Gardening is a wonderful hobby that continually teaches people new skills. Learning how to compost will enhance your garden and make it a better place for all kinds of plants — if you know how to do it correctly. This guide points out 10 things to know about compost for your garden so you know exactly what to look for.
1. Give It Time
Composting takes more time than buying a bag of fertilizer. The waste could need anywhere from a few weeks to a year to properly decompose. Give yourself time to get started and your garden will appreciate the extra nutrients.
2. Review Composting Material
Some things compost well and others don’t. Combining the wrong things into your bin will ruin the nutrient profile. You can always add coffee grounds, vegetable peels and fruit rinds, but avoid adding harmful things to your compost like:
- Bread
- Cooking oil
- Meat scraps
Research how your waste will break down to best determine what will help your plants.
3. Give Your Garden Tea
Expert gardeners who want to get more involved with their plant care can make home-brewed compost tea. You’ll have to extract and grow nutrients from natural sources in a bucket with molasses. The specific fungi and bacteria aid root and vegetable growth better than general compost material.
4. Reduce Your Food Waste
Throwing out food fills up landfills and adds to local pollution. The average American wastes 1.2 pounds of food every day, which could power your compost bin and give back to the planet. You’re helping the environment by collecting scraps and skipping the store-bought fertilizer.
5. Make Two Batches
Smaller compost bins break down nutrients faster. Use one small bin for collecting waste and the other for mixing what decays to keep things moving. Movement is key to a successful compost bin.
6. Balance Your Colors
Composters refer to nitrogen and carbon as green and brown. You have to balance the two elements to promote microbial growth. They provide energy and food for decomposition, so never add too much of either or you’ll throw your compost bin off schedule.
7. Watch for Pests
A bin full of food scraps will attract pests. Watch for rats, raccoons and other kinds of vermin that might try to get in your house for seconds. Locking your bin and keeping it off the ground are two easy ways to mitigate pests before they ever discover your compost.
8. Practice Sanitation Efforts
Compost breeds bacteria, so anyone who comes into contact with it must practice sanitation efforts. Use gloves when interacting with the compost and wash your hands right after. You wouldn’t want to get sick or unknowingly carry germs inside.
9. Sniff Out Bad Batches
Even though your compost bin holds decaying waste, it shouldn’t have a powerful odor. There are five reasons why compost begins to smell bad, which include issues like:
- Damp materials
- Compacted or settled waste
- Too much green (nitrous) material
Sometimes you might have to start over or implement a quick fix. It all depends on the source of the problem, so read about possible influencing factors to find the right solution.
10. Turn Compost Often
Turning your compost every four to five weeks might not be often enough. When the decaying materials settle and compact into a solid pile, they won’t get oxygen to break down. Rotate your bin every two weeks to generate the most bacterial activity.
Get Started Composting Today
These are the top 10 things to know about compost for your garden, so you’re ready to get started today. People who are new to gardening or have years of experience can use these tips to grow healthier, stronger plants with natural fertilizer made right at home.
Bio:
Jane is an environmental writer and the founder and editor-in-chief of Environment.co where she covers sustainability and eco-friendly living.