Start Composting from Home

Landfills are not designed to help food waste decompose, thus wasted food in landfills rots and produces methane gas which is bad for the environment. Composting, however, lets the nutrients in the food return to the soil to help you bring your garden back to life. 

Compost is the most important supplement for your garden, enabling you to add nutrient-rich humus to your plants to fuel growth and support health. The best thing about composting is that it is easy, good for the environment and 100% free. Learn how to start composting at home with this simple guide.

• Start your compost pile

The first step of starting your compost pile would be to look for the right location. It's important to choose an open, level area that has good drainage. Your compost pile should be in an area with partial sun or shade as it's important to not let your compost pile get too wet or dry. While it is better to place the compost on soil, so you can benefit from organisms such as worms to aerate your pile, if you are composting in a bin or on concrete be sure to add soil to the compost. 

• Start your layers 

When starting to add to your compost pile, first add a layer of straw or twigs a few inches deep to aid in drainage and aeration. Once this is done you can begin adding compost materials in layers, altering between moist and dry (green or brown). Moist ingredients or in the composting world “green” ingredients would include food scraps, tea bags, coffee grounds, and seaweed. While dry ingredients or “brown” ingredients would include straw, leaves, sawdust, or cardboard such as egg boxes. 

• Add manure

By incorporating manure into your compost pile you can easily replenish the organic content and aid in creating humus. Green manure such as clover, wheatgrass, or grass clippings can also be added to add additional nitrogen. These components increase biodiversity and add structure to your compost pile. 

• Keep your pile moist and covered

While your compost pile should be moist, it shouldn't be soggy. While most of your water will come from the rain, you may also need to water the pile yourself. Covering your pile is essential to keep your pile moist, cover your pile with anything you have including wood, plastic sheeting, or carpet scraps.

• Turn it over

Make sure to aerate your compost pile by turning it with a pitchfork or shovel - this helps add oxygen which is required for the decomposition process. 

Learn all the best tips and tricks as well as explore the latest sustainable products on the market to help make your garden greener at The Sustainability Show!