Composting How To’s

There are a lot of myths and misinformation around about composting, so here we’ll address several of the most common:

1. Compost Stinks - This can be true when a compost pile is not maintained properly. When done right however, compost does not smell any different than rich, fertile soil. The more active a compost pile is, the more it is likely to smell. Neutralizing the smell is easily done however, by adding what’s known as “brown” material. This includes straw, hay, shredded newspaper and cardboard.

2. Composting Is Hard Work - In truth, composting is only as hard as you make it. Since it’s a completely natural process, nature actually does all the work for you. It is entirely possible to make compost while doing little more than tossing compost materials into a pile, bin, or bucket, then letting nature take its course.

If you want to make more of a process of it you certainly can though. You can be very selective about the materials you choose for your compost pile, make a big chore of collecting them up and hauling them over to the pile, and then frequently make yourself turn and mix the compost pile so it gets plenty of air and moisture. These steps are optional of course, and the more you choose to do the more work you’ll make for yourself.

3. Composting Requires Lots of Space - Composting can be done on the kitchen counter using just a small bucket if you’d like. No large spaces are required. Some people use small ice cream buckets to create compost from kitchen scraps, while others use a trash can or barrel in the backyard. There are even worm composting options - also known as vermicomposting - where you can keep an aquarium style bin in the house with red worms in it. You then just feed your kitchen scraps to the worms and they create compost for you.

4. Composting Requires Exact Measurements - Nothing is exact in nature. Yes, in order to prevent your compost pile from smelling badly you’ll need a nice mixture of both green and brown materials. This mixture also helps the compost material decompose more quickly for use in your garden. The measurements do not have to be exact though, you just toss things in and adjust as you go.

5. You Need Special Chemicals - Some people believe that you have to have special chemicals to act as activators or starters for your compost pile, and this is far from the truth. In fact, you never want to add harsh chemicals to a compost pile because they can poison it for years into the future. You can easily activate a compost pile naturally by throwing in some finished compost, human urine, or green materials such as vegetable scraps.

6. Compost Piles Attract Animals - There is truth to this statement actually. The more of a smell your compost pile puts out, the more likely it is to attract raccoons, mice and rats, or even dogs and cats. You can limit this risk by making compost in a closed container such as a compost bin, and keeping enough brown material in the mix to prevent smells from the food scraps.

Link To This: Common Composting Myths