Composting 101

According to recent reports, almost 30-40% of the food supply is wasted, which is more than 20 pounds per person each month. Composting waste from your kitchen and yard is good way to help reduce this waste—and your garden plants will thank you. • Choose an outside compost container. Buy a plastic, metal, or wooden container for your yard (about 80 gallons is good). Check Lowes (Lowes.com) or Home Depot (HomeDepot.com) for options. • Collect kitchen scraps. Use a small, lidded container to collect organic matter such as eggshells, coffee grounds, leftover vegetables, and fruit peels as you prepare food. You’ll need to empty this frequently into the outside container. Additionally, twigs, dead leaves, paper plates, and torn-up newspaper can be added into the compost bin. • Turn the compost material. Mix it up a few times a month with a pitchfork or shovel to keep moisture and oxygen circulating. Keep it damp but not soggy (you shouldn’t see pools of water). In a few months, expect your compost to produce a healthy, dark soil, which can then be used for plants in your yard.