I love composting - now what?
If you recently started using a compost pick up service, you’d be in good company of those on Frye Island who started composting on the island this summer. However, as the days of corn husks and tomato tops turn to pumpkin seeds and apple cores, you may be wondering how you can continue composting at home during the fall and winter?
Well, there are a couple of things to consider. You’ll want to think about your space, are you living in an apartment, or on a couple acres of land? You’ll also want to think about the convenience from the kitchen. Why walk 15 minutes away to get rid of food scraps. Perhaps you want a small, 1 gallon bucket for in the kitchen, and a 5 gallon bucket by the back door, that you bring to your compost pile or tumbler once or twice a week. If you’re keeping your food scraps by the house, or are living on a smaller property/building, what kind of pests may you encounter? In New England, you’ll be thinking about mice, who may want to escape the cold by venturing into your 140 degree hot compost. While in Florida, have you found that alligators are interested in food scraps? Be sure to use pest-proof containers for the raw scraps to prevent any unwanted critters from eating your leftovers!
Another important consideration, beyond convenience and logistics is the environmental impact. Whether you choose a tumbler compost, a 3 bin system, or a free standing pile, will have a different impact on your environment - also you can google these types of compost systems and find great guides to help determine what is best for you! For instance, you probably wouldn’t want to put a free-standing compost along a water way, as runoff would directly infiltrate and change the ecosystem of the body of water. From my experience, you may also not want to put a 3 bin compost somewhere that has lots of rocks and roots, as it will be very difficult to install and secure for long-term use!
Finally, always do your research into composting in your town or county. Are there any guidelines or resources you didn’t know about before your summer composting adventure? Perhaps there is a community composting service at home that you weren’t aware of, providing convenience and ease, as well as giving back to the greater community without the hassle of making your own top soil from scratch. Composting in a group can prove to be easier, more efficient, and yield greater results, for many households.
Winter is a great time to compost, with the increased moisture and the decreased pests (in cooler climates) those insects and worms are looking for food and warmth. Why not provide it in exchange for some great compost in the spring. Composting returns nutrients to the Earth in the form of soil, and keeps our waste from becoming garbage bag balloons of methane buried in landfills.
As always - reach out to me if you need more resources about how to start composting at your home. Happy dirt making!