Let the Composting Begin for 2010...

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(c) photo copyright Carrie Boyko  2010

Compost Pile Harvested

Time to Start Filling it Again

Tucked neatly behind some bushes, underneath my 4-foot deep overhang, and beside some outdoor piping, I have a little secret hidden in my back yard. Out of view of all my neighbors and all of my windows, my yard's goldmine is a compost pile. You might ask, "Why is a compost pile a goldmine." Let's see how many reasons I can think of:

1. It makes a great soil enhancement (aka fertilizer) for my plants, indoor and out--decorative and edible.
2. It saves landfill space.
3. It builds the fertility of the soil under and nearby it, as well as that where it is added as a soil additive.
4. It allows me to compost many non-food items, as well as discarded food scraps .
5. It lessens the load for my trash pickup crew (they're wondering if we moved sometimes--lol)
6. My compost pile requires no expensive equipment (a compost bin or worm bin, for example) and no enzyme additives. It works with nature's most efficient composters--the underground insects and earthworms do all the work, right there on the ground. In the spirit of full disclosure, I do have a pitchfork for turning the pile.

Hey! Not bad. I surprised myself. A little further info might be in order here. I'll address each of the items above by number:

1. Organic compost, made from primarily organic food scraps and a balance of discarded paper scraps from household use, is THE most excellent and healthy fertilizer for your backyard vegetable garden, or other food-producing plants or trees. Keeping them natural makes them healthier, since you are not adding toxins to the soil they grow in.
2. Okay; I'm not saving tons of landfill space. But think about it. If we all tossed our food scraps, dryer lint, discarded receipts and such into a compost pile, the contributions to our landfills would be cut by at least 25-40%, IMHO. No scientific evidence or stats here; I'm just estimating based on how much my own trash load has decreased since I started composting about 18-20 months ago.
3. Adding organic matter to a pile on the ground draws the underground micro-organisms and earthworms to the surface to eat and digest the scraps, depositing them as organic matter (aka fertilizer) into the pile. With moisture runoff, some of the nutrient value of this process ends up in the nearby soil. In my case, the bushes are getting a boost. Maybe that's why they're so lush and green.
4. Here's a quickie version of what goes into an outdoor compost pile: all food scraps, peels, ends, and food leftovers except meat, dairy and fats. Yup; even the banana peels can go in--even the egg shells--especially the coffee grounds. Pick up more at Starbucks (for free!) and add them regularly. They're good for the pH balance. Discarded paper can also go in--best in small pieces. You can include your toilet paper rolls, paper bags and brown fiberboard boxes (like from cereal), printer paper, newspaper, junk mail (without plastic or coated paper), etc.
5. My trash contributions have dropped noticeably--so much so that a neighbor asked me why I never have more than a bag or two of trash out. I told her about the compost pile in my back yard and she gawked. "Isn't that a lot of work?", she asked. I told her I was blessed with a helpful son who harvested it while home for college break (that's him in the picture). The only other work is an occasional turning with a pitchfork to aerate the pile. That's it! As for my trash crew loving it; well, I haven't received any thank you notes. If my trash gets so light that I can reduce my pickups, I could save some money. That's a good goal; I'll put that on my list.
6. I looked into worm bins and compost bins. They're really clean and neat. I know people who keep them in their kitchens to make it convenient. I have to admit, though, that it seemed more sustainable to use a backyard pile for two reasons: (1) Free (need I say more?), and (2) I can compost a lot of scrap paper along with the food scraps. Actually, it's necessary, in order to maintain the green/brown balance and keep the pile smelling 'rain forest fresh', as my composting mentor calls it.

Okay; that last comment probably left you wondering what the heck I was talking about. But that's for another post. Come back soon and I'll write some more about balancing your compost pile. Meanwhile, if you're in an apartment, or simply want the indoor version of this, check out some of the options at Amazon. They have quite a variety. Here's some; you can look at others with a simple search after you click on anything below. Hope to see you soon.

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