How to Make Compost

By Heather Schulte

Make Compost

Composting is very simple. All you need is food scraps and some earth. Compost benefits are the production of fertile soil and the reduction of waste. You don't have to be a master gardener to benefit from composting. Your plants will love composted soil.

Difficulty: Easy

 

Things You'll Need:

• Dirt
• Food scraps

1. Save your fruit and vegetable scraps. Get an old coffee can or similar container with a tight lid. Place it under your sink and when you are peeling fruits and vegetables, make sure they go in the can instead of in the trash. Fruit and vegetable scraps, egg shells, and coffee grounds make excellent scraps for composting. Never compost anything greasy such as meat. It will compromise the quality.
   
   Once your can of scraps is full, you must bury the scraps in dirt. You can also bury yard waste, such as leaves and grass. The most efficient method of composting is to bury the waste. The worms will migrate there. No bin or tumbler is needed. However, you can compost more elaborately, by setting up a special compost bin. If you use an open bin, once again, the worms will migrate to the soil and food scraps. Make sure you drill a few holes in the bottom of the bin to give the worms easier access. If you use a sealed bin or tumbler, you will need to add dirt and worms as the worms will not be able to enter on their own. A sealed bin, such as a compost tumbler, is convenient in colder months because you can keep it near your back door without worrying about odor.
   
2. 3
   Let the worms do the composting work. Worms naturally create compost. Compost is essentially very fertile dirt. It takes a few months for the worms to turn the waste into fertile dirt. Various factors play into the length of time, including the temperature of the soil. Turn the soil, a few months after burying the scraps and you will notice the scraps have become dark healthy looking dirt.
   
3. 4
   Use your compost. You can use compost in your garden or to perk up a houseplant needing fertilized.
   

 

 

Tips & Warnings

• Learn to love worms. :)