialComposting recycles kitchen waste, lawn trimmings, and organic yard materials and turns them into rich nutrients for your garden or indoor plants. Composting is simply the docomposition of organic materials. Successful composting creates an environment that helps the materials decompose more quickly. Organic materials decompose naturally, but the perfect compost bin will speed up the process.

Many incorrectly assume that compost is just dirt. Compost is not soil. Compost is a substance that acts as a fertilizer (enriching the soil) to grow hardier and healthier plants.

Before deciding to compost, there are a few choices to make:

  • the type of container and style for your project
  • the materials you put into your compost bin
  • the location of your bin

Regardless of the decisions, converting your waste into compost happens the same way.  Waste materials breakdown as they are digested by bacteria and fungi (microbes).

Microbes are the work horse of a composting system. They need air, water, and food like any other living creature. The right amounts of air, water and food help the microbes do their job.  A foul smelling compost bin is usually a result of inadequate air circulation within the waste material. Without air, the material will still breakdown but it will be done by anaerobic microbes (organisms that do not need oxygen) as opposed to aerobic (ones that need oxygen). If you smell an unpleasant odor coming from your compost bin or pile, turn the material or add material to create more room for the air to circulate. A good material to add may be wood chips or hay.

Composting is good for the environment and your garden — it eliminates the amount of waste you throw away and enriches the soil your plants grow in. Give it a try and tells us about your success, challenges, and experiences!