Home Sweet Home Magazine - October 2021

Care Imagine the rotting tree in the woods. It manages to decompose over time regardless of how much sun, heat or water it’s exposed to. So, there’s no wrong way to go about caring for your compost pile. However, to obtain a rich, nutrient- dense soil, you’ll want a good combination of airflow, moisture and heat. If your compost bin doesn’t have an opening for airflow, you’ll want to spin the container or grab a pitchfork and stir the pile every few weeks. You’ll quickly see the items that don’t break down as efficiently, so try to make everything a consistent size and keep your layers of brown, green, and organic materials not more than a few inches thick. Also, water your pile occasionally. You don’t want to keep it from getting hot but want to add some moisture to the mix.

Products Labeled as Compostable

size of your garden, making your own compost could easily save you hundreds of dollars each year off the purchase of these items. In addition, composting significantly reduces the amount of garbage you roll to the curb, offering substantial savings on waste disposal. In addition to its budget- friendly benefits, making your own compost is rewarding. It’s fun to watch waste metamorph into organic matter that completes the cycle of life in your own backyard.

The trend toward sustainability and environmentally responsible behavior has motivated companies to develop a host of packaging options that are biodegradable. However, some of these bags and containers are deceptively labeled. The truth is that while many plastic-like products can be composted, they have to reach very high temperatures to actually break down. The polymers in these products, if plant-based, won’t hurt your compost pile or your garden, but they likely require temperatures only achievable at commercial facilities, so it’s better to toss them into the yard debris bin than the composter. The Benefits In case you’re not convinced that composting might be for you, consider the cost of soil and amendments. Depending on the

As far as DIY projects go, composting is easy to start,

requires little to no supplies, can be done with very limited space and ensures you know what you’re feeding your next generation of plants.

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