Your home Composting Guide

Making your own compost will benefit your garden and waste management at home. It could also be a fun learning experience for your family. Here, you get to learn the ins and outs of composting at home

Composting is the process of organic material breaking down into soil conditioner with the help of water, aeration and microorganisms. The purpose of compost in the soil food web is an important one. Most of us are familiar with the nutrient cycle, but the most important cycle is the one beneath our feet that we do not see the soil food web. Soil is composed of broken-down minerals and rocks combined with decomposed organic matter and living organisms. When organic matter, such as a banana peel, is not decomposed properly the nutrients are not available for plants to absorb. Composting is a way to replenish the depleted nutrient source in your soil and ensure your plants grow healthy and abundantly.

WHY IS COMPOSTING A GOOD IDEA?

→You can greatly reduce the waste in your home by recycling it into compost.

→ The compost you produce will improve your soil and save you money on buying fertilisers and soil amendments.

→ You will save money on your water bill as composting your garden beds increases water retention in soil.

→ Promote healthy fruit and flower production.

→ Prevent plant disease:

→ Help the greater environment by reducing methane production in landfills.

→ Maintain a healthy ecosystem in your garden.

→Promote beneficial microorganisms in your soil.

→ Prevent plant diseases.

→ Keep the soil food web system in your garden healthy.

COMPOSTING BASICS

There are certain elements that are generally required to make compost:

→ Air: Healthy bacteria that break down organic matter needs air to flourish; a lack of ventilation will lead to bad odours and attract vermin.

→ Water: Beneficial organisms that live in compost heaps need water to live and move around the pile.