Discover how easy it is to make your own organic fertilizer from food scraps.
Little to no effort is necessary to compost food into fertilizer. The decomposition of organic materials into nutrient-rich humus is a natural occurrence. However, composting can be sped along, and the nutrient quality improved, by using virtually any of the hundreds of different composting methods. While some methods require initial investments, some of the most effective means of composting food to fertilizer are also the least expensive. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Choose a location in your yard to place a compost pile. If you do not want to compost in a pile, you may also recycle old trash cans and other containers into compost bins. Choose a location near water or a garden hose, with partial to full sunlight and near the front or back door of your home.
2. Start your compost pile by alternating layers of brown and green materials to provide both carbon and nitrogen to your compost pile. Authors of "Backyard Composting" recommend alternating layers measuring 3 to 6 inches thick, starting with a brown material, such as dry leaves, and ending with a top, brown layer of sawdust, yard clippings or other brown materials. Green layers placed between brown layers should include materials such as kitchen scraps, livestock manure and fresh yard clippings.
3. Collect kitchen food scraps and uneaten leftovers in a sealable container in your kitchen. When you venture outdoors, use a shovel to push back the top layer of brown materials and bury your food scraps in the compost pile or bin. Push the top materials back over the scraps.
4. Monitor the compost pile to ensure the most rapid and effective composting for your needs. If the compost pile dries out, water can be applied to return the moisture content and make the pile the same dampness as a wet, wrung-out sponge.
5. Turn the compost bin or pile to mix materials and keep oxygen in the pile. This will help to speed the rate of decomposition. To turn or mix the pile you may use a shovel or pitchfork to mix the brown and green materials together. You can turn your compost pile as often as once per week or never at all, depending on how quickly you want the materials to compost.
6. Remove finished compost from your bin or pile and place on chosen garden locations. Mix the finished compost into the soil to provide an all-natural fertilizer for future plants. You may also place finished compost on the ground surface as a mulch to provide nutrients to existing plants and gardens.
Tags: compost pile, finished compost, food scraps, your compost, your compost pile