Would You Like to Get Rid of All Your Kitchen and Yard Waste? Here Are Some Tips

Introduction

Composting is a great way to reduce your household waste and help the environment. Composting simply means using bacteria to decompose organic matter into new soil. You may be thinking, “I thought that was what my garbage can did!” All those things you put in your trash can will eventually decompose, but they take longer and produce methane gas at the same time. The best thing about composting is that it allows you to save money on buying fertilizer because you’ll have it right in your backyard!

What is composting?

Composting is the process of decomposing organic materials, such as plants and kitchen scraps, into a useful soil amendment. Composting is a natural process that occurs when organic materials are broken down by microorganisms, bacteria, fungi and other organisms. The resulting compost can be used in gardens or landscape beds to improve the soil’s nutritional value or added to houseplants for added nutrients and moisture retention.

What foods can you compost?

Composting is a great way to get rid of all your kitchen and yard waste. Here’s what you can compost:

Food scraps from the kitchen
Yard waste from the yard
Plants from your garden

Can you put paper and cardboard in composts?

You can compost paper and cardboard. In fact, carbon-rich materials like these are a great addition to your compost pile because they help speed up the decomposition process by providing nutrients for microbes and breaking down more quickly than other types of waste. However, not all types of paper and cardboard are appropriate for composting. For example, corrugated cardboard (like you would find in a shipping container) is too hard for microorganisms to eat away at it—so it’s best to dispose of that kind of material in the trash instead. If you’re unsure about whether or not something is acceptable for composting, check out our guide on What Can I Compost?

How do you know when your compost is ready to use?

The best way to know when your compost is ready to use is through the senses. Compost should be dark brown and crumbly, like a good soil conditioner. It should smell earthy, not foul (you’ll know it if you’ve smelled something foul). When you squeeze it, it should feel moist but not wet. And when you spread it over your garden or plants, they’ll thank you by growing big and strong!

How do you use your compost once it’s done?

Once your compost is ready, you can use it in a variety of ways:

As soil conditioner to improve the texture and drainage properties of your garden soil.
As mulch around plants to help retain moisture and prevent weeds.
In your garden beds, vegetable gardens, and planters for nutrient-rich fertilizer that increases overall plant health.
In houseplants or pots as a soil additive to keep them healthy longer. This is especially effective if you have indoor plants that aren’t getting enough sunlight (parlor palms, Dracaena sanderiana).
On the lawn to feed grass clippings back into the ground where they belong! This is especially useful during winter when you don’t have much yard waste but want to fertilize anyway—just make sure not too much goes on at once because too much nitrogen will cause browning out rather than greening up!

What other things can you make with compost?

So, you’ve decided to start composting. That’s awesome! Now we can get started on some of the things that you can do with your compost.

Compost can be used to fertilize plants. Just add a little bit of compost around the base of your plants or in their pots and you’ll be giving them an extra boost of nutrients. This will help them grow faster, make bigger flowers and leaves, and generally look better than if they didn’t have any fertilizer at all.
Compost can also be used as potting soil for seedlings or larger plants such as tomatoes and peppers (or any other vegetables). Just mix some compost into regular potting soil before using it as your medium for growing seeds or starting seeds indoors under lights so they can get off to a good start when they’re planted outside later in the year!
If there are no gardeners around who need some fertile soil then perhaps this would be good news for them because I’ve just found out about another way people use compost: making their own tea made out of fresh leaves like mints or lemon balm which tastes great when served hot but even better when chilled over ice cubes made from filtered water stored overnight without chlorine added during treatment processes before filtration process concerns exist because filtering removes harmful chemicals while leaving behind beneficial minerals needed by plants.”

What do you do with egg shells and coffee grounds?

Most people have a lot of egg shells and coffee grounds in their kitchen. The good news is that you can use them to make a natural fertilizer and soil amendment, both of which are great ways to recycle and reuse your kitchen waste!

Egg shells: Egg shells are made up mostly of calcium carbonate (also known as lime), so they’ll actually help your plants grow by providing them with potassium, magnesium and nitrogen. To make an egg shell fertilizer, just put some crushed eggshells in a bag or container with some water for about 2 weeks—the longer you let them sit, the more nutrients will leach out into the water. Then drain out the liquid from this “tea” and add it directly to your garden soil when watering plants. You can also add un-crushed eggshells directly into compost piles if you want to get rid of them without having extra liquid around at home first—just remember not to put any meat products or other organic matter on top!
Coffee grounds: Ground coffee grounds contain many valuable nutrients like nitrogen minerals (potassium) magnesium), phosphorus (another major nutrient necessary for plant growth). When added to soil as compost they break down very slowly over time releasing these nutrients slowly over time into surrounding soils helping gardens grow healthy plants even when no fertilizer has been applied directly onto them yet.”

What materials can I not add to my compost pile?

Don’t add meat, fat, or dairy products. These items will not break down in your compost pile and could attract unwanted pests.
Don’t add plastic or anything that has a chemical smell to it. Polymers like those found in many plastics will not break down in the composting process and can even leach into the soil at higher temperatures.
If a plant is diseased or has been exposed to chemicals or pesticides, do not include it in your compost pile; this may contaminate future batches of compost as well as any plants grown from them.

Composting is easy, useful, and good for the environment!

Composting is a great way to recycle your kitchen and yard waste. It’s easy, useful, and good for the environment! Composting is also a natural process that has been going on since long before humans arrived on earth. If you’re interested in composting but have never tried it before or are new at composting, this blog will help you get started with some tips and tricks from experienced composters (like us).

Conclusion

It’s easy to get started with composting, but it can be hard to know where to start. I hope this post has helped you figure out what materials are compostable and which ones aren’t. The most important thing is having fun with the process!