FAQ: Is it easy to start composting?
Answer: Yes, composting is easy to start. You need to pick a spot to put your compost in, with access to fill and stir the compost.
The simplest definition of composting is “Composting is the biological decomposition of organic matter,” according to an article by Sheri Sanders of the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service.
In this blog post, you’ll learn more about becoming a beginner composter, including the following tips:
- 8 composting benefits for the beginner composter
- The essential composting ingredients for the beginner composter
- Setting up your compost pile: Easy steps and maintenance tips
- Black gold: Using finished compost in your lawn, garden, and flowerbeds.
8 Composting Benefits for the Beginner Composter
So, you want to start composting. But you wonder if it’s worth it.
When you start your compost pile, you’ll save money at your local garden center because you won’t need to buy as much fertilizer.
You’re not only getting free loamy soil after your green and brown products break down in the compost, but you’re also reducing the amount of garbage going to landfills.
Here are eight composting benefits for the beginner composter:
- Saves on water because the loamy soil that forms will hold moisture in the soil longer.
- The soil craves compost, which helps aerate the soil and encourages microorganisms, fungi, and bacteria to break down waste.
- Reduces methane emissions in landfills.
- Produces healthy plants because of the nutrients found in compost.
- Reduces plant diseases and enables plants’ growth.
- Creates sustainability by reducing carbon emissions.
- Prevents erosion and fertilizer run-off.
- Use compost as topdressing for your lawn and gardens.
Learn more: Tips for Sustainable Gardening
The Essential Composting Ingredients for the Beginner Composter
Starting a composting pile is easy when it comes to ingredients because you already have them in your home and in your yard.
Additionally, you can buy a composter or start a pile in your backyard with a tarp as a base for the compost pile.
What is the key to becoming a successful beginner composter? Ensuring an even balance between green and brown debris that will break down.
Green debris includes
- Kitchen scraps, such as lettuce, kale, carrots, and other vegetables, avoid fats, sugar, and sauces because you’ll attract critters to your compost bin.
Herbs and spices can freely go in your compost if they don’t contain any additional condiments.
- Horse, rabbit, and other herbivore manure; don’t include dog, cat, or human feces.
- If you enjoy fishing, dump the nightcrawler soil in your compost pile.
- Green debris can also be houseplants, annuals left over from summer, and green plant waste.
- You can grasscycle by adding your grass clippings to your compost pile.
Brown debris comprises of
- Kitchen scraps, including tea leaves, coffee grounds, and eggshells.
- Non-glossy paper, such as newspaper, paper bags, paper filling, and cardboard boxes.
- Dead or dry leaves
- Hay and straw
- Sawdust
- Wood ash (use sparingly).
Don’t add these products to your compost pile or bin:
- Animal derivatives, such as bones, meat, and dairy products
- Condiments rich in fat, including mayonnaise, peanut butter, salad dressings, and vegetable oils
- Human or pet feces
- Any landscaping, lawn, or garden waste with pesticides
- Diseased plant material
- Weeds
- Plastics, including biodegradable ones
- Pressure-treated wood
- Large sticks or branches
- Raspberry brambles
- Black walnut leaves and twigs.
Learn more: How to Make Compost at Home (Using Kitchen Scraps and Other Natural Waste!)
Setting Up Your Compost Pile: Easy Steps and Maintenance Tips
In the blog post, How to Make Compost for Your Backyard & Lawn, we talked about how to build a compost bin and encouraged you to go to these websites to learn how to build your composter:
- How to Build a Classroom Compost Bin by This Old House.
- How to Make a Composter from The Spruce.
- Composters for Sale on Amazon.
- Here’s another resource, The 9 Best Composters of 2024, Tested and Reviewed by The Spruce.
If you buy a composter that you must turn, ensure that you keep turning it. Likewise, you’ll need a pitchfork or a border fork to turn the compost in a wood bin.
Compost piles use heat to break down brown and green debris. Your compost bin also needs water. You can add water to your open, wooden compost bin. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your composter if you have a tumble composter.
Black Gold: Using Finished Compost in Your Lawn, Garden, and Flowerbeds
Gardeners and horticulturists recognize that compost is gardening black gold because the green and brown waste you mix in your compost bin turns black and smells loamy like the forest.
And compost benefits your gardens and flowerbeds. Compost is considered a soil amendment because it improves soil health. Use it as a top dressing on your lawn or as fertilizer in your garden. You’ll notice that your plants are healthier and your soil is easier to work with.
You’ll find that your veggies and fruits produce bountiful produce, your lawn looks greener, and your flowerbeds brighter.
Equip Yourself as a Beginner Composter with Brinly’s Essential Garden Equipment
Get in on the composting action with Brinly’s Lawn and Garden Products! Our quality, heavy-duty lawn and garden attachments will help you as a beginner composter.
For example, our lawn sweepers help you remove leaves, small twigs, grass clippings, and thatch from your lawn this fall.
Our yard sweepers comb through your property, dislodging debris and flipping it into the hamper. The brushes are fastened to the sweeper’s axle, which connects with the wheels.
When the wheels are spinning, the brushes rotate at the same time. When your hamper is full, drive it to your compost pile and pull the rope to empty it.
Our tow-behind carts make it easy to take green and brown scraps from your house to your compost bin.
Our carts are made to last because they are designed with one-piece, heavy-duty compression-molded polypropylene. Our cart’s thick poly bed won’t dent or rust; it sits atop a durable powder-coated steel frame. You can maneuver the cart to dump at a steep angle with a hands-free foot pedal release.
What are you waiting for?
Order your lawn sweeper and tow-behind cart online at these retailers.
Need assistance? Our customer service team is here to help. Fill out our contact form with any questions, and we’ll reply promptly.
Sources:
Co.Calumet.WI.us, Calumet Recycles: Green & Brown Compost.
Extension.WVU.edu, Composting for Beginners.
LawnStarter.com, Composting 101: How to Start Composting.
UAEX.UADA.edu, Black Gold – The Benefits of Compost.
