For those of you that received flowers this year for Valentine’s Day, what were your plans for them after they lived out their lives in a vase? Most dead flowers end up in the garbage along with many other organic waste items from our kitchen such as fruits, vegetables, coffee grounds, etc. But did you know that they don’t properly decompose in the landfill? It takes much longer for organic waste to decompose in a landfill, and as it does it gives off gasses that contribute to global warming due do an improper decay cycle.

So what is to be done with all this waste? Why composting it of course! Composting can be done in almost any home environment big or small. And if you garden or raise plants, the advantages the compost gives to soil are exponential! There are so many ways to compost that you can customize it to your own lifestyle.

After some of research, I started my own composting journey last fall. I chose to use a tumbler composter. I keep a compost bucket on my back porch for kitchen scraps, and then take those scraps out to the composter once the bucket is full which ends up being once a day or so. Once I dump the scraps in the bin all I have to do is close it up and turn it to aerate the mixture. I like this tumbler because I can turn it with one hand and hold my daughter in the other. But if you do decide to compost make sure to research all your options, and yes there are even options for people that don’t have a backyard.

With my composting journey being under way for about 6 months, I have learned a few things by trial and error. First, if you are a beginner and want to try the same system I am doing, I would recommend buying a bag of composting bacteria. It’s really helpful in maintaining proper decomposition and pH. Also, don’t put onions, garlic, or citrus fruits on your compost. Some people do it successfully with those items but I try not to tempt fate. You also never want to compost any sort of meat or cheese. Those items introduce harmful bacteria that will make you sick if you end up using the compost for gardening. The only other thing that you have to watch out of your moisture balance. It needs to be moist but not soaking. It’s pretty easy to achieve with a little water or some extra browns. Browns are dry things like yard leaves, clippings, cardboard, shavings. With this system, I hope to have some good quality compost for my garden this year!

Do you compost or have you ever thought about trying to? What composting method do you or would you like to attempt? I’d love to hear about your composting journeys!

Until next time…

The Ag Wife