Composting has become big news in the last few years, as homeowners are discovering the delights of naturally disposing of household wastes in an eco-friendly manner. Not to mention…homeowners are getting loads of free high-quality fertilizer to improve their gardens and lawns.
Gardening experts agree that composting is arguably nature’s best way to improve your soils - instead of using toxic and expensive commercial fertilizers. The good news is that compositing is extremely EASY to do with just a few tools. You already have the raw materials in your yard to get started.
How Natural Compost Helps Your Soil
It is no secret that composting helps your soils by improving the structure, texture and aeration of the soil composition. Additionally, it helps your soil hold water - which is essential for your plants and grasses to have the time to soak up your waterings. This helps root development greatly.
Beyond the soil itself, composting helps provide food for those essential micro-organisms that we cannot see. These critters do an excellent job of keeping the soil in balance naturally by producing nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous.
What this means for you is that you will never have to do more for your soil than to mix in some compost. Nature takes care of the rest. I am sure that the companies who sell fertilizers don’t really want you to hear that!
How to Get Started with Composting
If you can create a pile of something (like your dirty laundry), you can start composting - that simple! The easiest place to find the dark carbon-rich organic materials would be from your yard clippings, kitchen scraps, and other organic waste.
Keep adding to the pile and turn it every so often to mix up the nutrients. Depending on your climate, you can expect a good pile of compost in a month or so.
Products and Accessories to Help with Composting
In order to avoid scaring your neighbors, you may want to pruchase a compost bin. These cleverly designed enclosures help you manage the compost and keep your yard looking neat. We will look at different features in upcoming posts.
You may want to invest a small amount of money in a compost thermometer to help you keep the right amount of organic waste in the mix during the composting process.
That should get you started with composting. We look forward to providing more in-depth information to help you refine your composting skills in upcoming posts.
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