This year, International Compost Awareness Week is being celebrated from May 3-9, and since many of us have a bit more time at home lately, what better time to either start composting or ramp up your existing techniques. Healthy soil is the foundation of a healthy landscape and compost (decomposed organic matter), is an essential component. Compost can be purchased at any local garden supply store, but making your own compost at home is not only incredibly rewarding, but has multiple environmental benefits. Composting reduces waste that may otherwise go to a landfill, therefore also reducing methane emissions and when added to your garden, increases the water holding capacity of your soil, improves drainage, reduces soil-borne and plant diseases, which in turn reduces the use of pesticides, and completes the natural nutrient cycle that is often disrupted when leaves and yard trimmings are hauled offsite.
Home composting can be as involved or as simple as you’d like, ranging from worm bins (vermiculture), informal piles, or organized bins that are turned regularly, but the more effort you put into it, the more efficient the system will be. StopWaste.org walks you through the basics of composting in this How-To-Compost video:
To learn more about composting, take advantage of a Compost Basics webinar being offered by the University of California Cooperative Extension Composting Education Program on May 9th. Also check out their video series for an overview of composting, tips for building your own composting project, and help with trouble shooting.