Green Living Tip 22 {Begin Composting}

Today’s green living tip: begin composting. Start today with putting nutrients back into the soil. Nothing is easier than keeping food scraps from going down the drain or into the landfill – and putting them in the ground. Keep fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, tea leaves, egg shells, and so much more – from being wasted. Even if your city has a yard debris program that allows food scraps like ours, use the produce scraps in your own yard and replenish the soil with the nutrients.

Start by keeping a small attractive bucket, with a lid, near the kitchen sink. Whenever you cut off tops or roots of vegetables or bad parts off fruit, toss them into the bucket. Once it’s full, dump it out into a compost bin outside and wait. You can buy worms from the garden store but ask a neighbor for some or just wait. Worms will find their way to your compost bin! Keep the compost bin covered so rats don’t show up. (Here’s how rats, compost bins, and chickens work together.) Turn or stir your compost pile every few days. In no time you will have great compost to use to amend your pots and garden beds.

Live in a condominium or apartment without a yard or garden? Consider saving scraps in the freezer and taking them to a community garden. No, the scraps won’t benefit your garden but they’ll be excellent for a neighbor’s vegetable plants.

Yes, out of the garbage or yard debris, you’ve given back to the earth and made compost. It’s a wonderful process to see in action and kids love to help compost, too. Don’t waste produce scraps by putting them into the garbage can or garbage disposal. Put them back into your garden instead. Your growing fruit and vegetable plants will thank you!

Do you compost? Are you ready to start doing it?

Go Gingham Earth Month:

To celebrate April as “Earth Month,” I’m sharing a tip every day this month. Find all the tips by clicking the image below.

You’ll find simple and easy ideas to implement at your home – and they’ll save money as well!