Home Composting DIY

The amount of trash that we generate is a big concern among Americans today. One solution that seems to be catching on is composting at home. Some people report reducing the amount of trash that they produce to less than half of what it was before. The biggest reduction in trash is seen when yard clippings and leaves are composted instead of disposed of in plastic yard bags.

You can easily start composting in your own yard without very much effort or cost. Most people choose to build their own composting container as opposed to spending a lot of money on a manufactured one. There are a few basic things to keep in mind when you are building your compost container.

First, there needs to be circulation. Air needs to be able to reach all levels of the compost heap in order for decomposition to take place. Some people drill holes in the sides of a bottomless trash can to create a quick and easy compost container. Wooden slats are popular as well. Space boards about an inch apart to allow air to enter. This helps control fungus and other problems. Chicken wire can also be used.

The second thing to think about is humidity and moisture. The compost needs to stay moist to decompose. Making you compost heap tall is one way to ensure that it does not completely dry out. Five or six feet tall is about right for a home compost bin. As food scraps, yard clippings and other organics decompose, they will create heat. The ventilation will help keep the heap a little cooler. If you put your compost bin in a shady location, that will help keep the temperature down as well.

You do not want your compost bin to create odors, attract insects or other pests. So, keep a few things in mind as you compost. Do not put meat or fats into your compost heap as they can attract rodents, raccoons and possums. When you put grass clippings in, mix them around with other layers or leaves because moisture is easily trapped in wet grass and it can smell. If you are adding food, like vegetables, egg shells, coffee grounds and bread, bury them under a layer of yard waste to keep insects from being attracted to the pile. Only add manure from farm animals, not dogs or cats.

Adding manure helps keep the nitrogen content of the pile high enough to encourage decomposition. Do not put in a lot of acidic waste at once, like pine needles, or the nitrogen content will be affected. Basically, you need a balance of green and brown waste to maintain a healthy compost bin. Greens include grass, vegetables, fruits, coffee and tea grounds. Browns consist of egg shells, cardboard (shredded), dry leaves, fireplace ashes and dryer lint.

The moisture balance in your compost bin is very important. If it dries out, nothing will happen. If it gets too wet, it will create odors, molds and fungi. Keep a hose reel close by for occasional watering and keep a lid on top to avoid the bin becoming too saturated by rain. Your compost will help you create a cleaner environment and give you plenty of healthy compost to use in your garden and landscaping.

About the Author: Stacy Pessoney is an award winning author and writer of web content for many different web sites. She is well versed in many different areas, including gardening, hose reel, lawn care and landscaping.

Recycle and Compost

Recycling is now a mainstream activity and hopefully the types and volume of items being recycled will continue to increase even during the current weak economic times. There have been a lot of old, dead cars recycled in the past year because of the value of the metal. It wasn’t uncommon to get $300 to $500 per car. Demand has slackened due to the global recession but it is a good example of the benefits of recycling.

Paper, cardboard, glass, cans and metals of all kinds are now recycled. Less and less waste is going to the landfill these days. Families who religiously recycle and compost their organic materials are reducing their trash collection by up to 75%.

The recycling of organic materials by making compost is the most exciting type of recycling for many people. That compost bin on the kitchen counter gets filled up fast by families who eat a lot of fruit and vegetables which most do today.

There are certain items in your kitchen that you shouldn’t put in the compost bin because they can create odor problems and attract rodents and flies. Don’t put meat or fish bones or scraps, any dairy products and any fats grease, lard or oil in your compost bin.

Most yard waste, grass and leaves can be composted. It is best to separate your leaves from your regular compost pile as they are high in carbon and it is best to work them into your compost pile with the other items you compost which are higher in nitrogen. Grass can go directly into the compost bin because it is high in nitrogen and will decompose quickly.

A lot of municipalities don’t allow yard waste to be taken to the landfill nor do they allow leaves to be burnt in the fall which has forced many homeowners to learn to compost their yard waste. Yard waste decomposes very slowly in landfills because of the lack of oxygen and takes up a lot of space in the process.

It is possible to compost just your yard waste without adding your kitchen scraps to it. It just takes a lot longer for it to decompose and it produces much less compost. Leaves and grass are great additions to an active compost pile. The grass is hot which means it decomposes quickly and the leaves add bulk that allows oxygen to flow through which assists in the decomposition process. Kitchen scraps, leaves and grass mixed together make a productive compost pile if turned regularly.

Dayelle Swensson is an avid writer for the web on a number of topics. Having gardened herself for many years,she is able to advise others about a variety of things including gardening tips, lawn and tree care, watering, water hose reel and keeping your home garden looking good and healthy.

Composting Benefits for Your Lawn and Garden

So your neighbor’s garden is more fruitful, beautiful, and aggressively growing than yours: why do you think? He/she is seemingly not out and working in it anymore than you are, you haven’t seen a hired gardening expert milling about, but you have noticed a sweet smell coming from next door that you don’t seem to recognize. You could get the answer quickly by asking your neighbor what he or she is doing that you’re not, but your pride won’t let you ask. Dollars to donuts, your neighbor is using compost to help enrich the fertility of the growing beds, whether commercially produced, or produced in his back yard as well. You would do well to attempt the same, and the benefits to your garden will be overwhelming!

Compost can be a valuable resource to enriching your lawn’s landscape and your garden’s growth, and if you make your own compost, the cost is minimal, if anything. Your lawn clippings, your raked leaves, clipped branches, and yes, even kitchen food scraps, should be saved, cultivated, and then applied to your lawn and garden. The use of compost can enrich and improve the physical structure of the soil itself. For clay-like soiled lawns, working in compost can help reduce the density of the soil, allowing it to accept and use the water applied by your hose reel; the soil will become more porous and thus, more easily hydrated while improving its ability to hold and use the water applied. For sandy lawns, the addition of compost can deter erosion by adhering within the soil, allowing the soil to hold together in its form, reducing the risk of moving in heavy winds or rains. By adding compost to your soil, waterings can be less frequent, allowing for savings on your water bill, because compost has its own hydrating properties when it is applied to the soil in your lawn or garden.

Constructing a compost bin can be easy or difficult, depending on design and complexity. Old slats from a wooden fence can be utilized in construction, chicken wire is often used, and many counties even have plastic composting bins available for purchase, often through their park’s departments. The size of your bin should be manageable without being too small (less than 27 cubic feet) to hold sufficient heat nor too large (over 125 cubic feet) for sufficient oxygenation.

Composting can add exponentially to the successful growth of your lawn and garden. With a little elbow grease and determination, your neighbor will be asking how your garden grows so well in no time!

About the author: Jon Bassfarm is an Internet content writer who enjoys researching and writing about many subjects including hose reel and landscaping.