When I was a child, my family always composted. My parents were both avid gardeners and used compost to recycle and amend the soil of their gardens. R and I also composted once upon a time but fell out of the habit somewhere along the way. A couple of months ago, when we started cooking most meals at home, it didn’t take long to realize how much organic material we were throwing into the trash. I felt like it was the perfect time to get back into composting.
I like the idea of using our waste for something good. We keep a compost bucket on the counter to toss our kitchen scraps into. This bucket is out of stock but I’ve linked lots of options below. Vegetables, fruit, eggshells, coffee, and tea can be composted. They all break down into a nutrient-rich ingredient we will use to feed our garden.
It takes about 4-5 days to fill the counter-top bucket. I was worried that it would smell bad having scraps on our counter but we don’t notice any odor at all. There is a charcoal filter in the lid that soaks up any potential odors.
When the bucket is full, we empty it into this tumbling composter that is located beside the kitchen garden. The top slides open easily. We give it a spin every few days to keep it all well tossed which speeds up the decomposition. I add water when it needs it and also a few dry ingredients. Read more to get the details.
Composting can happen in about six weeks with four key ingredients.
- Carbon – Materials rich in carbon are usually rough and dry such as dry leaves, straw, and shredded paper. They provide energy for micro-organisms.
- Nitrogen – They provide the protein micro-organisms that need to grow and multiply. Think moist green matter like grass clippings and kitchen scraps.
- Water – It is important to provide the right amount of water. Compost should be like a well-wrung sponge. Not too wet or too dry. Micro-organisms need water but will drown if there is too much.
- Oxygen – The layers of compost need air in order to break down the material. My compost bin has air holes so that it can breathe.
If you use about 3 parts brown (carbon) ingredients to 1 part green (nitrogen) ingredients, you will have a winning formula. Don’t sweat it though if it isn’t exact because eventually, everything breaks down. You can also add garden soil, bone meal or blood meal, and ashes.
Compost can be used in many ways.
- Amend the soil in the vegetable garden by working in a few inches of compost before planting new plants.
- Add a scoop of compost to top-dress perennials.
- Mix a handful into the soil when you plant bulbs.
- Add a 3″ or so layer around the base of shrubs and trees.
*contains affiliate links
