Composting. Seems like a big topic. Gardening on a whole sometimes feels so overwhelming that it doesn’t seem worth it. Just buy all your food at the grocery store and don’t worry about it too much. Unfortunately, I am a glutton for punishment and I started a garden about a year ago with very limited success. One of the big reasons I think things aren’t working out very well is that my soil is pretty awful. It is incredibly dry, sandy and seems to lack nutrients. I think the product from composting may help with this issue. I could go and buy soil but I am also incredibly cheap and would like to try the excruciatingly hard way. I decided to take you along on my ‘Composting Journey’. Here is all the research I’ve done so far.

Composting is simply the decomposing of organic matter. For this to happen successfully, you need brown stuff, green stuff, water and air. Each of these things need to be at certain amounts. To create the right conditions to break down everything in the pile.

If your compost is too wet an obvious indicator is if there is water running out from it. Also, it will clump together and give off an ammonia smell. A wet compost is an issue because it may cause your micros to slow down breeding and eventually die, becoming just a slimy mess.

Composting is a long process. You can’t build your compost heap, go to sleep and wake up to soil, it takes a lot of time.

Make it high. (I’m not exactly sure why.)

Shred your compost so it takes less time to break down.

Like most things this seems like a lot of trail and error. Basically, if you want to compost, just go for it. This process should happen naturally anyhow don’t feel bad and do it again. If anyone has tips, comments or suggestions please feel free to reach out. Also, let me know about your hits and misses. Misery loves company.

Resources:

Composting 101 by Pure Living For Life.

Three Ways to Start Composting at Home.

This is great idea. I wish we had this service in Barbados. 

If this service was available to you would you use it? How much would you pay for someone to pick up your compost for you? I think this is an awesome business idea.

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This article will be a work in progress, much like our composting pile. Check back and see what progress we make.