Who Can Benefit From Composting?

As there are many uses for compost, you will find people with different interests and occupations utilizing this environmentally friendly resource.

A homeowner can create a compost bin or pile to reduce the amount of trash they are throwing away.  As an added benefit they are creating a fertilizer for their house plants or garden plot.  Since compost bins require green food (kitchen scraps, grass clippings) and brown food (leaves, straw, shredded brown paper, etc.) you can collect your grass clippings and add them to your bin too.

Home-made compost pile. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

On a farm, crops can produce a lot of waste.  A farmer can use crops that are not consumable (ground cover, etc.) and add them to a compost bin along with manure from any livestock they may keep.  Once the compost matures and is ready, the farmer can use the material for added nutrients in the soil, to build up low spots in his field, and to keep the soil healthy. You can even use mature compost as mulch to help the soil retain water and prevent weeds.

A professional landscaper can create compost material for clients that want only natural or organic materials used on their lawn or flower beds.  This can be a low-cost material for a landscaper to utilize providing his clients with Earth-friendly options with a low overhead cost.

If you like the idea of composting but do not have the space or time to create a compost pile of your own, check with your city or municipality’s recycling center.  Some will accept your yard waste and clippings for a city compost heap.  This material will then be used throughout the city’s parks and gardens.  In certain centers they may let the residents utilize the mature compost for their own needs too.

Schools may also utilize compost to teach the students the process of decomposition and to teach children what we can do to help our planet.  This is in addition to the cost savings for the school in up keeping the grounds and gardens. Some schools also plant community gardens as a learning tool for the students, and also to create green spaces and support the local community.

Good Foods for your Compost Bin

There are some rules to learn and follow about what you can put into your compost bin in order to keep your pile healthy and working properly.  The most common organic material that you will add to your compost will be kitchen scraps.  Kitchen scraps are considered "Green" food as they contain nitrogen – an essential element to the process. (See Thursday's post for more on Green and Brown components.)

Image via WikipediaIt is a good idea to have a container with an airtight lid to store the food waste in your kitchen.  You do not want to attract insects or pests inside your home nor do you want to be running to your compost bin every time you make a meal or snack.  If your kitchen container is airtight you will also cut down on unpleasant odors.

Here is a list of the most common compostable items from the kitchen:

*    Vegetable peels and seeds
*    Fruit peels, cores, and seeds
*    Coffee grounds – you can compost the paper filter too
*    Tea bags or loose tea leaves
*    Crushed egg shells – do not add left-over eggs cooked or raw
*    Breads

Image via WikipediaYou may be tempted to add other food scraps into the bin, but don’t.  You should not add any animal meat or bones, oily products, or fish remains - not only will these be sure to attract unwanted pests but they will make your compost smell bad.  Whenever you are adding your green food to the compost bin, make sure you cover it under a thick layer of "Brown food" (yard waste or other carbon producing agent such as dry leaves, wood chips, sawdust, or small twigs).

If your food scraps are very wet or moist, in addition to putting brown food on top of the scraps mix some in with the waste too.  This will enable better air circulation throughout your pile.

The Greens and Browns of Composting

Imagine yourself as a chef of a fancy restaurant. To cook a delicious meal, you carefully measure the ingredients and combine them to create wonderful dishes. The same can be said when creating compost. This time, however, instead of the people in the restaurant as your customers, you will be answering the needs of your plants. And just like cooking, you are given the task of putting together in the proper amounts the “greens” and “browns” of composting.

Image via Wikipedia “Greens” and “browns” are nicknames which are used to refer to the organic materials used in creating compost. The major differences between these two elements are not so much on the colors of the organic matter themselves but rather on their basic components. The Greens are organic materials rich in nitrogen or protein. Meanwhile, Browns are those organic matters that have high carbon or carbohydrates contents.

Because of their high nitrogen and protein contents, Greens allow micro organism in composts to grow and multiply. Also, the Green components generate heat in compost piles. The Brown elements on the other hand contain the energy that most soil organisms need. Furthermore, because of their high carbon contents, the Browns function as a big air filter, absorbing the bad odors that emanates from the compost pile. The carbons also help prevent organic nitrogen from escaping and also aid in the faster formation of humus from the compost.

In case you’re stumped whether an organic waste or material belongs to the Greens or Browns variety, one of the easiest way to test it is to wet the material. If you find the material to stink after a few days then it belongs to the Greens variety. Again, remember not to be fooled by color.

For example, although leaves come in green, brown, red, etc. colors, they are classified as Browns. Leaves are high in carbon. Evergreen leaves for example have higher carbon contents than any other leaves. However, there is always an exception. Oak tree leaves do not fall under the Greens classification. Oak leaves contain high amounts of nitrogen which makes them fall under the Greens category.

Other examples of Greens include animal wastes, grass clippings, and left over food from your kitchen. As LONG as you don’t use harmful chemicals like inorganic fertilizers and pesticides on your grass, then the use of grass clippings is okay. Meanwhile, papers, wood chippings, sawdust, bark mulches and other wood products more often than not fall under the Browns classification.

Sugar products are also classified under Browns. These include molasses, syrups, sugar and carbonated drinks. You could use these sugar products to activate or increase the activities of microbes in your compost pile.

Image via WikipediaSome other Greens include vegetable and fruit wastes and eggshells, as well as coffee grounds, filters, and teabags. For the Browns, there are also hay, straw, and cornstalks. Pine needles fall also under the Browns category. However, use moderation when adding these, as using too much pine needles on the compost pile will give the Browns too much of an advantage.

A successful compost comes with the correct ratio of Brown and Green components. Ideally, a “Browns” and “Greens” of composting ratio of 3:1 would ensure a good compost.

This means, you will have three parts or the pile made of components high in carbon (Browns) and one part of it made up of nitrogen-rich ingredients (Greens).  You can fudge this a little, but you will just need to pay attention to it and tweak it in the correct direction if you notice problems. E.G. if it's getting smelly, add some Browns. If it's slowing down or not composting fast enough, add some Greens.

Have fun, and feel free to ask your composting questions below!