Composting

Composting is a method for decomposing organic waste, such food scraps, into a rich soil amendment that can be utilized to improve the quality of your garden. It is one the best ways to start reducing food waste in a household.  

How to compost

Step 1: Determine how much food waste you generate daily to determine the size and type of the composter you need. For example, large families would need a much larger composting system than someone living alone.

Step 2: Determine the type of food waste you are going to compost. Some food waste like dairy and meat products should not be added to the compost because methane producing food waste can cause bad odors and attract pests. Examples of food waste that can be composted includes fruit and vegetable remains, coffee grounds/ tea bags, and egg shells.

Step 3: Determining where to compost. A compost collection site can be indoors or outdoors. People with big backyards tend to create collection sites outdoors while small-scale composting bins are often used to compost indoors.

Step 4: Layering. Layering is the process of adding materials to the compost pile in layers to maximize efficiency. Start with a layer of brown materials. These include dead leaves, small branches, etc. The first later is to promote aeration and drainage in the compost pile. The second layer includes green materials, for example, mowed grass, and fruit and vegetable scraps. The third and final layer is a layer of soil or finished compost.

Step 5: Wait and water. Keeping the compost pile moist but not too wet is vital for successful composting. Add water every couple of days, especially when the weather is dry. Furthermore, turning the compost pile every week or two is important to allow air to circulate through and boost the decomposition process.

Step 6: Once the compost is done, all that is left is to spread it around plants or dig it into the garden. This improves the quality of the soil and helps the soil retain moisture.

High tech ways of composting

Composter

A composter is a container for producing compost. There are different types and sizes and they can be used outdoors or indoors. A relatively new type of composter that is gaining popularity is the ‘tiered plastic vermicomposting structure’. The bottom tier is full of worms that help to break down the food waste into compost. The second tier collects the excess liquid after the worms compost the food waste. This liquid can also be used as natural fertilizer with the compost.

Bokashi Bin

A Bokashi Bin is an indoor composting system that is considered an anaerobic digester because it uses microorganisms to decompose the food waste. Contrary to regular composters, a bokashi bin generates fermented compost that is almost ‘pickled’ which allows for the composting of meat and dairy waste as well. This compost can then be used as fertilizer as well.

All in all, composting is an easy and efficient way to create nutrient rich fertilizer that can benefit your plants and soil, and improve the health of your garden. Furthermore, it is an easy way to keep track of and recycle food waste in a household. 

Sources and References

https://www.compostguide.com/how-composting-has-gone-high-tech/