Last week, we spoke about gardening in
small spaces or in a city. This week, we’re going to expand a little and talk
about composting. You might be thinking, “Why are we talking about compost?
There is no way I can do that.” Well, I invite you to think about the
environment you are leaving to future generations and read on to see if you can
do it! Keep in mind that New York City has had a composting project since 1993
and in San Francisco, composting is mandatory! Check your neighborhood to see
if there is a community composting bin nearby
or even start one! You can also check to see if any nurseries in the
area have one.
In 2010, Americans produced 250
million tons of trash. Gross, right? The sad part is, about half of that stuff
is compostable. This means we could let it go back into the environment
naturally instead of sending it to the trash dumps. The other half (the
non-compostables) also include recyclables, which we will get to later this
month.
So what’s compostable and what’s
not? Well, here are some things that you can put in your compost pile and feel
good about: fruits and veggies, shredded paper or cardboard, coffee grounds and
filters/teabags, dead leaves, wood chips/bark/mulch/old top soil, egg shells
(rinsed), grains, cereals, grass
clippings, hay or straw, cow or horse manure (probably not in the city!),
fireplace ashes, dryer lint, hair, houseplants, pet fur, cotton rags, vacuum
residuals, wool rags, pine needles, sawdust, shredded newspaper, and nut
shells. Things that are NOT compostable are: pet waste/cat litter, meats/bones,
dairy products, fats/oils/grease/lards, anything treated with pesticides, coal
and charcoal.
Now that you know what you can and
can’t put in your pile, here’s how to go about making one. In your compost bin,
line the bottom with four to eight inches of coarse brown materials. This can
be as simple as a garbage can, but make sure you drill holes for aeration so
the compost doesn’t turn. Keep the compost moist. Mix or aerate the compost two
to three times each week. You can also use what is referred to as a worm bin,
meaning that yes, you are bringing up worms, but it is space efficient and can
(from one person) produce up to 30 pounds of compost in four months. If you’re
thinking to yourself that you have no place to use the compost that you
produce, look at the plants out front! Many plants are mistreated due to the
elements, pets using them as toilets, etc. and could use the nutrient-rich
compost to come back to vibrant life.
Helpful Links
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There’s
a lot of great information here, so please click around!
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A
neat blog post about one mom’s experience composting in an apartment
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Great
tips, including how to keep it from smelling
