Composting

[songbird]

 Yard trimmings and food residuals together constitute around 20 percent of the solid waste in the world. That's a lot of waste to send to landfills when it could become useful and environmentally beneficial compost instead!  One of the best ways we can all do our part to help clean up the environment and maintain a healthy world to live in is to compost substances that would otherwise to go landfills. 

Compost is organic material that can be used as a soil amendment or as a medium to grow plants. Mature compost is a stable material with a content called humus that is dark brown or black and has a soil-like, earthy smell. It is created by: combining organic wastes (e.g., yard trimmings, food wastes, manures) in proper ratios into piles, rows, or vessels; adding bulking agents (e.g., wood chips) as necessary to accelerate the breakdown of organic materials; and allowing the finished material to fully stabilize and mature through a curing process.

Natural composting, or biological decomposition, began with the first plants on earth and has been going on ever since. As vegetation falls to the ground, it slowly decays, providing minerals and nutrients needed for plants, animals, and microorganisms. Mature compost, however, includes the production of high temperatures to destroy pathogens and weed seeds that natural decomposition does not destroy.

Composting is a great way to reduce the amount of household waste your family throws to the curb each week.  

You can keep a small bucket or container in your kitchen for household biodegrdables, such as plant scraps, fruit peels and vegetable ends or cores and then transfer to your outdoor compost heap or container as needed.


Here is a list of some things that can be added to your compost heap:

Animal manure
Cardboard rolls
Clean paper
Coffee grounds and filters
Cotton rags
Dryer and vacuum cleaner lint
Eggshells
Fireplace ashes
Fruits and vegetables
Grass clippings
Hair and fur
Hay and straw
Houseplants
Leaves
Nut shells
Sawdust
Shredded newspaper
Tea bags
Wood chips
Wool rags
Yard trimmings



What NOT to compost: (and why)


Black walnut tree leaves or twigs
   Releases substances that might be harmful to plants

Coal or charcoal ash
    Might contain substances harmful to plants

Dairy products (e.g., butter, egg yolks, milk, sour cream, yogurt)
   Create odor problems and attract pests such as rodents and flies

Diseased or insect-ridden plants
   Diseases or insects might survive and be transferred back to other plants

Fats, grease, lard, or oils
    Create odor problems and attract pests such as rodents and flies

Meat or fish bones and scraps
    Create odor problems and attract pests such as rodents and flies

Pet wastes (e.g., dog or cat feces, soiled cat litter)
    Might contain parasites, bacteria, germs, pathogens, and viruses harmful to humans

Yard trimmings treated with chemical pesticides
    Might kill beneficial composting organisms



Finished compost can be applied to lawns and gardens to help condition the soil and replenish nutrients. Compost, however, should not be used as potting soil for houseplants because of the presence of weed and grass seeds.

[songbird]

As recycling continues to prove a worthy effort, the benefitsbenefitsbenefits of using compost have been extensively studied. The results reveal physical, chemical, biological, and environmental benefitsbenefitsbenefits. There are many uses for compost, all of which have proven beneficial in some way.

Compost benefits the soil where it is used by improving drainage and moisture absorption, especially in soils that are otherwise poor quality. This makes growing in various types of soils easier and more productive. Compost also benefitsbenefitsbenefits the plant matter grown in the soil by providing nutrients to the plant’s growing area. Compost does not make an effective fertilizer for vegetable and ornamental plants, but it helps reduce runoff, making the use of fertilizer more productive and keeping it out of the water.

Environmentally, the use of compost has been shown to remediate, or clean up, contaminated soils by reducing toxic runoffs, binding certain toxins that might otherwise escape, and it prevents erosion when used near roadways, lakes, rivers, and streams. In addition to the biological, chemical, and environmental benefitsbenefitsbenefits of compost, the use of compost creates economic benefitsbenefitsbenefits. Using compost reduces the amount of fertilizer, water, and pesticides needed to produce healthy plants, and it is cheaper than artificial soils.

Many municipalities utilize a yard waste recycle center to create compost for use by the city and its residents. If your city has a yard waste recycle center, you can most likely drop off your leaves and grass clippings there. This not only helps the city in its efforts to be environmentally responsible, but many cities also offer the finished compost to their residents for gardening use.

If you decide to start your own compost pile, remember that you can add organic material rather than throwing it away. The nutrients in organic matter will enhance your composting pile. Be sure to keep your compostingcompostingcomposting pile where scavenging critters can’t easily access it. Your compost pile will need to be turned to aerate about once a week, and in very dry conditions, you will need to add water. Compost is ready when the putrid smell has disappeared and it smells earthy, looks dark, and is relatively crumbly.

You can spread compost in your garden, on flower beds, around trees, and even on top of your lawn. Woody compost can be used as an alternative to synthetic mulch as well. When using compost, you can not only congratulate yourself on being environmentally responsible, but you can also enjoy the long-term benefitsbenefitsbenefits compost provides to your garden and flowerbeds.

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-the-benefits-of-compost.htm