Fact or Fiction Friday - Apartment Composting

The answer to our Facebook fact or fiction statement is = False

EVERYONE CAN BENEFIT FROM USING A COMPOST BIN!!  - Even apartment dwellers.  Check out the top 10 uses for all composters 

There are tons of places and people who would love to get their hands on your compost. To find places near you, check out the website Share Waste. They have an interactive map that lists places all over the world that accept compost. If you’re in the US, check out Litterless’ list of places that accept compost. See? This just got so much easier.

If neither of those sites have a place that you can drop your compost off at, don’t worry! There are still plenty of other options, like:

• Friends or family who compost
• Community gardens
• Local farmers (find them at farmers markets)

If all else fails, you might be able to pay for a service that will pick up your compost. But before resorting to that, hop onto Google and search “places that accept compost near me.” Do a little digging. You never know what you’ll find.

Top 10 uses for mature compost

1. Use as mulch.

Compost-as-mulch is a fantastic way to boost your garden’s harvest. Naturally absorbent and dense, compost applied to the soil surface will prevent evaporation when laid over drip irrigation or after watering. It will also prevent weeds from sprouting. Apply in a 3 to 6 inch layer and rake until even.

2. Mix DIY potting soil.

Finished compost makes an excellent addition to homemade potting soil. Remove large debris by passing compost through a half- to 1-inch soil screen. Mix in the following proportions:

• 1 part compost
• 1 part vermiculite
• 1 part topsoil

Use in container gardens and when potting up starter plants.

3. Brew compost tea.

Have you ever wondered how to get the benefits of compost directly to your plant’s roots? Steeping your compost in a liquid emulsion is one way to concentrate the nutrients and make them easier to absorb. For a quick and easy recipe, see this primer on making compost tea at home.

4. Feed fall perennials.

Add 2 to 4 cups of compost to the planting hole of fall perennials. This will feed your plants and help extend their bloom time. Adding a bit of compost to your digging hole retains moisture and gives the plant a boost for vigorous, healthy growth. Compost is a key factor in regenerative gardening and allows us to proceed without fertilizer leaching into our water table. The healthy soil benefits not only the plant, but vital organisms that help our ecosystem.

5. Feed spring bulbs.

Now is also the time to plant your bulbs for springtime. Add compost to the planting hole to help bulbs that have recently been divided. This will give them an added boost when they come out of winter dormancy.

6. Spread on new or established lawns.

Fall brings about the best weather for planting and maintaining lawns. Add a one- to two-inch layer of compost on top of your lawn in the weeks before planting. This will improve the tilth of your soil and provide the nutrients your seeds need to thrive.

7. Top dress garden beds.

Twice each year we give our raised beds a hearty dose of finished compost. We sprinkle it along the soil surface, and soon seasonal rains wash the nutrients down to root level. Worms do the rest of the work, pulling the organic matter into the soil. Adding compost to garden beds increases water absorption and improves runoff.

     8.  Add to fruit trees.

Fruit trees are best fertilized in early spring before buds open. Be sure to reserve some of your finished compost for the growing season if you generally harvest in the fall. If you miss this window, applying compost between March and July will still give your trees a boost. You can also use as mulch any time of year. Compost is high in nitrogen—a fruit-tree favorite—along with many micro and macronutrients.

9. Feed container plants.

When you freshen up the soil around your outdoor potted plants or transfer to bigger pots, add screened compost to boost growth. Mix with potting soil and/or peat moss for better absorption.

10. Grow melons, tomatoes, eggplant, cucumbers, and squash.

These heavy feeders need lots of nitrogen to produce. That’s why it’s not uncommon to see squash plants thriving directly in a compost pile voluntarily. Add compost to the planting holes when transplanting seedlings into the garden. Top dress a few times during the growing season for best results.

For all of your home composting needs - click the link below

https://www.naturalhomebrands.com/collections/compost

#ecofriendly #compost #apartmentliving #naturalhomebrands #compostbins #composttips #benefitsofcomposting

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