[composting made easy]

found this article on BETTER HOMES & GARDEN magazine regarding the basics of composting. reading through it, i learned about this: brown + green = blackgold. now what does this equation mean?

composting is defined as "nature's way of  recycling". composting "biodegrades organic wastes i.e. food waste, manure, leaves, grass trimmings, paper, wood, feathers, crop residue, etc. and turns it into valuable organic fertilizer". so, if you have a yard, you can make full use of the garden debris & food scraps you accumulate everyday. here's where the equation mentioned above comes in:

mix the GOOD BROWNS* that are carbon-rich:

dry leaves

plant stalks

small twigs

wood shavings

shredded newspaper

*CARBON is the spark that starts the composting process

with the GOOD GREENS* that are nitrogen-loaded:

fresh leaves

cut grass

fruit & vegetable scraps

egg shells

coffee grounds

tea bags

*NITROGEN fuels the microorganisms that decompose materials

layer, slightly water, mix everything up & you get BLACK GOLD or a compost/fertilizer that's relatively free to use on your garden.

if you're living in condos, you can use container/flower pots.

remember:

• try to add about 3x as many browns as the greens 
• aerating the compost by turning should ensure an adequate supply of oxygen to the microbes
• never compost meat, bones, animal waste, dairy products, diseased plants, seeded weeds, plants treated with herbicides or pesticides & any inorganic material
• moisten materials as you add them to make the contents damp, not soggy

for more details & how-to's, go to the BHG website.


*photo source: GOOGLE images