Container composting for everyone
Many people believe that composting requires a large space, with frequent trips hauling kitchen scraps and bags of grass clippings and leaves.
With shoveling, digging and turning, is composting really worth the effort?Yes! Getting started in composting can take place in small spaces using a bin or container.Container composting is an easy method of composting that involves everyone in the family. For those living in apartments or small homes where compost piles are not permitted or not accessible, container composting is the perfect solution.Compost is decomposed organic materials. Composting is the process of gathering organic materials, placing them into a container and facilitating their decomposition with the proper amounts of oxygen and moisture. The result is a loamy material, rich in nutrients and beneficial organisms.Compost is applied in the garden as a soil amendment, top dressing or mulch. Compost benefits garden plants, perennials and shrubs by maintaining soil health, regulating moisture and fertility.Begin container composting by obtaining a large container with a lid. The lid is necessary to maintain the proper temperature and moisture content. Open the lid when the temperature is too hot, and close the lid when there is rain or snow.Place the container in an area that has part sun and is easily accessible to you but inaccessible to wildlife. Start the compost by layering small twigs or straw on the bottom of the container. These materials aerate and drain the compost as it decomposes and prevents the compost from becoming slimy.The next layer includes kitchen scraps, such as raw vegetables and fruits, coffee grounds and egg shells. Chopping the scraps into small pieces facilitates the decomposition process. Save the scraps in a small container or freezer bag until they are placed into the compost container. Shredded newspaper and coffee filters work, too.Layer more leaves, straw, woody brush, twigs, sawdust and grass clippings.This layering process incorporates nitrogen, carbon, oxygen and moisture, all of which are needed to begin the composting process.Continue to layer your materials, alternating with dead leaves, twigs, straw (dry, carbon materials) and fresh grass clippings, and vegetable and fruit scraps (wet, nitrogen sources).Once the container is filled with five to six layers of these alternating materials, cover the container with straw and close the lid. During the winter months, you can turn the pile on a warm winter day every two or three weeks, and you can add dry material and kitchen scraps at this time. Otherwise, the compost bin can remain undisturbed.In the spring, turn the pile using a small rake or pitch fork. Turning the layering material accelerates its decomposition.Ideally, the compost temperature should be 150 degrees. Use a compost thermometer to measure the temperature; these thermometers have a long probe that can reach deep into the compost bin.Over time, the compostable materials decompose to half the size of the original materials. Within a year, the compost is ready for use in the garden. Compost that is ready for use will have a rich, dark brown color and an earthy smell.Container composting is a year round process that is simple to undertake and maintain.Involve children in the composting process by having them save kitchen scraps and empty the scrap container into the compost bin. Supervise family members to assure that only organic materials are added to the scrap container.Materials that are never added to a compost container are bones, meat (raw and cooked) oils and fats, plants that are diseased, weeds that can grow from roots or stem cuttings, and human and pet wastes.Teach children about the chemical interactions of the composting process and the benefits that compost adds to the garden. Older children can be responsible for turning the compost in the bin and measuring its temperature. Everyone can help spread the compost when it is ready for the garden.Penn State Extension offers additional details on composting for home gardeners (https://extension.psu.edu/home-composting-a-guide-for-home-gardeners).On April 1 from 7 to 8:15 p.m., Penn State Extension is offering a virtual workshop on composting. Home Composting: Nature's Recycler, will provide an overview of the benefits and the simple steps of home composting.Attendees will learn the amazing natural processes that will turn kitchen scraps and yard waste into compost that can be used to improve your ornamental and vegetable garden. Best practices for home composting will be presented. The cost is $5. To learn more, go to extension.psu.edu and type into the search box: composting nature's recycler webinar. Follow the links to register.For more information on composting, call the Master Gardener Garden Hotline at 724-287-4761, ext. 7, or email the Master Gardeners at butlermg@psu.edu.<b>Maria Worst is a Butler County Master Gardener.</b>
