During Earth Day last week. experts told us one way we can help is by composting. Did you know that the U.S. wastes over 60 million tons of food a year? That’s more than any other country in the world! Food waste contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, like methane, carbon dioxide, and nitrous oxides, all of which contribute to global warming. If we compost our food waste, we can help.<\/p>\n
What is composting? The Environmental Protection Agency says composting is the aerobic decomposition of organic materials (food scraps, yard waste) into nutrient-rich soil amendments that build soil health and reduce waste. It requires a mix of “browns” (carbon-rich) and “greens” (nitrogen-rich), moisture, and air, and can take 8-12 weeks or over a year to break down, depending on the method used.<\/p>\n
Pick an area in your yard, at least four foot square, preferably shady and dry. Begin to layer in what they call “greens” and “browns.” Greens are grass clippings, fresh leaves (from pruning, not from diseased plants or insect-infested plants), fresh food scraps (not meats as they can attract rodents), and not pet waste, etc. They break down to release nitrogen.<\/p>\n
Browns are dried leaves, broken up twigs, cardboard, straw. They break down to release carbon. The best mix is three parts carbons (browns) to one part nitrogen (greens).<\/p>\n
About once a week take a pitchfork and turn the patch over to aerate it.\u00a0 Water it about once a\u00a0week\u00a0if\u00a0we\u00a0haven’t\u00a0had any rain.\u00a0 Turning it over will help speed it up.\u00a0\u00a0You’ll begin to see your first bit of compost in a few months.<\/p>\n
Compost improves soil health by adding organic matter, so mix it well in the top 3 or 4 inches of soil around garden plants.\u00a0 You can mix about 1 part compost to 3 to 4 parts potting soil for your indoor plants<\/p>\n
Not only will making your own compost help your garden, but it will also the environment. Mother Nature will thank you!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"