Compost Your Organic Waste

What do coffee grounds, egg shells, carrot tops, leaves and grass clippings all have in common? Give up? They can all be found in my backyard compost pile. That’s right, as in decaying organic matter used to improve soil. How’s that for a definition? (thanks Webster) Composting your organic waste is a great way to deal with your yard debris and kitchen scraps.

It’s that time of year again. We tilled our garden last weekend to prepare for planting. Part of this annual ritual involves turning our compost pile. As you can see from the picture, it’s not elaborate. No fancy compost machine. But it works. We have been composting in that spot since 1994. Basically, we just remove the most recent debris and use a tiller and shovels to dig out that beautiful, black compost. We make a pile in the garden that we will eventually spread around and work into the soil. Our bounty this year, about a cubic yard. Not bad! After removing all the “good” compost, we replace all of the debris that we originally removed and start all over. We will continually add organic material until this time next year.

Break It Down

First of all, we use a bag on our lawnmower. Grass clippings are a premo composting material. Grass is high in nitrogen, a key ingredient in helping to accelerate the organic breakdown. Next, we add leaves, small twigs, etc, from around the yard.

And finally we add kitchen waste, mainly vegetable scraps. I never add meat, bones or grease. These take longer to break down, smell horrible and attract animals. Every few days, we turn the pile with a pitch fork or shovel. This allows oxygen to move around more freely, helping with the breakdown. That’s it! Really. It’s not rocket science. Easy as 1,2,3!

Don’t Have A Backyard?

Fear not. When I first moved away from home, I had a townhouse with a 10 by 10 patio. I took a plastic garbage can and drilled holes around the bottom. I began recycling my kitchen waste. I grew potted tomatoes, green peppers, jalapenos and cucumbers up the fence. Where there’s a will, there’s a way!

So John, Why Do You Go To All That Trouble?

I got the gardening bug from my Mom and Grandfather, both of whom composted. So, I guess in the beginning I did it because my family had always done it. Over the years I have come up with several reasons to compost.

1. We do not use any chemicals or insecticides on our plants. Compost helps to enrich the soil and provide vital nutrients.
2. Home grown, compost fed veggies are incredibly tasty and blow away anything you can buy from the grocery store! Seriously.
3. We want to help reduce the amount of solid waste going into our landfills. According to the EPA, 12.5% of solid waste in the US is generated from food scraps.

It’s A Wrap

Are you ready to start composting? This is something you could literally begin today. And if choosing a spot in your backyard does not appeal or is not feasible, you could always buy a compost bin. These are readily available all over the web and in your local hardware store. So what are you waiting for? The fruits of your labor will be well worth the small effort and sacrifice you will put forth. I promise. Awesome veggies await you!

Already have a compost pile. Do tell! Want to start one, but have a question, please ask. If you would like to learn more about composting why not pick up a copy of Let it Rot!: The Gardener’s Guide to Composting

The EPA website is a great place to learn more about composting. Check it out!

Tagged as: Compost • Food waste • garden • Organic matter