Organic Gardening Compost Challenge!

Why organic gardening compost? What?, you're just gonna throw out all those wonderful organic scraps and leftovers?

That's not the organic lifestyle way!

Composting is easy and you can use it for container gardens and houseplants with amazing results.

What is composting?

Organic composting allows the organic waste from your kitchen to break down into valuable, nutrient packed, fertilizer for all your plants.

Take The Composting Challenge:

I composted successfully as an apartment dweller using a bucket!

I used a regular plastic (this was before I found out about the dangers of plastic) bucket, punched holes in the bottom for drainage and sides for air flow.

I added all my organic plant waste (peelings, egg shells, coffee grounds, coffee filters, apple cores, old fruits and veggies, leaves, sticks etc.)

No bones or meat or other fats.

I set my organic compost bucket outside on a small strip of earth (I was a ground floor apartment) I had by my door.

I prefer my container to be in contact with the earth, it invites good critters like worms, to visit your compost.

If your container doesn't come into contact with the earth, next time you come across a worm throw it in the bucket. They help aerate your compost and provide valuable nutrients to it too!

That was it! I had beautiful compost in a couple of days! These days I don't use plastic but steel will work.

Note: It might be a good idea to have an extra bucket for turning the compost:

After a few of days of adding to your first bucket, tip it into the second bucket. This gives you a good look at how things are progressing.

It also puts the new additions on the bottom giving the older stuff a chance to help it along.

Now continue to add (or if it's ready, use your older compost) to the second bucket until you want to tip it again.

*Keep your compost moist. Like a damp sponge. Too wet or dry will slow down the process.

*Your organic gardening compost is ready to use when it has broken down to a mulch like consistency.

Use for container gardens, houseplants or plants of all kinds if you have a yard (you'd probably be using a bigger container than a bucket if this were the case).

*Just work some compost into the top soil of your container plants and water. The organic compost continues to break down over time, supplying valuable nutrition to your plant's roots.

You can use any size container, depending on your needs. There are a few points to remember for organic gardening compost.

Air flow - If there is no air flow the decomposition slows way down. Your compost must breath.

Drainage - No drainage means too much moisture, slowing things down.

Moisture - Same thing as aeration (above) too much or too little will slow down the process. Remember like a damp sponge.

Critters - Worms and ants and things are good. They aerate the compost and leave behind plant building nutrients.

Check back with me for updated organic links to organic products for your entire home.

"Live Openly Organic and Share the Wealth of Good Health!"Want to get the most out of your organic garden? I recommend this book. Click Here!

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Return to organic house from organic composting.

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