Composting can be a great way to increase the productivity of your garden or plants. It lowers the amount of trash going to landfills and is a great fertilizer!Contrary to popular belief, composting isn't even hard! I just started composting this summer and have been surprised at how easy it is to compost. You need a few things to get started with your compost:
1) something to put the material in. I bought a compost bin at Metro Paint out at Swan Island for about $40. You can make your own, or if you don't have too many pests, dig a hole in the ground with some type of cover.
2) a pitchfork or shovel--some kind of item you can use to turn the compost
3) leftovers! The best leftovers are leaves, cut grass, coffee grounds, egg shells, fruit or veggie leavings, basically anything un-processed from your kitchen or lawn. Stay away from meats, fats, oils and things with seeds if possible. The meat/fat/oil can attract unwanted guests like raccoons, and the seeds can lead to unwanted plants growing in your compost! I have heard rumors that coffee grounds are supposed to be a natural type of pest repellant as well, but you'll have to check it out yourself!
Place your leftovers in your bin and cover. Try to make sure you use your shovel to turn the items once a week or so. You don't want your banana peels sitting on top for the fruit flies to devour! Also, make sure that your compost has enough water. If it's too dry it will take longer to turn into dirt and if it's too wet it can get moldy.
Then, when your compost has been...well...composting for long enough, you can take it out and use it as a natural fertilizer. I will be using it for my garden this fall, to prepare it for next spring. You can use it in your flower beds and around trees to help them get the nutrients they need as well.
For more information on composting, I found this website to be helpful.
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