COMPOSTING TIPS FOR HOME OWNERS

Do you live in an area which offers free and easy composting? Here are some quick tips you can use to make composting easier and more effective.

Do you compost?

Composting is a great way to reduce the waste which goes into our landfills. More and more communities are providing curbside compost pick-up service.

Whether a part of regular trash and recycling, or provided by a private company, composting is no longer an affair where you have to turn a drum of scraps in your backyard or worry about pests. If you already compost privately, you know that composting is a spectacular way to turn your table scraps and other biodegradable waste into “black gold” for gardening!

Below are some great composting “hacks” you can use to enhance your composting experience:

1. Use toilet paper in the kitchen. Have an oily pan? Don’t dump the oil in the trash or down the drain. Instead, keep toilet paper handy in the kitchen. Wipe the pan out with the toilet paper and place the soiled paper in the compost container. Not only do the microorganisms feast on the toilet paper, but they thrive on the oils, too. This trick actually does double duty, because in addition to helping your compost, it reduces the amount of dish soap and water you need to finish cleaning the pan.

2. Freeze the stink. If you’re worried about the short-term possibility of foul smells in your kitchen, and you don’t have an indoor compost bin designed to reduce odors, you can actually use your own freezer to store the compost until you dump it in a larger bin. Line a paper bag with a biodegradable sack and place it in the freezer. When you’re ready to dump it, you can put the entire bag and its contents right in the compost bin.

3. Compost coffee grounds. Coffee grounds are incredibly rich in nitrogen, which is essential to a healthy compost mix. Put your grounds in the compost bin, but be sure to add other carbon-rich materials such as paper to-go cups.

4. Carbon filters are your friend. Inexpensive compost keepers like the Norpro 1 Gallon Ceramic Compost Keeper can be used with charcoal filters which will help eliminate odors if you’re squeamish about using your freezer. (You can check out 10 of the best kitchen compost bins here: http://heavy.com/garden/2015/02/best-small-indoor-kitchen-countertop-compost-bin-pail-bucket-collector/)

Get greener with a little compost power!

valeriemcconville@gmail.com You can also visit my website at www.valeriemcconville.com

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