| Composting is the process of decomposing plant | | | | dead plant material such as straw, dead weeds |
| material for later use to enrich garden soil, lawn or | | | | (avoid weeds that have gone to seed), leaves, |
| houseplants. Composting is a great way to recycle | | | | shredded cardboard or newspaper, wood ashes, |
| yard and kitchen waste, which makes up a large | | | | wood chips and sawdust (no chemically treated |
| portion of our nation's total waste. Get involved at | | | | wood). These also help with aeration and are the |
| home or the office and alleviate a part of | | | | source of energy for the microbes in the pile. |
| unnecessary waste sent to landfills. | | | | "Greens" consist of mostly fresh plant material; |
| There are many ways to contain a working | | | | weeds (no pernicious weeds, those sprout from |
| compost pile. Some choose to have a binless | | | | roots - if unsure allow them to completely dry |
| space directly on the ground while others build a | | | | out before adding to the pile), fruit and vegetable |
| homemade bin constructed of recycled pallets or | | | | scraps, green leaves, coffee grounds, tealeaves, |
| plywood and 2 x 4's. Another option is to | | | | and eggshells. A good mix of the two creates the |
| purchase a manufactured composter that comes | | | | best environment. |
| in a variety of shapes and sizes. It is important to | | | | Composting will improve soil more so than a |
| provide the proper environment for the billions of | | | | synthetic fertilizer. The organic matter is |
| microbes that digest the waste. These fungi and | | | | nutrient-rich and improves drainage for healthier |
| bacteria need air, food and water just as we do. | | | | plants. The finished product should be dark brown |
| Keeping a compost pile maintained will turn waste | | | | and smell very earthy similar to that of soil. |
| into compost much quicker. Select a location in | | | | Composting will not only help save a portion of |
| the sun and quicker decomposition will result but if | | | | the landfills from unnecessary lawn and kitchen |
| there is not an appropriate sunny spot do not be | | | | waste but also save money by not purchasing |
| discouraged the process will still take place in the | | | | fertilizers for the landscape or compost for a |
| shade just at a slower pace. | | | | vegetable garden. Save on the costs of garbage |
| Air increases the rate of decomposition. If there | | | | waste if there are city restrictions or the need |
| is no air, the pile will become unable to breakdown | | | | for garbage stickers. When composting in |
| resulting in a putrid garbage odor. Simply keep it | | | | conjunction with recycling, the amount of waste |
| circulated by turning and breaking up the pile. | | | | produced will be far less and the difference will be |
| Water is necessary for the microbial life as well. | | | | very gratifying. |
| Maintain a moist environment, but not too wet | | | | *Things to avoid in compost pile: charcoal ashes, |
| otherwise the process will slow down similar to | | | | paper with colored ink, diseased plants, inorganic |
| improper circulation. Lastly, the food referred to | | | | material (foil, metal, plastic or glass), meat, bones, |
| as the "browns" and "greens" is the final | | | | dairy, pet dropping or chemicals. |
| component of composting. "Browns" are dry, | | | | |