A certain amount of people may consider that composting may only be for gardeners or farmers. This is actually not the case. There are definitely other avenues for composting and many, many benefits.
Nearly everyone has potted plants. Your compost can definitely add to their health. Just by adding a little compost to the existing soil you will help your house plants become greener and live longer. When potting a new plant, simply mix equal parts sand and compost and viola! You have a nutrient rich, inexpensive potting soil.
Even if you have just a vegetable small garden or flower bed, you can rejuvenate the soil by turning the compost into the existing soil. A great time to add compost is in the spring because it will give your flowers and vegetables that extra boost of nutrients. Although you can, also, add it after planting season ends. This gives the nutrients time to penetrate deeply into the soil before next years' planting season.
Although compost is not the same thing as mulch, it can be used in much the same way. Just place the compost two to six inches deep around plant, trees, etc. and it will help stop soil erosion, retain water and keep weeds from growing.
There are numerous benefits you will realize by composting. Did you know it helps the roots have better growth? This is because the compost makes the soil much more dense which is great for root growth. Secondly, composting makes your plants or garden much more vital because it not only controls pollutants that are in the soil, it either slows down or completely stops soil-borne plant pathogens that can kill your plants. Thirdly, composting is economical both in terms of time and money; the soil retains water and therefore your water costs reduce as well as the time you spend watering.
So, to help ensure you get the maximum benefits out of your composting efforts follow these simple guidelines: 1) make sure you "feed" the microorganisms in the soil by giving them old vegetable matter, applying banana peels, leaves, grass, etc. 2) One key component is adequate air. If you make your compost in a bin make sure you put holes in it to allow the air in; plus it is a good idea to stir it every few days. 3) Try to use relatively small pieces of organic matter. This will speed up the composting time as well as produce a better quality compost. 4) The right amount of water is a must. You want it neither drippy or dry, it should feel like a damp sponge. 5) Make sure you don't use only apples, vegetables, etc. One of the key ingredients for good composting is high carbon material which can be found in plain paper and dried leaves. 6) Correct temperature is , also, vital for high quality compost. The temperature should be between 90 and 140 degrees. Anything colder or warmer and your composting efforts will have been in vain.
Follow these basic rules and you will be sure to have green , healthy indoor plants or tasty vegetables from your garden. Happy composting!
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