Composting is the best way to add nutrients to your garden soil. Using things that you would otherwise toss into the trash, you can create a wonderful product to put around your plants and vegetables that will increase their health and growing power. Contrary to what rumors you might hear, composting done properly will not smell, does not take a great deal of effort, and is well worth the resulting soil.
What Not to Compost
A good rule of thumb is “when in doubt, keep it out.” Chemically treated wood is a big no-no for composting; sawdust can make a great dry addition to your pile, but if you aren’t sure of where the sawdust came from, don’t use it. Chemicals from wood treatment will ruin your compost. Meat, bones, and animal fats may attract pests, which creates a whole new problem. Animal waste also creates a horrible odor and breaks down very, very slowly. If you use inorganic herbicides or fertilizer then you definitely should not put grass clippings or dried plant materials in your composter.
Safe Materials for Your Composter
Carrot peels, egg shells, browned apple slices, and produce that has wilted are all wonderful additions for your composter. Dried leaves, organic cotton fabric, coffee grounds (read below!), and other fruit and vegetable refuse can all be put to good use. DIY Life has a list of 163 creative items that can be used in compost.
Starbucks Grounds for Your Garden
Coffee grounds are a perfect addition for any compost pile. Starbucks began packaging up their used coffee grounds from in-store use so that their customers would be able to take them home for their gardens. The Grounds for Your Garden program is an excellent use of resources that would otherwise wind up in the trash. The grounds can be picked up at most Starbucks locations as they become available (which depends on how many gardeners in-the-know live in the area). Learn more about the program and how to use coffee grounds in your garden at www.starbucks.com/aboutus/compost.asp.
How To Build or Buy a Composter
The composters our parents used were mostly large, obtrusive things that looked unsightly and were difficult to move and manage. Thankfully, due to a bit of creativity and progress, today’s composters can be discreet and easy to manage—you can purchase composters and composting supplies from online retailers such as Living Direct or build your own with online instructions from websites such as www.howtocompost.org.
Organic Fertilizing
In order to use your precious grass clippings and dried plant matter in your composting, you’ve got to go organic with your fertilizing. There are numerous benefits to using organic fertilizers; they work just as well (if not better than) those that contain harmful chemicals and they are safe for children and pets to be around. You can purchase organic fertilizers from local retailers like Southern Homes and Gardens, with locations in Montgomery and Wetumpka, Alabama. Visit their website to see a wide variety of organic fertilizer options for plants and lawns.
If you have a landscape team responsible for fertilizing your yard, ask them about what kinds of products they use and suggest making a switch to organic if they aren’t already using such products.
