A home composter is a great solution that has many benefits. Thanks to this method, we can use it even if we do not have a garden, because it allows us to process waste in the apartment. We tell you how to do it and what to remember when creating your own composter.
Composting is a process of converting organic waste into a fertilizer rich in nutrients. Organic material decomposes through the action of microorganisms, including bacteria and fungi. The good news is that we can also create our own composter at home and we do not need a garden for it.
This solution has many benefits, including aspects such as:
- Reducing waste – thanks to a home composter, we can reduce as much as 30%. kitchen waste.
- Ecology – of course, composting is also a very ecological solution. It helps reduce methane emissions from organic waste in landfills.
- Saving money and improving the condition of plants – thanks to the composter, we obtain free fertilizer for plants and do not have to buy special preparations. Thus, it also allows us to take care of our flowers.
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Creating a home composter is not difficult. All we need is a suitable container that we can place in the kitchen or on the balcony. However, remember that this container must have a cover and it is best that it is resistant to moisture and moisture made of plastic or metal.
Let’s also ensure proper ventilation. The container we choose should have ventilation holes because oxygen is necessary for the proper composting process to take place.
You should first add it to the container a small amount of ready-made compost, garden soil or special preparations with microorganisms.
However, simply placing a container is not enough, because we need to know how to run our home composter to obtain the desired results. Here are some things to keep in mind when carrying out this process at home.
- Proportions – we must maintain a 2:1 proportion between dry materials, such as paper or dry leaves, and wet materials, i.e. peelings or coffee grounds.
- Aeration – let’s not forget to systematically mix the contents of our container. In this way, we will provide oxygen, thus accelerating the entire decomposition process.
- Humidity – if necessary, we should add dry leaves or spray the organic contents with water. These particular steps should be performed depending on what the consistency of the compost is currently. Ultimately, it should be not too dry and not too wet.
- Avoidance ugly aroma – to prevent unpleasant odors, do not add inappropriate waste to the composter. Additionally, let’s take care of the above-mentioned humidity, and then the unpleasant smell will not be a problem.
It’s also worth knowing what we can process in a home composter. Most organic waste is suitable for this purpose. We can put into the container, among others: leftovers of vegetables and fruits, including peels and peels.
We can also add it to our home composter coffee and tea grounds or egg shells. This is also a good place for paper towels and cardboard, as long as they are free of paint or glue. However, what should not be in a container kept at home are: fish, bones, large seeds, fats, oils, meat, dairy products or plants that are diseased or sprayed with chemicals.
It is worth remembering this and taking care of the quality of the compost, because later we can use it as a natural one for potted plants. Thanks to it, we will improve the structure of their substrate, increase water retention, and enrich the soil with nutrients.