What is composting?
Composting is the technique of breaking down organic matter, such as food scraps and yard waste, into a nutrient-rich soil amendment. The final output, widely known as compost, can be used to easily increase the quality of your garden soil. Composting is a good means to reduce waste, save money on fertilizer, and help the environment.
What can be composted?
Just about any organic material can be composted, nonetheless, some items break down rapidly more than others. Food scraps like fruits and vegetables, coffee grounds, and eggshells are all perfect candidates for composting. Yard waste, by way of illustration, leaves, grass clippings, and twigs can indeed be composted.
How to start composting
If you’re keen to start composting, here are the steps you can take:
- Find an area for your compost bin. This can be a favorite spot for your container if you have a small balcony or patio. Just guarantee it’s in a sunny location so the ingredients will break down excellently.
- Choose the correct type of bin. There are many different compost bins available, so research to seek out the one that best suits your needs. A wide range of containers are aimed for indoor use, even while others are ideal for outdoor spaces.
- Gather your compostable materials. Nearly all kitchen scraps can be composted, including fruit and vegetable peels, coffee grounds, and eggshells. You can, on top of everything else, add yard waste, for instance, leaves and grass clippings to your bin.
- Add water to the bin according to need. The ingredients in your bin need to be moist to break down completely, so see to it to add water if the bin starts to look dry.
- Turn the contents of the bin often as you can. This will help oxygenate the materials and hurry up the composting process.
- Once the compost is ready, it should be dark and crumbly. It can then be added to your garden or used as mulch around your plants.
How to use compost
Compost can be used in several ways. Here are some ideas:
- Use it as a soil amendment in a garden or planter. Compost can be mixed into the soil to broaden drainage and aeration. It can indeed help retain moisture and add nutrients to the soil.
- Use it as mulch. Spread a layer of compost around your plants to help restrain weeds and retain moisture.
- Use it as a fertilizer. Compost can be used to fertilize your plants. Thoroughly mix it into the soil around the base of the plant.
- Use it to form a potting mix. Compost can be used with other ingredients, for example, perlite or vermiculite, to devise a potting mix for your indoor plants.
- Use it to make compost tea. This liquid fertilizer can be created by steeping compost in water for several days. It can then be administered to fertilize your plants or to water seedlings.
Composting is an excellent means to lessen your environmental impact and help your garden or houseplants grow and flourish. By applying these light and easy tips, you can immediately compost at home, even if you’re renting.
Are you in the market for a new rental home – potentially one with more outdoor space for composting and taking advantage of your green thumb? If that’s the case, talk to one of our Hillcrest property managers today or view our listings online.