BellaOnline Forums Home and Garden Gardening Composting

Do you compost?

Hey, Angie. I don't personally but I do recognize and acknowledge all of the benefits. It takes a constancy of maintenance to bring it to its fruition. Also, takes a bit of knowledge as what can be composted and what should not be included. (Very important). Some people I know like to put everything in the compost bin but it is not a trash dump but a bin set aside to, in time, create what we call here in Texas, "black gold".

Composting is a great idea and even if you have a small space you can do it. Just get a metal trash can and drill a few holes in the side and secure the lid, and you're all set. All kitchen scraps except meats and dairy can go in it. This includes vegetable and fruit scraps, coffee grinds, and eggshells. You'll end up with the best soil in the world!

We do a combination of composting, making leaf mold and just sometimes throwing our vegetable wastes and leaves into the garden and tilling in for the winter. For the stuff that's tilled in, its usually broken down before Spring arrives and gives the worms something to consume in the warmer periods. I enjoy the smell of leaf mold more than anything. Nothing smells as earthy!!

I am planning on starting to work compost this year - and have a small area for things that the worms don't like... I have been a very lazy composter and just throw things in a pile.... I am going to purchase a real composter this year. Sam's Club has one in stock for $40 - it isn't the nice turning barrel one that I fell in love with but I think it will suffice. I need a bit of pile control mainly! I love the idea of worm composting and am going to make some worm bins to keep in the garage - at least the compost will make it to the worms a lot easier!