We've been composting for so long, I just assumed I had a lengthy post including all the details of how we do it, but Nate just pointed out that the blog is missing this key aspect of our green life. My very first real post mentions that we compost, but that's it. So here's how it works.
All of our food scraps (fruits, veggies, egg shells, coffee grounds) go in a little compost bin under our sink. We were using a small garbage can with no lid, but as we got lazier about taking it out, it got stinkier, and we got fruit flies, so I invested in a bin with a lid and filter. We haven't had any problems with it since. Once every week or two, we take the kitchen bin out and dump it in our outdoor compost bin. We also throw our yard waste in the big bin outside. If it gets stinky (which happens once a year when everything thaws in the spring) I throw in some paper or cardboard to get rid of the wet.
When I get the time (which happened once this spring before I planted the vegetable garden) I scoop out some of the rich black compost from the bottom of the bin and spread it over all the gardens.
That's it! It's that simple.
That's it! It's that simple.
There are too many benefits of composting to count, but here are two of my favorites:
- Our garbage bin is the smallest option Veolia provides, and we could go smaller. (Although we probably could use a bigger recycling bin). This also means our garbage cost is the cheapest it can be.
- If I had time to garden more effectively, my gardens would look amazing because of the wonderful food compost is for plants.
A friend of mine composts banana peels, coffee grounds and egg shells. She keeps it simple, and these three items are garden's favorites! Maybe this is a place for you to start too!
