Waste Not Want Not Wednesday

Composting -

Composting is a terrific way to reuse organic matter. It will feed your vegetable garden, flowerbeds and lawn. I rarely purchase fertilizer because rich compost will provide you with all the fertilizer your plant life can consume. Composting is a simple task that even apartment dwellers can do - it is great for those container gardens I often see apartment dwellers tending while out on their patios.

For many years, I had a homemade compost bin made out of three pallets turned up on their sides and held together with baling wire. We simply deposited our organic matter in a pile in the bin. During dry periods, I would water it to keep it moist, not wet, and 2-3 times per month I would use a pitch fork to turn / stir the piled up matter. Last spring I purchased a composting barrel that turns with a crank. It was a 2009 clearance model so, I bought it at a deeply discounted price. I think a composting barrel would work well for folks living in an apartment who have limited space. However, I've also met folks who use a large black garbage bag for composting as well.

Here's a list of organic materials we have put in our compost bin:

shredded paper
dryer lint
vegetable & fruit scraps
grass clippings
leaves
old hay from the hen house / rabbit pens
chicken manure
5 gal. buckets of the baled, yucky water from the stock trough (I do this 1-2 times per month / I also pour this water on my flower beds -the plants LOVE it)
rabbit manure
vegetarian feeds that have gotten wet & are no longer usable
horse manure
cow manure
dead plants that did not die from disease or fungus

Things we NEVER put in our compost bin include:

meat or processed animal products, such as milk or cheese
animal feces from any carnivorous animal, such as our dog
garden or flowerbed plants that have a plant disease or fungus (it is best to dispose of these in the burn pit OR in the trash)

So, in the end don't waste those kitchen scraps and other organic materials by throwing them in the trash. Save some money on your gardens, flowerbeds and lawn by reusing it in the form of FREE compost.