Is composting hard? Here’s how to get started

Composting has a lot of benefits. It keeps food waste out of landfills and serves as a source of nutrients for gardens and other plant life.

Getting started with composting is easier than you might think. You can get started with composting by following these easy steps.

First, you need to decide what kind of container you want to use to compost. If you have the space, you might want to consider using an open backyard compost. This type of compost is either in a large bin or a pile in your yard. Compost piles can work well, but they are messy. A bin is often easier to maintain and looks nicer.

You can find smaller bins to compost on a smaller scale as well. This type of compost does not require any special equipment, but you might want a rotating compost bin to help you move your compost around from time to time.

You could also try vermicomposting. This variety of composting uses worms to help break down the food and other materials in the compost. You can do this type of composting either indoors or outdoors.

Lastly, many areas have compost pickup available. You can simply place your food scraps in your compost bin, and a city or local government service will add them to a large, local compost area.

The most common type of compost is one that is in an open area or bin, so that is the type we will focus on.

Once you have picked out the type of composting you want to do, the next step is to simply start collecting waste. You can compost any food scraps from your kitchen, but you should avoid meats and most bones as they will often attract animals. Scraps that work well include any vegetables, fruit scraps and cores, eggshells, coffee grounds, and tea bags. Leave out dairy products and pet droppings.

Simply add your food scraps to your compost bin as they come up in your kitchen. These food scraps are often referred to as “green material.”

You also need “brown material” for your compost to work properly. Brown material usually comes from your yard. It includes things like leaves, grass clippings, and sticks. Paper and sawdust are considered a brown material.

As a rule, your compost should be about two or three parts of brown material to one part of green material. Having this mixture will help the compost break down faster.

You can also buy compost “starter” from some stores, but it isn’t necessary.

To maintain your compost pile, you should turn it or mix it up from time to time. Moving the compost around once per week is usually enough to maintain the mixture. Some compost piles also need additional water to work properly, depending on the type of green material you are using. If the pile seems dry, adding a little water occasionally can go a long way.

Composting correctly takes a lot of trial and error, but the process isn’t hard! Once you understand how great your garden will look using your compost, you will realize it is worth the effort.