Composting is an excellent habit that everyone should get into, as it is an environmentally friendly way to fertilize your plants and garden. Food scraps and yard waste make up a whopping 20 to 30 percent of what we throw away when it doesn’t need to be thrown away at all. Making compost with food waste not only helps your plants grow, but it also keeps waste out of landfills where they release methane, a potent greenhouse gas.
Composting requires only three simple ingredients, in the categories of browns, greens, and water. Browns include yard waste such as dead leaves, small branches, and twigs. Greens include grass clippings and food waste, such as vegetable waste, fruit scraps, and coffee grounds. Water is simply plain water, but it’s important to have the right amount of each ingredient of compost development.
What Can I Compost?
If you’re unsure of what items you can compost, here is a general list of things to start your compost:
- Fruits and vegetables* (See next paragraph for specifications)
- Coffee grounds and filters
- Nut shells
- Shredded newspaper
- Paper (Not glossy or coated paper)
- Yard trimmings* (See next paragraph for specifications)
- Grass clippings
- Hay and straw
- Sawdust (Not from wood with any kind of pressure treatment, varnish, stain or paint)
- Wood chips
- Cotton and Wool Rags
- Dryer and vacuum cleaner lint
- Hair and fur
- Fireplace ashes
What Not To Compost
It’s important to also note a few things that you should not compost, as these items can hurt your plants and ultimately ruin your garden instead of helping:
- Black walnut tree leaves or twigs- Releases substances that might be harmful to plants
- Dairy products (e.g., butter, milk, sour cream, yogurt) and eggs- Create odor problems and attract pests such as rodents and flies
- Diseased or insect-ridden plants- Diseases or insects might survive and be transferred back to other plants
- Fats, grease, lard, or oils- Create odor problems and attract pests such as rodents and flies
- Meat or fish bones and scraps- Create odor problems and attract pests such as rodents and flies
- Yard trimmings* treated with chemical pesticides- Might kill beneficial composting organisms
- Citrus Peels and Onions*- The natural chemicals and acidity in citrus peels and onions can kill worms and other microorganisms, which can slow down the decomposition in your pile
GARDEN WITH EVERGREEN GENE’S
Evergreen Gene’s offers professional landscaping and maintenance services through the state of Maryland. We are here to make sure your gardens and grounds look as beautiful as possible year-round. Interested in how we can help your garden look its best? Give us a call at (410) 766-6877 or visit us online. To see examples of our work and get more helpful gardening tips, follow us on Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Houzz, and Twitter.