In the United States alone, we throw away more than 25 million tons of food each year. This is more than the entire population of Australia and New Zealand combined! The question is how to make that food go further?
The answer is composting. Composting is the process of breaking down organic material into a nutrient rich soil conditioner. In order for this process to take place, you must have a source of heat, moisture, and oxygen. The most common method of composting is called the bin method. It involves creating an enclosed space where all the necessary elements are present.
There are many different types of bins available on the market today. Some are made from plastic or metal, while others are made from wood. These bins can be purchased as kits or as ready to assemble units. Kits usually contain instructions for building your own bin, while ready to assemble units come with everything you need to get started right away. If you choose to purchase a kit, you will also need to supply the necessary materials such as a shovel, wheelbarrow, garden hose, etc.
When you are finished building your compost bin, you will want to fill it with the proper amount of compostable material. The type of material you use will depend on what you plan to use the compost for. For example, if you plan to plant flowers in your yard, you should use browns (leaves, twigs, straw, sawdust) and greens (grass clippings, shredded paper, etc.). If you plan to grow vegetables, you will want to use a combination of browns and greens. The best way to determine what kind of compostable material you will need is to look at the labels on the products you already have around the house.
Once your bin is filled with compostable material, you need to turn it over every couple of weeks. This will help keep the compost evenly distributed and prevent it from becoming too hot or too cold. You can accomplish this by simply lifting up one side of the bin and flipping it over. Once you have turned your bin, you should add more compostable material and continue turning until you have used up all of your original material.
If you have followed the steps above, you should now have a healthy and productive compost pile. You will notice a big difference in the soil quality of your garden after you have been composting for a few months.
