greenliving
A Practical Guide to Composting Pick the Best Option for You
by Tracy Fernandez Rysavy
Y
ard and food waste make up 25 percent of the garbage destined for municipal landfills, according
to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Pick the right composter and this organic waste will easily turn into rich—and free—garden fertilizer, saving landfill space and reducing the volume of greenhouse gases generated by an- aerobic decomposition.
Unless using a specialized bin, maintain a roughly 50/50 compost mix- ture of “brown” and “green” organic waste for ideal results. Green waste is moist, such as fruit and vegetable peels; brown waste comprises dry and papery material, including grass clippings.
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Low-Maintenance Pile Good for: People that want something simple, don’t need fertilizer immediately and have extra outdoor space; average to large households with yard waste. Maintaining a compost pile is as easy as its name implies—simply toss organic yard and kitchen waste into a pile in the yard. Aerating or turning the com- post with a pitchfork or shovel will pro- vide quicker results, but waste will also decompose if left alone. Within six to 24 months, all of the waste will decompose aerobically into compost. Once a year, composters can dig out the finished com- post from the bottom. This method won’t work for households that don’t generate
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yard waste because a pile of 100 percent green waste will attract pests.
Holding Bin Good for: People that want a low- maintenance option that’s more attractive than a pile; average to large households with yard waste. Make a bin out of wood or buy a plastic holding bin, which can contain up to 75 gallons. One with insulated sides may allow decomposing to con- tinue in colder weather.
Tumbling Barrel Good for: People that want quick results and can compost in smaller batches; small to average households with yard waste. These barrel-shaped containers are turned with a hand crank, making aer- ating and speeding up decomposition a breeze. Some manufacturers promise results in as little as two weeks. Due to the barrel’s relatively small- er size and capacity, getting the bal- ance between brown and green waste right is critical for optimal results, and users will need to wait for one batch of compost to finish before adding more organic waste.
Multi-Tiered Boxes Good for: People looking for low maintenance, but quicker results than a
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