How to make compost easily at home
Composting not only reduces litter in the yard but also improves your backyard. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), "compost is an organic substance added to the soil to help plants grow." That is, great products, beautiful flowers, and a healthy garden will come to you at no extra cost if you store your family's garbage and start turning it into "plant food".
Follow our guide to composting, which can help improve the planet - and your own home garden - while reducing the amount of garbage you throw away. Experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute share tips and tricks for making compost wherever you live.
Why should I put compost?
Composting is a great way to reduce the amount of garbage your family sends to the landfill. This will not only reduce the amount of methane gas produced by landscapes that are a major contributor to global warming but will also help control the odor of trash in your home. And the biggest benefit? You will leave fertile manure that you can use in your own garden or donate to your favorite cause.
What compost can I put?
Food waste and waste can be a huge percentage of your compost - you can add a lot of stuff from your kitchen and garden. But other household items like newspaper and hair are also good to add to the mix.
Food
Fruit and vegetable skins and scrap
Mushroom scraps
Eggshells
Bread, cereals, and pasta
Coffee grounds and some coffee filters
Loose tea and tea bags
Yard
Grass
Leaves
Wood ash
Sawdust
Others
Newspaper
Card
Drying cotton
Hair
Nail cutting
Brown paper bags
Toothpicks
In matches
Cut the flowers
What compost can I put?
When they decompose, milk or animal products (even animal bones) begin to attract odors and insects, so throw those in your old school trash can. The same goes for fats, oils, and pet waste. Also, if you have a plant that is infected with a disease or pest, do not add it to the pile - it will contaminate your manure and make it unusable.
Food
Meat or animal bones
Dairy
Egg white or yolk
Yard
Diseased leaves or plants
Coal ash
Others
Greece
Chemicals
Pet waste
Create stickers
Plastic
Fats and oils
How to put compost outside?
If you want to make compost in your backyard, learn the do's and don'ts to set yourself up for success. Selen Nehrozoglu, a research assistant at the New Jersey Agricultural Laboratory in New Brunswick, NJ, shares tips on how to manage your organic waste:
Create a composting zone. If you plan to use a compost bin, make sure it is accessible and has space to open the lid. Nehrozoglu says it is best to use sealable containers for indoor and outdoor compost storage. “For indoor compost, containers with closed lids have worked well in my experience,” he says. "Easy to open and close with the scent."
If you want to start a compost pile, select an open area - you will need at least 3 square feet of space - and scatter some branches or straw to ensure ventilation and drainage. Use a chicken coop or fence to protect your pile from animals such as raccoons (or even the house dog next door).
Balance "green" and "brown" products. Even if you choose a tank or pile, Nehrozoglu says the ratio that helps compost is two-thirds "brown matter" (sticks, dried leaves, or dirt) and one-third "green matter" (food debris or fresh plants.) To maintain balance. This is important because "brown" products are rich in carbon, feed on organisms that break down scraps, and "green" products provide nitrogen - important for building the cell structure of your new soil.
“As a general rule, I like to add enough brown to completely cover up food waste,” he says. “I use a spade to chop bulky food scraps like melon skins and mix the ingredients together. After mixing, I add a thin layer of brown on top.
Manage humidity. If your pile is not getting enough rain, you should add water through irrigation can or hose. Wet scraps can be added when moisture is needed. You are wet, not soaked.
If you live in a very rainy area, cover the pile (a loose tar would be nice) so it doesn’t get too wet, which kills rot and useful germs.
Turn it into your compost. Your fertilizer also needs oxygen. Without air, your pile will start to rot and smell, so you need to rotate and shake the pile. With the right mix of scraps, moisture, and air, your compost is nothing more than soil dirt. According to Nehrosoklu, it is best to change the scraps once every two to four weeks to mix manually - using Pitchfork.
If you are using a tank, you can choose a tumbler that rotates to mix the compost. Some even include an inner rail that breaks down the manure to help with ventilation. With a dumpling tank, follow the manufacturer's recommendation. Most people recommend rotating your back garland
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