Composting has been around for a long time, at least well over 2000 years. It’s a great way to cut down on your trash and it can be beneficial to your garden at the same time. There are several reasons why composting is a good alternative than setting all your trash out for the garbage truck. Here are some benefits that come with composting that you might not know about, and just maybe this can sway you to consider composting in the future.
Composting v.s Fertilizing
Many believe that having a compost means they no longer have to fertilize their garden. Keep in mind, fertilizing is vital for feeding plants, while composting works at feeding and strengthening the soil.
Adds Nutrients to the Soil
Carbon and nitrogen are two huge nutrients added to the soil when you are choosing to compost. These key nutrients help the process of photosynthesis for any type of plant that might be in your garden. Compost is great for helping retain water from rainfall for the plants and when they need it.
Improves Soil Structure
This is a big one for reasons you should compost. Improving the soil structure helps strengthen the soil, so that it can hold onto water and other important nutrients that are vital for healthier plants and flowers.
Suppresses Plant Disease and Pests
Composting helps avoid plant disease and crop losses before it becomes an issue. This will also help with producing a better yield of whatever you may be growing.
Reduces Landfill Waste
Keeping as much food and other organic material out of our landfills will do us all a favor in the long run. You are right to think that foods will break down in a landfill, but the process will take much longer. There are also a lot of nutrients that are going to waste, rotting in a landfill when they could be strengthening your garden in your backyard.
Better for the Environment
Having a compost pile is actually better for the environment, so it’s a big deal. Food and organic materials smashed down on each other without any oxygen is not a good thing. Foods left in landfills produce methane, a gas that is incredibly more harmful than carbon dioxide itself.
Recycles Yard Waste
There’s also nutrients in leaves and grass that will help strengthen your soil. This will keep you from bagging or burning all of your leaves. Be aware that leaves take around 6-12 months to decompose.
Cuts Down on Trash thrown Out
Not only does composting cut down on the amount of trash ending up in landfills, it’s also great for you in the home. Not having to go through so many bags as often is going to save you money in the long run. Who doesn’t want to save more money anyway they can?
Adds Good Microorganisms to the Soil
Microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi are good chemical decomposers, by changing the chemicals in the compound. This also helps enrich the soil in your garden.
Ways to make Composting work Better
Having your compost pile in direct sunlight is actually better than having it in the shade. The sun works on breaking down the materials. Turning, digging, layering, and watering your compost pile are great ways to help it work even more efficiently.
Having particles broken down more helps the decomposition process also. Hotter temperatures do the same thing. It’s also important for your compost pile to have plenty of moisture so that the bacteria does not become stagnant and not work as effectively.
There are several benefits for composting instead of throwing everything in your kitchen trash can. Do these benefits help encourage you to compost in the future? If you’ve already been composting for a while, what other benefits have you noticed?
Why Do People Compost at Home?
Think about it, people compost at home for several reasons. When you compost at home, it helps to enrich the soil on your land. Composting also helps to reduce the need for chemical fertilizers, so your plants can grow up happy and healthy!
Composting is organic matter such as leaves, kitchen waste, and grass clippings, it’s a great way to reduce waste. Composting does have some nutrients, but it is not a fertilizer by any means.
What Should You NOT Put in a Compost?
Let’s be honest, there are dos and don’ts for everything out there, including composts. For starters you should never put cat or dog poop into your compost.
You also do not want to put in fish and meat scraps. The smell of decomposing meat and fish scraps will attract critters that you don’t want into your garden. Trust me, you don’t want them smell.
Large branches. Whatever you do, don’t add large branches to your compost pile. Essentially, it’s not possible for a branch to break down quickly, which means your compost pile could be delayed. If you plan on using the compost for a garden, avoid adding in items, like large branches, that won’t decompose quickly.