3 Simple Ways Composting Can Change Your Garden for the Better!
Composting, which is the process of using recycled organic materials as fertilizer for your soil, is just one of the many methods you can implement in your daily life to live a more sustainable lifestyle. While it may not sound like it makes a big impact, composting yields numerous benefits not just to your household, but to the planet as well.
- One big way composting can make a positive impact on the environment is by reducing harmful landfill emissions. Instead of throwing your kitchen scraps and other “waste” into the trash can for it to be taken to the landfill later, you can recycle these materials and put them to use in your backyard instead of having them add to already overcrowding space at a landfill. Less waste at the landfill means less methane emissions, which we can all agree is an important step in lowering our global carbon footprint.
- Another added benefit of composting is its effect on your soil. An excellent alternative to chemical fertilizers, composting can greatly enrich the soil with nutrients, helping them fight off disease and pests that can harm your plants. Think of it like a performance enhancer for your plants!
- Likewise, another benefit of composting is that it allows soil to retain water better, meaning you can conserve water, which helps the planet, while saving money on your water bill, which helps your wallet.
Helpful Do’s and Don’ts To Get Started
To get started with composting, it’s good to know what materials are okay for composting and which aren’t. That’s why we’ve included some helpful do’s and don'ts for composting below!
Do Use
- Grass/lawn clippings
- Non-meat food leftovers: fruit, vegetables, wheat, coffee filters, tea leaves, etc.
- Straw
- Leaves
- Pine needles
- Eggshells
- Saw Dust
- Woodchips
- Dried pasta
- Pits from foods like avocados, peaches, etc.
Do NOT Use
- Animal products like meat, bones, dairy, etc.
- Long branches or sticks
- Banana peels
- Pet manure
What Do I Need to Start Composting
Knowing which type of composter is best for you depends mostly on how much space you have available and what materials you will mostly be using to compost. If you are in an urban area with little or no yard space, a worm composter would be best suited for you. Our MAZE worm composter takes up little space and is perfect for any kitchen! However, if you have more yard space to work with, a larger compost tumbler would be ideal to take full advantage of the lawn clippings and other materials you would likely be composting with in a larger yard space. Our Exaco Thermo Wood Compost Bin would be ideal for a backyard area as it can hold over 160 gallons.
HERE are just some of the various types of composters we offer here at Heartland Greenhouse and Garden Supply. We hope that with the help of this quick guide you can feel more confident about choosing which composter is right for you and just how beneficial composting can be for not just your family, but for the whole world as well!