10 Composting Tips

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Who Should Compost

In this day and age, everyone who produces waste(and we all do) should be composting. There is no excuse.

Composting isn't just about making a pretty nutrient rich soil for your garden. It's about reducing the waste in our landfills (it doesn't break down there).

The average user, if diligent, can save at least 10 pounds of waste a week from going to a landfill.

This lens provides 10 composting tips to help you along as well as pointing you in the direction of some extraordinary composting lenses.

The Tips 

Keep it simple..

There are so many things you can do to make your compost experience better for you and your family as well as produce a luscious end result.

Here are ten important tips every composter should institute. In no particular order:

1. Aerate. Your compost needs oxygen if it is going to break down the materials you add. If it's a tumbler, turn it. If it's static then get a stick/pole/shovel and get in there and move it around.

2. Save the worms. If you find a worm while you're gardening carefully relocate it to your compost bin. And it will happily work on breaking down your wastes. The more help you have the better!

3. Go Big. Container wise that is. Bigger is better when composting but smaller is better than nothing at all.

4. Get cracking! Rinse and break up your egg shells before adding them to your compost pile. This gives them a head start and you will be less likely to find undigested shell later when you go to use your compost.

5. Add fluid to your compost. You don't want it too wet but you don't want it too dry either. Water-downed leftover fruit juices are a great treat for your compost instead of pouring them down the drain.

6. Sunshine is best! Composters work quicker in sunny locations but if you have to, partial sun will work too (it'll just take longer).

7. Cover it up. Keep a clear bag of leaves next to the composter so you always have brown material to cover new waste additions. This will also help keep the fly population down in the summer.

8. Double duty. If you have the room, two composters are better than one. While you are busy filling one composter the second one can be busy working in the sun. When it's time to empty one they can switch positions and start all over again.

9. Cupboard list. Keep a list posted on the inside of one of your cupboard doors so you can see at a glance what can and cannot be composted so there is no confusion (see handy .pdf below).

10. Kitchen Aid. You're more likely to compost if you don't have to run out to the composter a few times a day. Keep a lidded container in your kitchen for convenience and empty a few times a week.

What Goes In 

To later come out as beautiful...

Here is a .pdf file you can print off and post on the inside of one of your kitchen cupboards for an easy at a glance look at what can go into the compost and what can not.

What to Compost Poster

Happy Composting!

My Favorite Composters 

There are simple ones and there are intricate ones. And expensive isn't always the way to go. If you're just starting out keep it simple (even small) and grow from there.

Be sure to check with your local waste management facility for inexpensive composting containers.
Urban Compost Tumbler Uct-7

Urban Compost Tumbler Uct-7

Amazon Price: $229.95 (as of 12/05/2009) Buy Now

You Grow Girl 

From a crafty lady...

This is one of my favorite gardening sites and books. It was started by green gyrl Gayla Trail a writer, photographer, graphic designer and all around diva with a penchant for cultivating gardens of love.

In 2005 she published the book You Grow Girl: The Groundbreaking Guide to Gardening and it is still going strong, along with the online community of growing chics.

Here are the latest topics of discussion:

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It All Starts in the Kitchen 

Making it easier...

One of the best items to ever improve my dedication to composting was getting a kitchen waste collector. This way I wasn't having to run out to the composter every time I was working in the kitchen.

They are becoming more and more decorative to suit decor but they are small enough to be tucked under the counter. I keep my at the end of the counter by the back door for convenience. If someone is going out they can't miss it.

I found our plastic one in the garbage can section of the local hardware store (the same one the local waste management carried).
Replacement Filters for the Norpro Kitchen Compost Crock (set of 6)

Replacement Filters for the Norpro Kitchen Compost Crock (set of 6)

Amazon Price: $10.00 (as of 12/05/2009) Buy Now

Kitchen Composter Hinged Top Filtered

Kitchen Composter Hinged Top Filtered

Amazon Price: (as of 12/05/2009) Buy Now

The Way of the Future 

The future is now...

Here's a cute video that alternates between sock puppets teaching and interviews on composting and recycling.

curated content from YouTube

Compost 

The Natural Way...

This is one of my favorite books. It is the size of a notebook, full of lots of pictures, big print and understandable concepts; making it a great starter and reference book.
Compost: The natural way to make food for your garden

Compost: The natural way to make food for your garden

by: Kenneth Thompson

Amazon Price: $12.24 (as of 12/05/2009) Buy Now

Do You Compost? 

Share one or two of your composting tips. We would love to hear what works and doesn't work for you.

Happy Composting!


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by BigGirlBlue

I have been composting since we moved into our house ten years ago. It came with a composter!

I've learned a lot since then. You can too. Happy compo... (more)

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