Composting has become an accessible—and dare we say, fun—way to work towards the betterment of your community and the planet as a whole. Whether you’re a homeowner or renting an apartment building with no backyard to speak of, composting has become accessible. The market is awash with products making it easy to start your composting journey, from biodegradable trash bags to compact compost bins, but it can still be a daunting task to take on. That’s why we’ve put together this simple and easy beginner’s guide to composting. Now let’s dig into that sweet, sweet stench of earthy nutrients!
What is composting?
The term “compost” refers to organic matter that you can add to soil to help plants grow, made from natural materials like food scraps, leaves, and yard trimmings that decompose and nourish the ground.
Composting at home can help reduce the amount of waste that ends up in a landfill, and even acts as a low-budget soil enrichment for your garden, eliminating the need for synthetic and toxic fertilizers.
What can you compost?
What exactly can go in your composter, whether it's a fancy compact one or a homemade DIY version.
- Fruit and vegetable peels and scraps
- Rotten fruit and veggies
- Houseplant trimmings
- Coffee grounds and paper filters
- Tea leaves
- Eggshells
- Nutshells (excluding walnuts)
- Hair and fur
- Paper, cardboard, and shredded newspaper
- Paper napkins, paper towels, and unused toilet paper
- Grass clippings
- Leaves
- Flowers
- Sawdust
- Wood chips
Identifying what you can't compost is equally important, as this has a big impact on the surrounding soil it’s deposited into. Many of the things on this no-fly list have hidden plastics in them, harmful bacteria, or toxins.
- Pet waste, such as feces or litter
- Leaves or twigs from black walnut trees
- Walnuts
- Coal ash or charcoal
- Large pieces of wood
- Pesticide-treated lawn trimmings
- Coffee pods
- Plants that are diseased or infested with insects
Composting at home
Now that you’re armed with knowledge, it’s time to start that compost pile! Your pile should have good drainage, be removed from wildlife, and be easily accessible. You’ll want to keep it around 3 feet by 3 feet, make sure it retains heat and moisture, and alternate layers of green and brown materials. Green materials refers to items like food and yard scraps, while brown materials are things rich in carbon, like branches, paper, straw, and wood chips.
You’ll also want to turn the pile every week or so to make sure the moisture, heat, and layers are evenly distributed. A compost tumbler is a great option here, as they are designed to make it easier to rotate and mix the compost materials.
If you’re venturing out on this journey sans yard, worry not, there are plenty of options available. There are plenty of apartment-friendly composting bins that fit snugly under your skin, or even in the fridge, like the Lomi composter.
Once you’ve accumulated ample food scraps in your composter bin, you can drop them off at a local composting center, donate them to local farms or community gardens, or even use them in your own garden. Some cities even have composting programs where you can leave your bin curbside to be collected, just like the local trash or recycling.
Not mulch to it
Simple and effective is the name of the game when it comes to composting, whether you’re piling up outside or condensing under the kitchen sink. Composting allows you to reduce your waste and feed your garden nontoxic nourishment, all while feeling good about your impact on the environment!
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