It’s not too late to think about your garden for next year. As a bonus, if you’d like free produce, you’ll want to compost all your veggie scraps into your garden compost bin. This means your butternut squash, tomatoes, pumpkins, zucchini, green peppers, and anything else with seeds. In the Winter, till up your garden and let it sit until Spring. In the Spring you’ll have plants that will start to pop up. Now’s the time to thin and separate them. Come Fall, you’ll have a harvest of the things you composted!
Our garden in Virginia produces butternut squash, tomatoes, pumpkins, acorn squash, and summer squash to name a few.
A Guide to Composting Food Scraps and Its Environmental Benefits
Composting is a simple yet powerful practice that can significantly contribute to a sustainable and eco-friendly lifestyle. One of the key aspects of composting involves recycling kitchen waste, particularly food scraps, to create nutrient-rich compost. In this blog post, we will delve into the art of composting food scraps and explore the numerous environmental benefits associated with this green revolution.
Getting Started with Composting Food Scraps:
Collect your kitchen scraps using a counter compost bin. I use this one.
Next, you'll want to find the right garden compost bin.
Below are some compost bins that we have used and the pros and cons of each.
Selecting the right composting bin is crucial for success. Opt for a container that allows proper aeration, drainage, and insulation. This could be a traditional compost bin, a worm bin, or even a DIY composting setup.
Here is how our composting journey began.
You can use a plastic storage bin and drill holes in the top and sides, (you don’t want to drill too low or your worms will crawl out and you don’t want to drill too many on the top because rain water can flood your bin). You can start with dirt, newspaper, and food scrapes. Next, you’ll want to get some red wiggler worms from Jim’s Worm Farm.
Pros- easy to get started and great for a porch or patio.
Cons - the worms will freeze in the winter so you’ll need to dump everything in your garden before the first freeze and start over in the spring.
We’ve also used PVC tubes. Simply drill holes in the lower portion so worms can move in and out of the tubes. Bury the tubes 2 feet down, leaving 1 foot above the soil.
Pros - easy to make and use. Rodents can't chew through the thick PVC pipes.
Cons - these tubes filled up too fast for us. We had three of them, one in each garden bed, and I was constantly moving them. You also can't mix the compost easily since the tube is long and narrow.
We have also purchased compost bin options - this first one is a huge drum and is my least favorite- it was hard to get the dirt out into a wheel barrow and I ended up gifting it to our local buy nothing group. The top also filled with rain water so I was constantly having to tip it to dump the water. It was heavy to rotate and it attracted more bugs than the other methods.
Pros - collects alot of compost
Cons - gets heavy and is hard to turn, the top collects water and needs to be dumped out often, it attracted alot of nats and other bugs, it was very hard to get the compost out with a shovel and a wheel barrel didn't quite fit under it to dump it out.
Saving the best for last
FAVORITE compost bin to-date….
drum roll….
Announcing….
This one is easy to add to your garden beds, worms can move in and out, there is a lid to keep critters out, it’s large enough and it’s super easy to shovel compost out when it gets full.
The only con is that rodents can and have dug down into the garden and chewed the hole opening larger so they can squeeze in and fest.
If you look close, you can see the Vego Garden Compost Bin in the garden. See the bright green lid?
Ok, so now that you’ve got your bin covered, let’s move on.
2. What to Compost:
Know what can and cannot be composted. Food scraps like fruit and vegetable peels, coffee grounds, eggshells, and even small amounts of yard waste can go into the compost bin. Avoid adding meat, dairy, oily foods, and pet waste, as these can attract pests and slow down the composting process.
3. Layering:
For effective composting, layering is essential. Alternate between green materials (nitrogen-rich) like food scraps and brown materials (carbon-rich) such as dry leaves, straw, or shredded newspaper. This balance promotes optimal decomposition.
4. Turning the Pile:
Regularly turn the compost pile to enhance aeration and accelerate the decomposition process. This helps in breaking down the materials faster and prevents the development of unpleasant odors.
Environmental Benefits of Composting:
1. Waste Reduction:
Composting diverts kitchen waste from landfills, reducing the amount of methane – a potent greenhouse gas – released into the atmosphere. By composting food scraps, you play a vital role in minimizing landfill waste.
2. Soil Enrichment:
Compost acts as a natural fertilizer, enriching the soil with essential nutrients. The resulting nutrient-rich soil promotes healthier plant growth, increases water retention, and enhances soil structure.
3. Reduction in Carbon Footprint:
Composting reduces the need for chemical fertilizers, which are energy-intensive to produce. By opting for natural compost, you contribute to a significant reduction in carbon emissions associated with fertilizer manufacturing.
4. Preservation of Biodiversity:
Healthy soils support diverse ecosystems. Compost enriches the soil, fostering a habitat for beneficial microorganisms and insects. This, in turn, promotes biodiversity and contributes to a healthier overall ecosystem.
5. Sustainable Agriculture:
The use of compost in agriculture helps improve soil fertility without relying on synthetic chemicals. Sustainable farming practices, such as organic farming, often incorporate compost to enhance soil health and productivity.
Composting food scraps is a small yet impactful step towards a more sustainable and environmentally conscious lifestyle. By following these simple guidelines and understanding the environmental benefits, you can actively contribute to the well-being of our planet. Embrace the green revolution, reduce waste, and let your kitchen scraps transform into a valuable resource for a healthier, more sustainable future.
BUT that’s not all
You can also get FREE PRODUCE from your compost. (We live in Virginia)
We compost all year and then till the gardens in the Winter. Come Spring, plants grow from the compost and produce emerges. Below are images of produce straight from the garden compost.
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