Composting is a form of green living that many green living lifestylists implement into their daily lives. Composting can be done in apartments, townhouses, rental homes, small farms and larger farming areas. But for you to get started on composting there are a few things to know about the composting process and what to expect during the composting process.
Types of Composting
The first thing to composting is that there are several types of composting methods available. This guide will go into detail regarding each type of composting method and what each type consists of. However, initially a person or family need to
composting simply needs to be aware of the types of composting methods available and which method may work for their particular composting needs.
Composting Reduces Waste
One of the benefits of composting is the reduction of waste. Composting is put into practice by individuals who are trying to reduce waste in their home. The composting methods generally utilize kitchen scraps that would normally be thrown away, because bugs or odors in trash receptacles are in the home. By repurposing the waste from kitchen scraps and other items to a composting pile, you can help reduce waste in landfills and create a rich organic composition of soil for gardening purposes.
Enriching Gardening
Composting is a way to enrich gardening techniques and to create a more suitable garden for those individuals creating a patio garden, container garden or a mini farm environment. By utilizing kitchen scraps, food
scraps and other items you can create a richer soil for gardening that will produce higher levels of plants and will give proper mineral enrichment to plants without using chemical fertilizers or other chemical and non-organic gardening supplies.
Ease of Production
This guide will discuss the benefits of composting and one of those benefits is the ease of production. One thing to know about composting before you get started is the ease of production in the composting process. This ease of production gives great benefits to the composting process as an option for many green lifestylers and those who are trying to live a green lifestyle. This guide is designed to be a quick reference guide for individuals who are considering the possibilities of composting, want to learn the types of composting methods available and one for how to make their own composting creator and compost bins. This guide will go into detail about each one of these aspects of composting.
Benefits of Composting
There are several benefits of composting. These benefits appeal to green lifestylers, gardeners, individuals who want to create a more organic farm in a mini farm environment and to individuals who may want to create an ongoing science project in environmental sciences for the classroom or for their homeschool. The following are a few of the benefits of composting that attract individuals to the concept and attract them to begin their own composting endeavors at home.
Environmental Benefits
There are several environmental benefits to composting. These benefits are just
few of the reasons that green lifestylers are attracted to the composting option. One of the first environmental benefits offered from composting is the benefit of reduction of waste. When an individual does not compost and has kitchen scrap waste including banana peels, coffee grounds and eggshells they may put these items into a garbage disposal or they may throw them into the trash. If these items go into the trash they are exposed to landfills and can cause bugs and other issues. If they are placed into a garbage disposal they can cause issues with the septic tank system or in the city septic system. The environmental benefit of composting is that these items are utilized back into the earth to create a nonchemical soil with out the use of harsh chemical fertilizers that may contain genetically modified ingredients.
Gardening Benefits
If you are a sustainable living or self-reliant gardener and have a patio garden, container garden or if you have a mini farm then the benefits of creating compost are far-reaching. Individuals who choose to use composting methods in order to help their gardening and many farming can avoid the use of chemical fertilizers and soils that may cause conflicting issues with organic farming. For example, there is a huge increase of green lifestylers and organic gardeners concerned about the levels of genetically modified chemicals in their plant soil, plant
food and other plant related items. Without the use of organic composting
soil a gardener may have to use an over-the-counter or store-bought gardening item which may or may not contain a genetically modified ingredient. The risk of this is too great for many individuals trying to create an organic farm or organic produce on their own. Therefore the benefits of composting far outweigh the benefits of standard gardening.
Health Benefits
There are some health benefits to composting. It should be noted that these benefits have been questioned in the past,
however they have not been refuted in scientific journals. The health benefits of composting are directly connected to the compost ability to be completely organic. If you are only using items such as kitchen scraps,
newspaper and soil with other composting techniques then you can avoid the use of genetically modified chemicals which
will in turn avoid the use of genetically modified chemicals seeping into your plants and produce which may end up in your body or bloodstream. This has increased health benefit for those individuals who are concerned about genetically modified and nonorganic foods.
Types of Composting Methods
There are several types of composting methods available that should be considered by anyone looking into composting as an option. This portion of the composting guide will go over, in detail, the types of composting methods and what each method does. This is meant to give you a quick overview of the type of composting methods that you can choose the type that best works for your situation.
On-site or Outdoor Composting
The most common type of composting method is
the on-site or outdoor composting. This is the most common that you will see used in homes and in backyards throughout the country. An on-site or backyard composting method utilizes either a composting crock or composting tumbler or a combination of composting crocks in the kitchen. There have been some advances in composting recently that have brought about automatic composters that can fit into the kitchen like any other appliance. When considering an outdoor composting bin, consider the grass clippings can also go into the compost then. In
fact many individuals with half an acre or more of land tend to use an outdoor composting method with a large enough composting bin that will allow for grass clippings, leaves, garden debris as well as kitchen scraps that are most commonly used in composting. A larger composting bin can be created fairly easily and will be discussed later in this guide under the do it yourself compost bin ideas. If you are using an on-site or outdoor composting bin you will want to also utilize a small kitchen crock to hold small amounts of kitchen scraps from the day or from the week that can be put into a larger composting bin.
Vermicomposting
Vermicomposting is a composting method that utilizes worms as a method of aerating a composting bin. Most composting bins can be sifted with a shovel or turned with a crank device,
however some bins may be too large to put on a turning device or have too much composting material to sift through easily with a shovel or a rake. In these
cases Vermicomposting is an option. The vermicomposting option simply uses a specific kind of worm with the most common worms being red worms which can be purchased in an organic store if necessary. These specialty bins are easy to construct and can be adapted depending on the amount of aeration needed and the type of compost being created. There are several considerations regarding this type of composting. Whereas other
composting options can be used throughout the year, a vermicomposting option will work with special considerations for colder climates due to the sensitivity of the worms being used. In hot
climates the bin should be placed in the shade and cold climates the bench to be placed under outdoor heating lamps if possible.
Aeration
Aeration is a common method of composting that is utilized with basic outdoor on-site composting bins. The basics of aeration are turning the compost bins so that the materials inside the bin spread out evenly and do not create a layer that would cause mold or some other issue. Aeration can be done through placing the bin on a turn crank or through other methods such as shovel and hand turning.
Tips on Composting
Depending on the type of composting method that you use, there are several tips that can be useful to individuals who are just starting out in composting and gardening or who have a larger organic garden in mind. The following are a few tips that can help with the basics of composting and with moving into larger organic gardening compost projects.
Temperature Considerations
Temperature consideration should always be taken into account when you start a composting project. Depending on where you are in
United States a compost pile may be subject to harsh summer weather or harsh winter weather. You will need to take this into account when you decide what type of composting method you will use and how you will aerate the compost pile. For example, if you choose to use a vermicomposting method then you will need to make sure that that method will work during high cold and intense cold weather conditions. The compost bin may need to be moved or it may need to have special heat lighting around the compost bin in order to keep the compost from freezing and the worms from dying. However, if you choose to have a compost bin in areas such as Florida or Alabama where the hot weather conditions are worse than you will want to consider how often you are turning your compost and what you are placing into your compost pile. You'll want to make sure that any item placed in the compost pile is mixed thoroughly with the compost in order to cut down on odor and bugs.
Project Scope
The scope of your composting project is also important to consider. A tip for individuals who are just getting into composting is to keep it small. Start off with a kitchen crock used for composting and a small composting bin. If you're unsure of where to purchase a bin and want to make your own bin and then you can refer to the do it yourself composting bin section of this guide for more information. A kitchen crock and small compost bin is a great way to get started and allow you to see if composting works well for your family or for your own personal needs. If
however you are considering larger projects such as a mini farm, then you will want to make sure that you have the room for the compost bin along with the mini farm. The compost bin will need to be built and placed in an area that is near the gardening but also allows for full mobility to add to the compost bin and turn the compost bin. You may also want to consider what type of plants you will be using the compost on.
How to Make Compost
Making compost is an easy endeavor that can be complicated quickly with misleading information. There is a certain weight you can use to create or to make compost and start
compost pile. If you use these methods will be able to create a usable compost pile that is easy to maintain and easy to aerate. The following is a simple how to make compost guide for individuals who are unsure of how to get started with the actual compost itself.
Garden Soil Base
A garden soil base is a good place to start off with your compost. You want
choosing organic garden soil that will cover at least 1 inch of the bottom of your compost bin. This garden foundation should be organic, free of any kind of genetically modified chemicals and fertilizers. If you are uncertain of the garden soil that you are purchasing you can also start off with a compost starter base is usually sold by other individuals who are composting. You may also be able to purchase a compost starter soil through a farmers market.
Materials
Make sure that you have a list of the kinds of materials that you can use for your compost pile. For
example there are some items that you will not want to use but some items that will greatly increase the amount of nitrogen and carbon in the soil itself. Table scraps, fruit and vegetable scraps, eggshells, leaves, grass clippings, shrub printings, pine needles, wood ashes, flower clippings, tea leaves, coffee grounds and shredded newspaper are all wonderful items to add
into your compost pile. Other items include
drier lint, magazine
shreddings and cardboard. When you are placing these items into the compost bin make sure that you are turning the bin to incorporate the items into the soil that is already in place. You may want to place newspaper shreddings over the newly added compost or newly turned compost to give an extra layer of composting benefits.
Maintaining the Compost
Maintaining the compost once it is started is a key element in making compost. There are several easy steps in the process of maintaining your compost pile. The first step is to layer your compost materials each time you place them into the compost pile. Add some form of
nitrogen source such as manure or green manure which comes from things like wheatgrass. Keep your compost moist. If it is not located in an area where it can get rain then add water occasionally. Once per week is usually fine. Make sure that the compost pile is covered. This will keep the moisture in and retain heat which will allow the compost to create and process the materials. Turn your compost every few weeks to make sure that it is staying aerated and that you are adding oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon to the compost.
DIY Compost Bin Ideas
There are several ways you can create compost bins. You can purchase compost bins however these compost bins can be expensive. There are some individuals who are strapped for time you may need to purchase one.
However if you are want to create compost then here are a few ideas that can help you create the one for your needs.
Starter Compost Bin
A starter compost bin is one of the best ways for individuals new to composting to get started. A starter compost bin simply uses a small or medium storage container. The storage containers need to be made of durable plastic such as a Rubbermaid storage container. To create a starter compost bin out of the container you will need to drill holes along the top of the container. Do not drill holes in the lid. Drill holes evenly around the top lip of the container to allow some air to enter into the area. You will then want to layer your compost with any type of base soil and composting material that you have. Place the lid on top and place the bin outside in the sun or in an area where the bin will get
sun on a normal basis. Follow the steps for maintaining a compost bin in order to make sure that you create the compost that you need.
Crank Style Compost Bins
A crank style compost bin is a step up from the starter compost and if you decide you want to use compost for gardening projects or small patio garden projects then a crank style compost bin may be
the perfect choice. A crank style compost bin will use a crank stand and a compost drum or water barrel. You can purchase these items at any hardware store or home improvement store. Gardening stores may also have these items in kits and they can be built fairly easily and fairly inexpensively. The concept behind these is that when the compost needs to be turned you can simply turn the crank which will turn the barrel and aerate the compost.
Wooden Composting Bins
If your project requires more compost than a patio or container garden or if you are planning on a mini farm, then wooden composting bins are the best option. These composting bins can be built to your specifications and are built directly on the ground. The ground is your bottom area with pine needles or grass clippings covering the bottom layer and the rest of the layers placed on top. This type of compost pile will need to be aerated with either a shovel or a rake of some kind on a regular basis. Wooden composting bins are easy to maintain however they will need to be maintained on a more regular basis than a crank style or a starter compost pile would need to be. You can also use a kitchen crock or small starter compost pile in conjunction with the wooden composting bins. This would mean that you would be transferring the kitchen compost into a starter compost bin and the starter compost into a larger wooden composting bin.