Composting

Today I finally put the first contribution into my compost bin. I have two black compost bins that have gone unused until now. So I figure I should learn how to use them now that I started. I guess there is a bit of an art to composting. Below are some tips I found good for beginners like me.

How to make great compost
-Include veggie scraps, tea bags, coffee grounds, eggshells, cooked rice and pasta, bread, grass clippings, thin leaves and other kitchen and yard waste, but leave out cat litter, animal products, woody garden waste and spicy, salty or vinegary foods.

-Put your compost in a bin unless you have a lot of outdoor space for a pile. Bins are neater and tend to keep compost more moist. You may want to contain your pile inside a frame protected by chicken wire to keep raccoons and other animals from making a mess of it.

-Create the right balance of carbon and nitrogen in your compost by making it a mix of three parts soft, green material (vegetable matter, grass clippings) to one part woody material (twigs, shredded or crumpled paper and non-laminated cardboard).

-Break down garden detritus, such as tough stalks, with an axe or hammer to help it decompose faster.

-Get wriggling: Accelerate your compost by adding worms to your compost bin. As they eat organic material, worms are breaking it down, and they're also aerating the soil as they move through it. Head to the nearest bait shop to pick up some "red wigglers," the worm of choice for quickly breaking down compost. But don't dump that compost full of worms on your garden -- freeze it first to kill the worms, since red wigglers and most other types are non-native species that, if released, can damage forests.

With these tips, I should be well on my way to good composting and a more eco-friendly life-style. I feel better already : )