It is upon us – the holiday season with the multitude of events and celebrations, where we gather with friends and family over good food and drink and wind down to the New Year. Whether you put your culinary skills to the test for your party or have it catered, chances are there will be a significant increase in leftovers and trash from now until the ball drops on December 31st.
Use this opportunity to launch your composting efforts and resolve yourself to a more eco-friendly holiday season and lifestyle. Before Jack Frost comes a-nipping, and weather conditions get too cold or wet, take some time to build your compost pile so you can feel good about all the excess waste your holiday season produces.
Buy or Build a Composter
Depending on the time you have available, you have the option to buy a composter or to build one with materials you can gather like pallets, wooden boxes and chicken wire. A compost bin is where you will dump your organic and compostable waste to create dark brown, eco-friendly garden feed to use in your yard and garden next summer. Be sure to invest in a compost bin that will fit in your yard, and always be sure to choose one with a lid.
Location, Location, Location
Where you place your compost pile will affect its ability to convert your waste into the nutrient-rich dirt you seek. Be sure to select a level, well-drained spot that’s away from fences and trees. Set aside 4-5 square feet so you have room to turn the compost and reap its crop when the time comes.
What can you Compost?
The images below reflect the types of waste you can and can’t use in your compost bin, from your holiday garbage or from around your landscape. Before your start layering your compostable material, lay down some branches and twigs about 6 inches deep, to ensure air circulation from the bottom.
Keep an empty stainless steel bucket on hand for your scraps and dump it into your bin when it’s full. You can keep this bin under your kitchen counter as it fills.
So make this an eco-friendly holiday season by investing in a composter for the extra leftovers and scraps you’ll be seeing over the next few weeks. When you follow the compost guidelines shown above, you’ll ensure that you get a second bout of enjoyment from the holidays when, within 6 months or so, you have dark, rich loam to add to your garden.