Categories
Composting

Tips for Managing Bugs in Compost Bins

I don’t want to write about bugs in compost bins any more than you want to read about it, but it happens, so here we are. Don’t worry; I’m not going to get into the creepy-crawly details. For your sake and mine, we’ll keep it vague. I’m still emotionally scarred from that scene in The Lost […]

Categories
Composting

Peat-Free vs Peat-Based Compost: Which is Better?

It’s no secret that I love compost. For those just getting into gardening, compost is decomposed organic matter that can be used as a soil amendment in garden beds and container gardens. It helps vegetables and herbs retain moisture and prevent pests and diseases. Compost has helped my vegetable garden thrive over the years and is my number one recommendation when someone asks me what they can do to improve their soil quality.

Categories
Composting

How to Keep an Odor Free Compost Bin in Your Home

Composting used to scare me. I should say, compost bins used to scare me. I had heard all the great things about composting: that it was a super sustainable and a great cost-effective way of boosting nutrients into your soil. But, I was afraid of the stink of it all.

Categories
Composting

Can Compost Tea Help Vegetable Gardens Thrive?

I’m guessing before we get into this, you want to know what the heck compost tea is. It certainly ain’t your afternoon cup of Earl Grey, I can tell you that. I don’t care how much honey you stir in, you don’t want to drink this stuff. 

Categories
Composting

The Do’s and Don’ts of Open Air Composting

Figuratively. There are things you’ll want to know before you “figuratively” jump into open-air composting because I’m guessing you don’t want to actually do that.  If you’ve read more than a few blog posts here at the Food Gardening Network, you know we like composting. It’s good for the soil, good for your vegetables, and […]

Categories
Composting

How to Avoid Salmonella in Compost

If your idea of a fun afternoon is reading academic research papers, just Google “Salmonella in compost.” You’ll get titles like Cascading effects of composts and cover crops on soil chemistry, bacterial communities, and the survival of foodborne pathogens. 

Categories
Composting

Can Compost Go Bad? Plus 5 More Facts About Composting

I sometimes feel like a magician when I work on my compost pile. A few potato peels, a bell pepper core, and some coffee grounds go into the pile, and within a few weeks, out comes gardening gold. Learning how to compost has been such a gardening game-changer for me. I’ve saved tons of money by not having to buy soil additives and bagged compost.

Categories
Composting

Composting with Paul the Opossum

I am very late to composting. For years, it was something that I considered doing but never quite got around to. There always seemed to be a reason. The kids were too young, so having one more thing to do in a day was overwhelming. The yard was small; where would I put it? What […]

Categories
Composting

How to Create a 3 Bin Compost System with Recycled Materials

No, I’m really not here to make your composting life more complicated, even though it may seem like it. Composting is composting is composting, right? Well, yes, it is. But if you generate a lot of compostable material, or use a lot of compost in your garden, a 3 bin compost system might be a more effective way to break down all that material so you can take advantage of it more quickly and easily.

Categories
Composting

Ways to Make Compost Break Down Faster

I know the feeling. You’re excited about your compost pile; you’ve tried to keep the mix right between browns and greens. Finally, you’re ready to get some finished compost and work it into your garden, so your plants have plenty of nutritious soil. And you can’t use any of it because the compost break down […]