Building a compost pile outside.
Composting your own food scraps may not sound like the most efficient way to manage waste, but it is surprisingly easy, fast, and a great way to save money!
A store-bought compost bin or tumbler.
As you’ve already learned in this blog, composting is a great way to add natural nutrients back into the soil. It’s also important to be aware of how much food waste your household produces and to take steps to reduce your carbon footprint by composting as much as possible.
What bin or tumbler works best for you depends on your needs and how much material you want to process at once. There are many different options, depending on personal preference, but here are some good places to begin looking:
For those who don’t have their own garden:
- store-bought bins or tumblers
- backyard compost piles—if you have enough space and can do it safely!
For those who want quick results or don’t have enough space:
- worm bins (also called vermicomposting) – worms will help break down your waste quickly and efficiently! These can be as simple as a plastic storage bin with a lid, or more complex setups with multiple chambers. If you’re interested in this option but aren’t sure where to start, there are lots of guides online that can walk you through the process.
Looking for something that looks good in the yard? Why not build one yourself? Bins and tumblers made from wood planks can look beautiful, especially if stained differently on each side. Here’s an example from Apartment Therapy !
Simply digging holes in the ground.
Composting is a great way to get rid of kitchen waste, so long as you don’t have a lot of it—composting requires less effort than building a traditional compost pile, which requires repetition and turning.
What Are the Best Places for Compost?
Composting can be done in vegetable beds or in a dedicated space. If you want to put it in a vegetable bed, do so at the bottom of the bed where it can’t be seen; if you’re doing it with an outdoor composter or bin, place it toward the back so that when people look into your backyard they might not see it. It’s also convenient if you don’t use up all your compost at once, because then you have more capacity for future scraps. If possible, keep your compost pile away from places where animals are likely to go and eat things like moist kitchen scraps. Be careful about letting them get into pest control materials: rats love these deadly traps!
Why Compost?
Compost is great for small amounts of food waste—such as vegetable scraps and coffee grounds—and is cheap to do. It may seem strange or unappealing, but there’s no need to feel embarrassed about making your own compost; not only is it easy to do on your own without any commercial equipment or ingredients (beyond what nature provides!), but many people will find out if given the right opportunity!
Burying scraps in garden beds.
Wondering how to compost? Wondering how to get started, or how to make your current compost routine even more efficient?
If so, you’re in the right place! The best ways to compost at home are discussed in this blog.
In this blog you’ll learn:
- How to figure out what you can and cannot compost if you have a worm bin.
- The different materials that can be added to a worm bin when it’s being used as a gardening tool. Note that for most types of worms, their food source (usually kitchen scraps and leaves) does not have to be cooked first. This means that worms don’t have to be concerned about proper preparation for eating human food!
You can compost at home using many methods, depending on your goals and resources
If you want to compost at home, there are a variety of methods to choose from. Some are easier than others, and some cost more than others. Some will let you get rid of organic waste quickly, while others allow you to slowly build up soil nutrients for gardening. Some may be better for your local area than others, depending on the climate and how much space you have available.
Because composting is an activity that has so many variables and resources out there for its practice (not just limited to blog posts but also books, DIY videos online, etc.) we thought it would be fun to make an interactive blog post where readers can vote on their favorite approach!Building a compost pile outside.
Composting your own food scraps may not sound like the most efficient way to manage waste, but it is surprisingly easy, fast, and a great way to save money!
A store-bought compost bin or tumbler.
As you’ve already learned in this blog, composting is a great way to add natural nutrients back into the soil. It’s also important to be aware of how much food waste your household produces and to take steps to reduce your carbon footprint by composting as much as possible.
What bin or tumbler works best for you depends on your needs and how much material you want to process at once. There are many different options, depending on personal preference, but here are some good places to begin looking:
For those who don’t have their own garden:
store-bought bins or tumblers
backyard compost piles—if you have enough space and can do it safely!
For those who want quick results or don’t have enough space:
worm bins (also called vermicomposting) – worms will help break down your waste quickly and efficiently! These can be as simple as a plastic storage bin with a lid, or more complex setups with multiple chambers. If you’re interested in this option but aren’t sure where to start, there are lots of guides online that can walk you through the process.
Looking for something that looks good in the yard? Why not build one yourself? Bins and tumblers made from wood planks can look beautiful, especially if stained differently on each side. Here’s an example from Apartment Therapy !
Simply digging holes in the ground.
Composting is a great way to get rid of kitchen waste, so long as you don’t have a lot of it—composting requires less effort than building a traditional compost pile, which requires repetition and turning.
What Are the Best Places for Compost?
Composting can be done in vegetable beds or in a dedicated space. If you want to put it in a vegetable bed, do so at the bottom of the bed where it can’t be seen; if you’re doing it with an outdoor composter or bin, place it toward the back so that when people look into your backyard they might not see it. It’s also convenient if you don’t use up all your compost at once, because then you have more capacity for future scraps. If possible, keep your compost pile away from places where animals are likely to go and eat things like moist kitchen scraps. Be careful about letting them get into pest control materials: rats love these deadly traps!
Why Compost?
Compost is great for small amounts of food waste—such as vegetable scraps and coffee grounds—and is cheap to do. It may seem strange or unappealing, but there’s no need to feel embarrassed about making your own compost; not only is it easy to do on your own without any commercial equipment or ingredients (beyond what nature provides!), but many people will find out if given the right opportunity!
Burying scraps in garden beds.
Wondering how to compost? Wondering how to get started, or how to make your current compost routine even more efficient?
If so, you’re in the right place! The best ways to compost at home are discussed in this blog.
In this blog you’ll learn:
How to figure out what you can and cannot compost if you have a worm bin.
The different materials that can be added to a worm bin when it’s being used as a gardening tool. Note that for most types of worms, their food source (usually kitchen scraps and leaves) does not have to be cooked first. This means that worms don’t have to be concerned about proper preparation for eating human food!
You can compost at home using many methods, depending on your goals and resources
If you want to compost at home, there are a variety of methods to choose from. Some are easier than others, and some cost more than others. Some will let you get rid of organic waste quickly, while others allow you to slowly build up soil nutrients for gardening. Some may be better for your local area than others, depending on the climate and how much space you have available.
Because composting is an activity that has so many variables and resources out there for its practice (not just limited to blog posts but also books, DIY videos online, etc.) we thought it would be fun to make an interactive blog post where readers can vote on their favorite approach!
