Here’s Why You Need a Compost Bin at Home

Composting is the process of recycling organic matter into plant food, a valuable fertilizer. Everything that grows naturally decomposes, turning into manure. The process of decomposition establishes conditions that naturally advance the breakdown process, yielding matter important for farming and agriculture. Read on to learn why you should have a compost bin at home.

Composting supports healthier plant growth while preventing soil erosion and reducing waste. Its other advantages include preserving moisture and soil enrichment. In addition to controlling plant diseases, it also reduces the need for chemical fertilizers that are detrimental to ground microbes.

Once you have a compost bin at home, composting occurs throughout the year as long as beneficial materials are generated in the garden or home. However, the optimal time for composting is from the late summer to early winter.

Here are the key advantages of using a compost bin and how to create your nutrients:

Humus Forms in Compost and Benefits Your Garden

In your compost bin at home, compost decomposes and generally develops a specific amount of humus. Once the decomposing process is fully complete, humus is produced as a byproduct. While humus is deficient in nitrogen, a crucial nutrient that plants need to flourish, it is composed of some nutritional value.

The key advantage of humus is its exceptional water-holding capacity. Both are necessary for a vibrant garden, delivering a diverse array of nutrients. Humus is commonly present in topsoil, serving as a vital component.

Compost Improves Soil Structure and Porosity

Soil structure is defined by the cohesiveness of inorganic particles combined with decomposed organic matter. Ideal soil structure is characterized by crumbly soil with air pockets that support simple cultivation. Due to its porous nature, sand readily absorbs rainwater, which makes growing plants in sandy soil challenging.

Sand and compost can work together to create a sponge-like structure that holds more nutrients and moisture. In contrast, compost binds with clay soil particles, creating air spaces that help moisture and nutrients to enter the soil.  Compost is commonly known as a soil conditioner due to its ability to improve the condition of nearly any soil.

Compost Holds Moisture and Supports Garden Growth

A water study reveals that one pound of compost added to 100 pounds of standard soil boosts its water retention capacity by 33 pounds, four gallons. With the addition of five pounds of compost, the same 100 pounds of soil can hold 200 pounds or 25 gallons of water. Adding compost may enhance the absorbency of all types of soil.

Compost Enhances Microbes for Healthy Soil

Besides the previously mentioned advantages, bacteria are already present in compost, as they play a key role in breaking down food, and leaves, among other materials in the bin. This process helps in the proliferation of additional microbes that further break down the leaf and garden waste.

Compost Feeds Soil Microbes for Optimal Garden Growth

Soil microorganism serves the same vital role for soil as yogurt’s acidophilus does for human health. Despite the complexity of their job, soil microorganisms are essential for nutrient absorption in plants, which is crucial for individuals’ existence.

How to Create Your Nutrients for a Flourishing Garden

Find the best spot for your compost bin at home

For effective composting, the bacteria and fungi that convert waste into compost thrive under consistent environmental conditions. Therefore, the location must not get cold or wet. Place the compost container in a sunny and completely shaded spot. It is more convenient to place the compost bin in a shaded area of your garden.

If you have to recycle organic waste on solid ground, include a scoop of dirt in the compost bin. A ground foundation permits water runoff and entry to ground creatures. An open heap that is left not covered by a lid will eventually compost. Nevertheless, compost retains warmth and moisture and creates better compost more quickly in a bin with a lid.

Any compost bin should be able to produce compost as long as it keeps out rain, maintains some heat, allows drainage, and provides ventilation. The efficiency of smaller bins is significantly lower compared to larger bins, especially those measuring less than 1.3 cubic yards.

Select an ideal site for successful nutrition creation

Look for a flat well-drained spot for your compost bin at home. The place should be semi-shaded and not positioned right against your house or the neighbor’s fence. The compost bin should be situated near your garden or plants for easy access and close to your kitchen for added convenience. The decomposition process should not rely on the sun as the main source of heat.

By providing shade, you can prevent water evaporation and keep your compost bin from drying out too quickly. These tips can be applied to individuals living in apartments as well. Position your compost bin in a flat, semi-shaded area, like under the sink.

If you decide to position your compost bin on the balcony or courtyard, ensure it is shaded from the midday sun. After selecting your compost bin, here are some crucial things to remember:

• To speed up decomposition, chop or shred smaller items if you can
• Accelerate the breakdown process by integrating a variety of materials into your compost mix
• Keep a pile of brown material close to your compost heap. Use them to cover nitrogen-rich food scraps for a well-balanced pile

Starting Your Composting Journey:  Tips for Building a Compost Bin at Home

As you start creating your compost bin, follow these instructions:

First, get a suitable compost bin from Amazon. Prices range from $47 to $99. If you plan to cover a bigger area with your compost manure, go for a bigger bin.

• To ensure perfect airflow and drainage, begin with a layer of small twigs, potting mix, and old mulch
• Build up the compost bin with alternating layers until the compost bin is approximately one-third to half-full
• To keep the compost moist, sprinkle water over each layer as you build it
• For compost layering, aim for a two-to-one ratio of brown materials to green ones
• Once the pile is at the desired level, finish it off with a layer of soil or finished compost

By adding this final layer, you keep in heat and moisture and also activate the pile with beneficial microorganisms. You can activate your compost pile with materials such as comfrey leaves, garden soil, coffee, leaves, chicken, cow, worm juice, and horse manure. You should start to feel the heat inside the bin within a day or two as the decomposition process begins.

Managing Your Compost: Tips for Effective Compost Maintenance

Regularly add materials to your compost and maintain a balanced mix of green and brown material throughout the bin. To add air to your compost, turn it every week or two using a compost fork, or stake. Aerating the compost more frequently will speed up the breakdown process.

When your compost starts to smell, add carbon-rich materials and aerate the pile. If your compost is dry and breaking down slowly, add water, activate ingredients, and increase the frequency of turning it. Your compost is ready when it resembles dark rich soil.

This dark, crumbly material is called compost. Depending on how much compost you have, this could take a few months. Be sure not to use the compost until it is completely broken down. This is called immature compost because it is still heating up and might harm your plants.

How to Create Effective Nutrients

You can use a variety of materials to make plant nutrients at home. Whatever materials you choose, make sure your plants receive the necessary nutrients. Potassium, phosphorous, and nitrogen are the key components of any fertilizer. However, potassium-rich elements are advantageous for your plants.

To help you determine what to prioritize, you should conduct a soil test. This will help in the identification of the soil PH so you are aware of what to improve in it. For instance, if you intend to grow a plant that prefers acidic soil, you may opt for scrap utilization in your fertilizer. This will help in lowering the PH of the soil.

Here are the materials to use when creating your nutrient:

Eggshells

Transform eggshells into a calcium-rich fertilizer for your plants. After separation from the yolk and egg whites, set eggshells in the sun for drying. Drying eggshells help prevent the transfer of pathogens or harmful bacteria to your plants. Once dry, crush the eggshells and spread them over your garden soil.

Coffee grounds

Coffee grounds can be utilized as an organic fertilizer. They are composed of a fair bit of nitrogen. You should make them dry first to remove some of the bacteria before using them as fertilizer.

Grass clippings

Grass clippings should be part of your compost bin at home. They are already composed of beneficial nutrients for plants in your garden since they are plant materials. These nutrients include micronutrients, phosphorus, potassium, and nitrogen. When grass clippings are tilled into the soil, they decompose quickly, adding organic matter and nutrients.

Ensure you don’t add excessive organic matter at once. This is because a thick layer might become a mat that lowers the speed of decomposition. Mixing clippings with other organic materials can also be beneficial.

Banana Peels

Organic wastes such as banana peels and citrus rinds offer sustenance for the positive microorganisms in your gardens. Start by drying and simmering food scraps first to ensure that any dangerous bacteria are removed. Finally, mix the treated banana scraps into the soil surrounding your plants.

Ready to Make Your Compost Bin at Home?

Home gardening can save you money. It also allows you to eat healthy, organically grown foods whose source you can trust. To increase the productivity of your home garden, you need a compost bin at home. This garden facility might look simple, but its effects are far-reaching in terms of yields and farm health.