Have you checked your trash recently? We started noticing how much ours grew when Obi-1 was born. We already recycled nearly everything we could, which is really normal for households in northwest cities. Thus, cloth diapers became a normal part of raising Kenobi babies. :) We also began separating “compost-able” items from the trash, and it’s pretty amazing how much we saved by cutting these scraps out. We ended up putting most compost-able things with our yard waste (which is allowed here).
Last year, we started a compost bin. Composting basically combines food scraps together (like veggie trimmings, fruit peels, egg shells, etc. with yard debris) in a sheltered, decomposing pile. The result is rich mulch. Composting is easy to start and maintain, and a surprisingly clean process. As with recycling, it’s surprising how much you save when your weekly trash collection is reduced! In a typical week, we fill our 2-gallon kitchen bin a couple times. As we get better and our summer gardens and yard need attention, that pace will increase.
Determined to get back into good habits and stop paying for bags of mulch, I found the city-promoted composting program. It was fairly inexpensive to purchase a large, locking bin for composting. We also got a smaller container that easily accommodates plate- and cutting-board scraping in the kitchen. Kept in proper containers, the compost process is free of the pests or smells. With a few minutes a week, you can manage it well and produce great organic compost to use or share!
Here, for our mutual reference (as I’m sure to lose our handy brochure!), are general things to know about composting.
1. GREEN = fruit & veggie scraps, coffee grounds, tea bags, fresh grass clippings, and fresh plant & flower clippings (items rich in nitrogen)
2. BROWN = dried grass or plant clippings, fallen leaves, drier lint, straw, old potting soil, used paper towels, and shredded newspaper (carbon-rich items)
3. Combine items in a 1:1 to 1:2 ratio of Green : Brown items. Every time you add something, mix thoroughly with a spade, garden claw, or the little “mixing” gadget designed for your bin. It doesn’t take a lot of effort; just turn it over so the mixture stays combined.
4. The mixture should be damp throughout (like a “wrung out sponge”). If it seems too wet, add some brown items. If it seems too dry, add green items and/or wet it down with some water (rain water is great for this task). If you maintain a good ratio and moisture level, it will not get stinky.
5. Don’t use meat or dairy scraps in your bin, as they can attract rodents. (yuck)
6. Don’t put weeds or diseased plants in, as they could spread problems later.
7. Contact the department or company that handles your trash and recycling to see if they sell compost bins. Or, check craigslist.com for your area. Home stores & garden centers carry bins, too.
8. If you have a floor/bottom on your bin, it should be porous so worms can get in. Worms help compost; you can even purchase them if you want their aid. A lid that locks in place will keep unwanted pests out.
9. Keep a container for easily clearing cutting boards, plates, and leftovers. We got a specific kitchen bin because it seals (to keep out fruit flies) and stores easily. We’ve used old milk cartons or coffee cans in the past. Line your bin with a piece of newspaper or used paper towel to soak up liquids. Empty and rinse it out frequently.
10. It will take a few months to get rich, usable compost. If you keep adding and mixing, you’ll have a constant supply whenever you need it. The process will slow down in winter, and pick back up when temperatures rise. Continue to add compost materials and mix throughout all seasons. I recently mixed a wheelbarrow full into a flower garden space.
11. Have a ready supply of brown items when you add your kitchen scraps. A bucket of leaves or dry grass clippings is easy to keep nearby as you toss out your kitchen pail.
12. Chop up items into small pieces, so they’ll decompose quicker.
13. Make a safe liquid fertilizer with finished compost: mix several handfuls of compost with a gallon of water. Let it sit a few hours, and then stir it well. The result is an organic “compost tea” that can be applied to the soil to add nutrients.
6. Don’t put weeds or diseased plants in, as they could spread problems later.
7. Contact the department or company that handles your trash and recycling to see if they sell compost bins. Or, check craigslist.com for your area. Home stores & garden centers carry bins, too.
8. If you have a floor/bottom on your bin, it should be porous so worms can get in. Worms help compost; you can even purchase them if you want their aid. A lid that locks in place will keep unwanted pests out.
9. Keep a container for easily clearing cutting boards, plates, and leftovers. We got a specific kitchen bin because it seals (to keep out fruit flies) and stores easily. We’ve used old milk cartons or coffee cans in the past. Line your bin with a piece of newspaper or used paper towel to soak up liquids. Empty and rinse it out frequently.
10. It will take a few months to get rich, usable compost. If you keep adding and mixing, you’ll have a constant supply whenever you need it. The process will slow down in winter, and pick back up when temperatures rise. Continue to add compost materials and mix throughout all seasons. I recently mixed a wheelbarrow full into a flower garden space.
11. Have a ready supply of brown items when you add your kitchen scraps. A bucket of leaves or dry grass clippings is easy to keep nearby as you toss out your kitchen pail.
12. Chop up items into small pieces, so they’ll decompose quicker.
13. Make a safe liquid fertilizer with finished compost: mix several handfuls of compost with a gallon of water. Let it sit a few hours, and then stir it well. The result is an organic “compost tea” that can be applied to the soil to add nutrients.
Oh - and of course, check out the other fun & sometimes useful lists this Thursday!
