What is composting?
Composting is a natural process of recycling that turns organic material into a dark rich substance. This substance, called compost or humus, is a wonderful conditioner for your soil.
Why you need composting?
- Healthier Plants: Organic matter is known as the “soul of a healthy soil.” Adding compost to your yard or garden will help your plants grow bigger and better. The organic matter in compost helps soil hold on to nutrients and water, benefiting your plants while reducing the risk of pollution.
- Composting Saves You Money: Using compost as a soil conditioner or mulch reduces your need to purchase these lawn and garden products. Composting in your backyard may reduce your trash removal costs. Many sanitation companies charge customers by the bag. Your compost bin could decrease the number of bags your household generates.
- Composting is practical and convenient: No need to bother bagging leaves and other garden/yard wastes. Simply add them to your backyard pile or bin and watch these items turn into rich dark humus.
Composting is a good alternative to landfilling or incinerating convenient: Our yard and garden wastes account for almost 20% of the total amount of trash thrown away each year. Your choice to compost reduces the need to burn or bury organic material and increases the quality of our precious topsoil.
Graph from EPA: United States Environmental Protection Agency
What goes in your compost pile?
Green (high in nitrogen):
- Grass clippings
- Fruits and vegetables
- Houseplants
- Manure: e.g., cow, horse, pig, chicken or rabbit
- Kitchen scraps: e.g., stale, bread, egg shells, coffee grounds (filters too), tea bags, citrus rinds fruit and vegetable peels
Browns (high in carbon):
- Leaves
- Bark
- Straw
- Woodchips
- Sawdust
- Newspapers (shredded)
- Brush (chopped)
- Corn stalks
DO NOT USE:
- Bones
- Dog/cat feces
- Oil
- Grease
- Fat
- Wood ash
- Meat/fish scraps
- Dairy products
- Weed seeds
- Diseased plants
How to compost – Standard method:
The standard method is recommended if you have a variety of organic materials such as leaves, grass clippings, kitchen scraps and yard/garden waste. You will spend time building and mixing the pile each week. A small area will be needed for the compost pile and the temporary storage of organic materials. This method produces compost in six to eight weeks in spring and summer; longer if done in fall and winter.
Follow these steps:
You can also learn how to compost through this video;
Written by: Ayaka Hatta
The Heart of Reno's Roots 