Most beautiful flowers and a healthy garden can come at no extra cost to you. The secret is composting, which not only reduces the amount of waste in landfills, but also enriches the soil in your yard with a material rich in nutrients. We have listed 5 simple steps to get you started on home composting:
1. Choose a container
Choose an outdoor space and a container to deposit your compost. It can be a large trash can or a plastic bucket, for example. It is important that you drill holes in the bottom of the container so that the leachate (decomposing organic material) can pass.
There must be another container under the compost to store the leachate. It may be a shallower basin, for example. She just can't stay in direct contact with the composter so that the leachate has space to drain.
2. Collect garbage from your home
Collect your kitchen and garden waste and mix the materials. It is necessary to have twice as much brown waste (sawdust, dry leaves, cardboard and newspaper sheets) than green ones (fruits, vegetables, grass, coffee grounds). This balance is important, since brown elements are rich in carbon, while green elements contribute nitrogen.
In addition, your compost also needs oxygen and moisture. If the material becomes too dry, you can add a little water to moisten it.
3. Distribute the material in the composter
To speed up the decomposition process, you must distribute the material in layers: one of nitrogen (wet material) to three layers of carbon (dry material, such as leaves, cardboard and sawdust).
4. Wait for the magic to happen
Over the next few weeks, you will see your food scraps turn into soil. Your compost will be ready when it looks and smells of earth. Remember that it is not a substitute for your soil, but rather acts as a natural fertilizer to nourish it.
What you should NOT put in the composter:
- Animal products
- Fats
- Oils
- Pet waste
- Spiced food
- Cigarette butts and ashes
- Sick vegetables
What can go into the composter:
- Fruit and vegetable scraps and peels
- Roots and dry grass
- Dry leaves and pruning remains
- Wood sawdust
- Newspaper
- Cardboard
- Tea bag
- Coffee powder with paper strainer
- Dry grass
