The most obvious benefit of composting is that it allows you to create your own ready-to-use soil. While you may already have plenty of soil around your garden, chances are it’s not nearly as nutritious as compost. Compost is made from leftover organic material, such as vegetables and fruit peelings; therefore, it contains beneficial microorganisms that promote healthy plant growth. You can use this to your advantage by filling your garden with rich, healthy compost material.
Reduces Waste
A benefit of composting that’s often overlooked is that it reduces waste. The average American throws away about one pound of food per day. That may not seem like much, but it equals over 300 pounds a year for each person! Our landfills simply aren’t big enough to sustain this kind of waste, but using a compost bin can help cut down on it. Rather than throwing your leftovers in the trash, you can place them in a compost bin for later use in the garden.
Health Benefits
Growing fruit and vegetables in a compost-supplied garden is undeniably better for your health than purchasing produce from your local grocery store. Most produce sold at grocery stores is riddled with pesticides, growth hormones, and other chemicals that you probably want to avoid consuming.
Setting Up a Compost Bin
If you plan on using a compost bin, you’ll need to decide whether you want to purchase a plastic drum-style model or build your own. Building your own compost bin is actually quite easy as long as you have access to a couple wooden pallets. If you don’t, however, it’s recommended that you purchase a plastic drum model with an opening door on the bottom to remove compost as needed. Most big-name home improvement stores and even some nurseries sell them for as little as $70, which is a small price to pay for an endless amount of fresh soil.
After you’ve purchased a compost bin, set it up across your yard so it won’t attract rodents into your home. It’s also important not to add meat products to your compost pile, as these are even more attractive to scavenging animals including mice, squirrels and possum.
Compost Bin Ingredients
Need a little help choosing ingredients to add into your compost bin? Here’s a list of some of the most commonly used items:
- Banana and other fruit peelings
- Vegetable peelings
- Egg shells
- Used coffee grounds (highly acidic, so don’t use too much)
- Used tea bags
- Peanut shells
- Dryer lint
- Leftover dinner scraps (with the exception of meat bones)
- Fireplace ash
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