Have you ever wanted to learn more about Compost? Our first “Grubby Writer” article is written by Jeffrey Margulies of Roslindale:

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Compost

Compost (play /ˈkɒmpɒst/ or /ˈkɒmpoʊst/) is organic matter that has been decomposed and recycled as a fertilizer and soil amendment. Compost is a key ingredient in organic farming. At the simplest level, the process of composting simply requires making a heap of wetted organic matter (leaves, food waste) and waiting for the materials to break down into soil after a period of weeks or months.

Let’s compost. It’s simple, safe and fun.   A composting bin is simple to set up. It’s safe from children and critters. It’s fun to walk outside, feel the sun and make an eco-deposit. We built a bin with wooden loading pallets, chicken wire and a front door on the bottom to extract the “black gold”.

You don’t need to do all the work. There are 2 composters I would recommend. At gardeners.com, check out the Deluxe Pyramid Composter (It comes in black and brown). Another favorite is at compostbins.com look at the Exaco Theramaquick 110 Gallon Recycled Plastic Compost Bin. With a name like that, you would think it would cost $599. but,you can buy it on sale for less than $100.

Also think about the Single Bin Wire Composter. It’s a convenient and tidy way to store your leaves, grass clippings, weeds and other yard debris (no twigs)- they decompose really slowly). Both the bins appear to have good aeration, controlled entrance of water, a large opening on top for easy turning and stirring and a good sized door for easy access to your finished product. When you get the bin, till the soil underneath for drainage-there won’t be a bottom. Put a 6″ to 12″ mixed layer of leaves, grass,weeds, hay, straw, (not too many pine needles), and any kitchen scraps you’ve already accumulated, in the bottom of the bin. The more you shred, the faster everything will decompose.

From here on, it’s really easy. Place a sealable container next to the sink for easy scraping of plates. A caveat: no citrus, meat, poultry or fish. Remember, the smaller the pieces, the quicker the decomposition. Deposit the contents every 3-4 days. Throw it all around. Drop a thin layer of your leaf, etc. mixture in the bin and stir it and turn it over a little. You don’t have to do this every time-just when you see the scraps accumulating. We’ve cut down on our trash by 75% and we don’t have to buy any “enriched soil”.

You’re going to have to wait for the warmer weather for decomposing to start. But it’s worth waiting for!

If you would like to guest blog join our “Grubby Writers” in writing helpful gardening tips, see our submissions blog for details, looking forward to hearing from you soon.