Composting

For those readers not familiar with composting, it can essentially be summarized as the planned decomposition of organic matter. The reason composting is important with regards to having a greener abode is twofold. The first is that compost retains nutrients which can later be returned to the soil to nourish the microbes that support plant life. The second is that transporting organic matter, such as with a curbside refuse service, uses fuel and thus generates pollution that can be prevented by keeping organic matter on one's property. In many places, composting services are available or required for yard waste but composting can also be performed with certain types of kitchen waste.

This past Spring, once the rains had stopped and we had a chance to review the state of our backyard, we could see that it had become a weed jungle. Due to the size of the weeds, with some as tall as 5 feet, and the amount of space they covered, we had to hire a crew to help us pull all them by hand, as we preferred not to use any synthetic herbicides. Between the 3 man crew and ourselves, it took a few days to clear the yard. After that came the obvious question of what we should do with the weeds now that they were pulled from the ground. Though we had a large bin available from the composting service which comes as part of our local waste disposal service, it would have taken several months to dispose of the weeds by putting them in the bin on the curbside every other week. Alternatively, we could have hauled them all away for a good sum of money but the most sensible approach, both economically and ecologically, was to simply create a compost pile. In our case, the pile was actually composed of multiple piles blended together at the highest point on the property. This allows for the nutrients to slowly filter down the hill. As the vegetation decomposes over the next couple of years, we will be able to use the resulting soil mixture to fortify the soil elsewhere on the property.

Once we started composting yard waste, the next step was to start composting our kitchen scraps. Composting kitchen waste benefits from using a compost tumbler bin, which can accelerate the decomposition process by mixing and adding air to the compost. We looked into various compost bins for this purpose but were unable to find one at any of the supply stores in our area. In the end, we wound up selecting a black composting tumbler bin from EnviroCycle, which we purchased over the Internet. For an overview of composters, you can start with http://www.cleanairgardening.com/compost-bin-buyers-guide.html. Because composting works best when the anaerobic microbial activity causes the temperature to exceed 120°F, we also purchased a compost thermometer which includes a long probe to stick into the pile and marks out the desired temperature range. Since the composter is situated outside, we also bought a stainless steel airtight container from Bed, Bath and Beyond to hold our scraps until they get mixed in with the compost.

The results from our composting efforts have been rather mixed. On the one hand, we aren't getting enough heat coming from the compost and insects have occassionally been gathering at the composter, both signs that the desired rate of decomposition is not being achieved. On the other hand, there are signs that some decomposition is taking place and we should be able to use the compost to fortify the soil in the near future. The most probable reasons for the slower decomposition have to do with our current mix of dry clay soil, dry heat and acidic kitchen scraps. Composting is a bit of an art in terms of keeping nitrogen-rich green matter and carbon-rich brown matter in balance while at the same time balancing out the soil's acidity and alkalinity and also keeping the moisture level high but not too high. So, we're looking at the experience as a learning process. Also, we should mention that the airtight container is fine when it's closed but can certainly smell bad when open on occasion.