Composting: The Basics
Hi all! Welcome back to Re-Generation Z!
Today I am going to talk about an amazing way that you can contribute to solving climate change. It’s easy, affordable, effective, and can even feel grounding. You may be wondering what this is, so without further adieu I present to you… COMPOSTING! You’ve probably heard of composting, but it can be difficult to fully wrap your head around how to get started yourself. In this blog, I’m going to answer some general questions about composting and help you start your own compost. So let’s get started!
Composting Q & A:
What even is composting?
The dictionary.com definition of compost is as follows: decayed organic material used as a plant fertilizer. When you compost, you are basically just recycling old organic matter and turning it into fertilizer. There are many different methods of composting, some of which I will discuss in a later question of this Q & A. Some methods include using worms, while others simply ask you to make a pile in your backyard. Either way, it’s important to know that the heart of composting lies in the fact that it is an all-natural process.
What can I compost?
For all composting, you will need these three categories of organic materials: browns, greens, and water. Water is water, (hopefully that’s pretty self-explanatory.) The browns consist of dead branches, leaves, and twigs. The greens include grass clipping and fruit and vegetable scraps, so this is where your extra food comes in handy. The following information is very important and was definitely surprising when I first learned it: you cannot compost meat, dairy, fats, or oil. Yes, that means you cannot compost any of those vegetables that you just cooked in oil. But, anything else is fair game, from orange peels to eggshells to coffee grounds.
What are the different types of composting?
There are many ways of composting and even more are being invented to this day. I will talk about two different general methods: passive composting and turning composting. Passive composting entails creating a pile of organic materials and letting it sit and decompose for a period of time, generally at least a few months to a year. You can use either a trash bag, a trash bin, or some other large container to hold the compost. One downside of this method is that your compost will become quite stinky since it is not covered. In order to avoid this, be very strategic in the placement of your pile.
The other general method, turning composting, involves using a turning system in order to speed up the decomposition of the organic matter. You can either buy a turning system or try to build one yourself (if you’re brave!). Here is the composter that I use (which I will talk more about in my next blog)” Link To A Great Composter On Amazon. You will put your organic matter into the system and every couple of days manually turn it. This method is more expensive, since you usually have to purchase a system, and a little more laborious, but I would say that it’s worth it.
What is the cheapest method of composting?
The cheapest method of composting is generally composting in a trash can, trash bin, or some other large container. This entails creating a composting bin that sits in your backyard, alley, etc. while the materials decompose. This would fall under the category of passive composting.
How long does it generally take to compost?
The answer to this question mostly depends on what method of composting you use. The total time it takes for your compost to form can be anywhere from 6 weeks to over a year. If you use the turning compost method, your compost will form quicker.
What do I do with my finished compost?
First of all, do a little celebration dance because composting is not easy! You have significantly helped your planet by embarking on your composting journey. Take a good look at your beautiful compost, give it a nice smell, and maybe run it through your hands to take in its full glory. Now, practically, ask yourself the following questions to help you decide what you should do with your newly completed compost: “Do I have a garden that could benefit from this new soil? If I don’t have a garden, do I have any other plants that could use the soil? Do I know somebody who has a garden that could use this new compost? Friends, neighbors, school?” If your answer to those questions is a solid yes, then I think you know what you can do with your new compost. Adding compost to a preexisting garden will make plants healthier, more nutritious, and happier. If you have a certain type of garden (vegetable, flower, etc) visit this link to find specific instructions for your special garden.
So that’s it for now… (that’s it?! That was a lot. I know.) And if it all seems super overwhelming right now that makes sense. Composting is not the easiest process ever, but it is very rewarding to know that you're helping your planet while having fun and getting your hands a little dirty.
I really hope this blog helped inspire you to start your own compost, whether it be simply with a trash bag or if you decided to go big with the compost tumbler. In the next blog, I will explain the many environmental benefits of composting, and talk about my personal experience with composting.
Thank you so much for reading!
