Spring Composting

If you’re the outdoor gardening type, are thinking about adding a garden to your front or back yard, or are simply looking for a way to reduce waste and help the environment, then the spring is the perfect time to start up a compost heap. Composting is amazing for the environment and even if maintaining it seems a little “icky” at first, it’s sure to quickly become an easy way to dispose of organic garbage and help your garden grow that you and your kids will love. To put together a basic compost heap all you really need to get started is a space in your yard a few feet by a few feet that you’d like to set aside for the heap, a tool to turn the compost like a pitchfork or shovel, and plenty of waste to get started!

The first thing you want to do when choosing an area for your compost heap is look at your city or neighborhood ordinances. Some places have rules about where on property lines a compost heap is allowed to be placed and, on occasion, composting can get a little fragrant so you want to keep your neighbors in mind when you’re positioning it. You’ll also want to decide if you’re simply letting the compost sit on the ground or if you’re going to be using a bin or barrel. Using a container will keep it looking a little neater.

The best containers will have a door towards the bottom to get the fresh compost out of. You can also build a container yourself out of chicken wire or garden fencing.

Next, you just start adding to it. The best compost uses a variety of different ingredients. Use leaves and grass clipping from your yard along with leftover kitchen waste. You want to avoid things like old meat and bones, cat/dog poop, or dairy products but feel free to fill it with leftover bits of fruit and vegetables, crab shells, coffee grounds, and all of that. Dryer lint is also a great thing to add but you’ll want to run it under water before you add it to the heap.

The easiest way to make sure that your kitchen waste makes it to your compost pile is to have a small bin inside and empty it into the pile regularly. You don’t want that stuff stinking up your kitchen!

A lot of composters develop their own “rituals” for things like turning their compost or otherwise speeding it up. You can read more or experiment yourself but the easiest way to get your fresh compost is to just wait. It’ll naturally beak down until you have amazing compost at the bottom. Just keep adding new stuff to the top of the pile regularly.

Once you’ve got your compost, don’t forget to use it! You’ve been waiting a long time for this, so don’t let it go to waste. The compost will be good as long as you’re adding to your pile and keeping it going, but there are so many ways to use it I doubt you’ll want to wait. You can add it to your vegetable garden for bigger and better harvests, put it on your flower bed for healthier and more beautiful flowers, or spread it on your lawn so it’ll grow thick and green. It’s a great spring project that will keep you actively helping the environment all year round.