subject: How Do You Compost? [print this page] Composting is the process of biologically breaking down of organic matters, such as leaves and vegetable scraps, for the purpose of improving the soil conditions to provide nutrients for garden and plants. The composting process is the result of aerobic organism activities taking place inside the materials that are being composted.
Composting is a very important and integral part of organic gardening - a corner stone of organic gardening. Composting not only providesthe best possible food for your plants and garden, but also saves you a lot of money. Home composting reduces daily living waste thus keeps compostable materials going to landfill, and therefore promotes sustainable livng and protect our natural environment.
There are numerous ways to compost. Traditionally, composts were made by leaving plants, leaves and other organic matters in a pile or a heap. Over time, the organic matters are decomposed and compost is matured. This method is the cheapest but is may have odors and attract insects or small animals. It may take a year or more for compost to mature. Today's technology has brought forth innovation in the area of composting. Compost Bins, Compost Tumblers are intelligently designed to provide the best conditions for aerobic activities of organisms, thus quicken the biological decomposing process, reducing the time needed for mature compost to a matter of months or even weeks depending on the specific composter. There are three key elements that decide how much time the composting process needs: temperature, aeration and moisture. The higher the temperature, the faster the process; the more aeration, which provides air and oxygen, the faster the process. The appropriate amount of water is important, as the lack of moisture is not conducive to organism activities, and yet too much moisture will cause odor and breeding of flies and mosquitoes. Having moisture does not always mean adding water. Putting fresh yard clippings, garden wastes, fruit and vegetable leftovers will usually provide enough moisture.
Materials that can be composted: yard clippings, garden wastes, fruit and vegetable peels and leftovers, tree leaves (fresh or dry), straws and hay, wood chips and sawdust, coffee grounds and filters, teabags and threaded paper. Do not compost meat, dairy products as they may cause odors and attract animals.
We are a bunch of environmentally conscious people. Since we started composting, we dramatically reduced the amount of waste we discard for landfill, probably in excess of 30%. Combined with recycling other recyclable materials, such as plastics, glasses and Styrofoam, our total waste is less than one third of what it used to be. Such may not seem like a huge number, but imagine what our earth would be like if everyone does it.
