The Renter’s Guide to Composting: How and Why to Do It

Composting is a simple effective way to reduce waste and make your own organic fertilizer. Aside from that, it’s easy to do with just one or a number of basic tools. You can still compost your food waste, even if you’re renting a Shoreline apartment or home. But having said that, though, there are some things you’ll entail to know to hit the ground running with this process. This article will offer an overview of the practice of composting and the steps you can take to set out composting your food scraps.

What is composting?

Composting is the method of breaking down organic matter, such as food scraps and yard waste, into a nutrient-rich soil amendment. The finished material, known as compost, can be used to substantially increase the quality of your garden soil. Composting is an efficient way to reduce waste, save money on fertilizer, and help the environment.

What can be composted?

Relatively any organic material can be composted, at the same time, certain items break down more hastily than others. Food scraps, take as an example, fruits and vegetables, coffee grounds, and eggshells are all ideal candidates for composting. Yard waste like leaves, grass clippings, and twigs can furthermore be composted.

How to start composting

If you’re favorable and eager to kick off composting, here are the steps you can take:

1. Find a specific area for your compost bin. This can be a marvelous spot for your container if you have a small balcony or patio. Just always make sure it’s in a sunny location so the ingredients will break down greatly.
2. Sort out the acceptable type of bin. There are greatly varying compost bins available, so research to single out the one that best suits your needs. Different containers are made for indoor use, much as others are better off for outdoor spaces.
3. Gather your compostable materials. Many kitchen scraps can be composted, including fruit and vegetable peels, coffee grounds, and eggshells. You can, in addition, put yard waste namely leaves and grass clippings in your bin.
4. Add water to the bin when appropriate. The ingredients in your bin need to be moist to break down completely, so always keep in mind to add water if the bin starts to look dry.
5. Turn the contents of the bin quite often. This will help oxygenate the materials and hasten the composting process.
6. Whenever the compost is ready, it should be dark and crumbly. It can then be completely added to your garden or used as mulch around your plants.

How to use compost

Compost can be used in several different ways. Here are some ideas:

• Put it to serve as a soil amendment in a garden or planter. Compost can be mixed into the soil to significantly increase drainage and aeration. It can furthermore help retain moisture and add nutrients to the soil.
• Use it as mulch. Spread a layer of compost around your plants to help keep off weeds and retain moisture.
• Use it as a fertilizer. Compost can be used to fertilize your plants. Easily mix it into the soil around the base of the plant.
• Use it to produce a potting mix. Compost can be mingled with other ingredients, by way of illustration, perlite or vermiculite, to bring about a potting mix for your indoor plants.
• Use it to put together compost tea. This liquid fertilizer can be drafted by steeping compost in water for several days. It can then be put to use to fertilize your plants or to water seedlings.

Composting is an appropriate way to cut down your environmental impact and help your garden or houseplants grow and improve. By applying these worry-free tips, you can very easily compost at home, even if you’re renting.

 

Are you in the market for a new rental home – ideally one with more outdoor space for composting and bringing on your green thumb? In this case, feel free to talk to one of our Shoreline property managers today or view our listings online.