Compost: Turning Garbage into Gold
Here’s a scenario: You just ate dinner and you have leftover food scraps. You place those food scraps in the trash can. What happens when that trash is hauled away? It will decompose someplace in a landfill where you won’t receive any benefit from it.
This scenario comes with a better outcome: You just ate dinner and you have leftover food scraps. Instead of throwing them in the trash, you gather those food scraps and take them to your composting bin, where they will eventually decompose into organic, nutrient-rich soil for your garden. This sounds much better, right?
In this article, I will discuss the importance of having a composting bin and how to make one for yourself.
What is Compost?
Compost is any type of decomposed organic material that can be used to fertilize plants. Compost is seen as the secret to a thriving garden. Different organic waste that may seem like it is meant for the trash, like banana peels, apple cores, rotten fruit, leaves, and grass clippings, can be turned into a nutrient-rich soil that can benefit your garden.
When to Compost
A successful compost pile is a process that can take up to the whole year, but the warmer months of summer and fall are when the decomposition actually takes place. A good time to build a compost bin and start the process is the months of early spring. During this time, you are able to place your old plants from the year before to this bin, and the cycle will only continue.
Materials
Actually, a composting bin can be made out of almost anything, but these are the materials needed for the plans provided:
- Trash bag or weed cloth
- Bungee cord
- Chicken wire
- Garden stakes/rebar
- Zip ties
Fenced Composting Pile
Those who have a sizable garden may need a larger composting pile in order to collect enough soil.
- Find a suitable location for the compost pile. It is suggested that it is built near the garden but out of the way.
- Measuring around 3 to 4 square feet of space should be plenty of room. After taking measurements, place a garden stake in each corner.
- Weed cloth should be cut to the size of the composting area.
- Hammer the rebar through the cloth on each staked corner.
- Roll out the chicken wire and cut it to enough length that it fits the perimeter of the composting area.
- Use zip ties to secure the chicken wire to the rebar so it does not move.
- The final step — add organic waste!
It is suggested to maintain the compost pile by turning the waste regularly and making sure the moisture content is not too little or too much. Once a week, mix the compost with a pitchfork or shovel so the organic material covers the new waste on the top.
Compost that is ready to fertilize your garden will look and smell like dark rich soil. It can be used in vegetable gardens, flower beds, or even on your lawn to promote growth.
