Down and Dirty on Composting

Composting has been around forever. As a young girl I can recall carrying out our organic waste from the kitchen to our compost pile in the back yard. This compost later got used in our vegetable garden to improve soil structure, its fertility, aeration, ability to hold moisture and there was no need for commercial fertilizers. Composting is an inexpensive alternative method of dealing with waste. About one third of the space in landfills is taken up with organic waste from our yards and kitchens. This waste can help your garden grow instead of emitting greenhouse gases and conserve existing landfill space. Composting converts plant and other organic wastes into a loose, peat like humus which provides nutrients to growing plants.Whether you compost to reduce the amount of waste that goes to the landfill or to benefit your soil and garden…either one is an honorable mission.

Good – Beautiful Browns are dry, carbon-rich organic materials which include dry leaves, straw/hay, wood chips, sawdust, napkins, dryer lint, and vacuum cleanings. Gorgeous Greens are fresh, moist, nitrogen-rich materials which include grass cuttings, fruit and vegetable peelings/scraps, tea bags, pasta, coffee grounds, stale bread and eggshells.

Bad – Don’t put the following materials in your compost pile: meat, fish, bones, fats and oils, dairy products, weeds that have gone to seed, pet manure or kitty litter.


Composting will be discussed in further detail in future posts. We will talk about how to start a compost and its benefits when starting your own organic garden.