Backyard Composting - Everyone wants to do their part by recycling and going green. Backyard composting is a great way to reuse organic material by turning it in to beneficial garden compost. Backyard composting not only benefits the environment and helps keep organic waste out of the landfills, but it also is healthy for your garden. So if you are wondering where to put all those leaves and grass clippings you are gathering in your lawn cart, backyard composting is your answer!
What is Backyard Composting?
Backyard composting is also called home composting, but no matter what you call it, it is a great way to recycle your organic waste and create a healthy soil additive for your home garden. You need to have a space where you will collect the garden waste. This can either be a compost container that you make or purchase, or just an area in your yard where you can create a pile of organic material. Remember that you will need to be able to turn the pile so make sure you have plenty of room around the pile if you choose to go that route.
If you want to make your own compost bin for backyard composting, one of the simplest ways to make one is to put four stakes or fence posts in the ground and then wrap chicken wire around them. This will help to contain your pile. Make sure you wrap the chicken wire low enough that you can effectively stir the compost with a turning fork. Usually 2 1/3 to 3 feet is adequate. This will give you a good depth without being too deep to mix it.
What to Add to Your Compost
Any organic material can be added to your backyard composting project. Just remember that the item in question is completely natural then it can be returned to nature. Things like fruit and vegetable waste, grass clippings, leaves that you rake, even egg shells and coffee grounds can go in your compost. Stay away from meat scraps, fats, dairy products, and processed foods. Some paper products can be composted as well. Things such as newspapers, shredded paper, brown paper sacks, etc. will decompose in your pile. You want a good balance of green (yard waste, grass clippings, etc.) to brown (corn stalks, straw, newspaper, etc.) in your backyard composting project.
For effective backyard composting, keep the mix in your pile slightly wet. Think of a wet rag that has been rung out - that is about how moist you want your compost pile to be. The moisture helps the organic material break down quicker. However, if it is too wet it will rot and mold, creating a nasty mess and you don't want that!
When is the Compost Done?
Compost is 'done' when it looks like dark, rich organic material. You will want to filter your compost through a screen to remove clumps that have not completely composted. Just throw that material back into the compost pile to finish with the next batch. Mix the compost into your flowerbeds and garden for nutrient rich soil your plants will love.
Backyard composting is a project the whole family can enjoy. You will be helping the environment and benefiting your garden at the same time. What could be better?
Learn more about backyard composting:
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Organic Gardener's Composting |
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Let it Rot!: The Gardener's Guide to Composting (Third Edition) (Storey's Down-To-Earth Guides) |
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The Complete Idiot's Guide to Composting |
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Organic Gardener's Composting |