I love my little garden, I grow mostly tomatoes and herbs and it is super fun. On one end of my garden is my compost pile. Composting is a great way to reuse some of the waste from your household and grow a healthy garden. Not only is it a great way to dispose of compostable goods but also easy to maintain and it takes hardly any time and commitment. My dad constructed the outer walls for my compost bin out of chicken wire, in about 20 minutes.
- My humble compost pile, made of chicken wire
In my parents' kitchen I keep a container for the refuse that can be composted, here are some of them:
- egg shells
- banana/orange peels
- used coffee grounds
- potato skins
- moldy/ rotten veggies or fruits
- watermelon rinds
- strawberry hulls
- moldy/stale bread
- I spy with my little eye...
It is important that my compost kitchen container have a top on it, because this stuff can get a bit smelly and I don't want to attract flies. I add to the container as I cook, instead of just throwing them away, and later when the container is filled and I have free time, I dump it outside. I always keep a pitchfork on hand to cover the newly added kitchen refuse with grass clippings. If you don't, the uncovered junk can attract flies and create a stink.
Other things in my compost:
- grass clippings
- fallen leaves
- trimmed branches
I turn the compost every couple of weeks, to aerate, covering any exposed parts in grass clippings when I am done.
All in all it is really low maintenance and in a couple of months all I have to do is dig deep and to the bottom to find a fine residue full of nutrition for my fledgling plants.
* A good compost is hot and moist, as this is the ideal micro-climate for the tiny microorganisms that break down the compost. Remember to water occasionally!
Happy composting!
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