Composting is simple when you know what you’re doing, and that’s what we’re here to help you with! With benefits like enriching the soil, helping to retain moisture and suppress plant diseases, and encouraging the production of beneficial bacteria, who WOULDN’T want to engage in this great gardening practice?
- Choose a spot for your compost that gets plenty of sun so the soil will develop faster.
- Water it just often enough to keep it moist
You can make your own using a big barrel or container, about 3 ft around, waist-high. Consider using a cover if you are worried about how it looks or about the smell.
- Use some fencing around the compost bin to discourage animals.
- Collect “green waste” and “brown waste” to add to your compost pile. “Green” is the kitchen waste and “brown” includes everything from wood shavings to old newspapers and leaves.
- Over the weeks, your food scraps will start turning into soil. Mix and turn the contents every week. If it starts to smell, add some more “brown” waste to the pile to promote oxygen.
Compost is not a replacement for soil but it a wonderful natural fertilizer. Add it to garden beds and new plantings!
**DO NOT ADD THESE TO YOUR COMPOST PILE: Dairy products. Meats. Pet waste. Fats/oil. These can all attract insects that will contaminate your compost.
The following compost bins and materials are available here at Evergreen of Johnson City to get you start and keep the compost coming:
