What is Organic Compost?

What is Organic Compost?

Composting is a process that involves the decomposition of food wastes, transforming them into nutrient-rich compost that benefits soil health and promotes plant growth. Instead of discarding food scraps, they can be added to an organic compost pile, where they break down naturally and serve as natural fertilizers for the soil.

Compost plays a vital role in soil quality. It enriches the soil by adding organic matter, which helps improve sandy soils and enhances their ability to retain moisture. Additionally, composting fosters the growth of beneficial microbes and earthworms, which contribute to a healthy soil ecosystem. The nutrients released during the decomposition process further nourish the soil, supporting the growth and vitality of plants. Furthermore, composting has environmental benefits, as it diverts food wastes from landfills. When food waste decomposes in landfills, it produces greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change and emit harmful radiation into the atmosphere. By composting food scraps, these greenhouse gas emissions can be significantly reduced, promoting a healthier environment.

In summary, composting is an effective way to utilize food scraps, create nutrient-rich compost, improve soil health, and mitigate environmental impacts associated with landfill waste decomposition. It is a sustainable practice that supports the health and vitality of both our soils and the planet.

How to make Organic Compost at home?

Determine the materials that can be included in your organic compost. Not all food wastes can go into the compost pile. Here are some examples of the common materials that you can use for your organic compost:

• • ➢➛ Fruits and vegetable scraps
  • ➢➛ Leaves
  • ➢➛ Eggshell
  • ➢➛ Garden plants and grass
  • ➢➛ Garden weeds
  • ➢➛ Hay or straw
  • ➢➛ Pine needles
  • ➢➛ Flowers
  • ➢➛ Coffee grounds
  • ➢➛ Chicken manure
  • ➢➛ Shredded paper and newspapers
  • ➢➛ Corn cobs
  • ➢➛ Wood chips

• • ➢➛ Meat
  • ➢➛ Bones
  • ➢➛ Fish scraps
  • ➢➛ Perennial weeds
  • ➢➛ Diseased plants
  • ➢➛ Pet manure
  • ➢➛ Fruit peels

1. 1. Start making your compost pile in the earth itself. There is no need to put it in some sort of container. Although a compost bin by the garden can be very helpful while you are still gathering materials. Once you have all the materials you need, dig a shallow hole and set the compost pile in the earth to let worms and other beneficial microorganisms go to work on it.
   2. If you have twigs and straw in your compost pile, you should put them in the compost pit first, making sure that they are buried a few inches deep into the earth. These twigs will help in ventilating and draining the compost pile.
   3. When adding compost materials, make sure that you do it in layers and that you do it in layers and that you alternate the dry and moist materials. The dry ones are leaves, sawdust pellets, and straw. The moist materials are seaweed, tea bags, and food scraps.
   4. After adding the dry and moist materials in layer, you can then add the manure and the grass and other plants. These ingredients emit nitrogen into the soil, speeding up the process of decomposition in the compost pile.
   5. Always keep the compost moist. This will be no problem during the rainy season since rainwater will do the job. However, during the dry season, make sure that you water your organic compost, just like any other plants that you take care of.
   6. You can help retain moisture in the compost pit by covering it with anything, such as wood, carpet scraps, or even plastic sheets. This can also serve as protection from too much rainwater during the wet season. Keep the covering moist but not soaked.
   7. To aerate the compost pile, make sure that you turn the pile every few weeks using a shovel or pitch fork. Composting is largely aided by oxygen, and turning the pile every now and then can help add oxygen to speed up the composting process. You may also choose to add new materials later on. Don’t worry about layering the materials since you can mix them together with rest of the pile.

Learning how to make Organic Compost at home is very easy because you can use a wide variety of materials in order to complete your organic compost.

1. Finding Organic Compost
   • ➢➛ Buy small amounts of compost from a local nursery or garden center.
   • ➢➛ Get large amount of compost from a landscape or compost supplier.
   • ➢➛ Buy compost from an organic farmer if you want to know exactly what’s in it.
   • ➢➛ Order bags of compost online if you can’t find what you need in store.
2. Verifying It’s Organic
   • ➢➛ Look for compost that’s been certified as organic.
   • ➢➛ Avoid compost that has “bio solids” listed as an ingredient.
   • ➢➛ Buy compost that doesn’t have inert ingredients.
3. Choosing Quality Compost
   • ➢➛ Buy compost that’s fully decomposed.
   • ➢➛ Choose compost that doesn’t have any trash in it.
   • ➢➛ Avoid buying compost that has an unpleasant odor.