Kitchen Composting Do's and Don'ts

 1. Compost = Managed Decomposition

Compost happens, but…the process may happen quicker if it is managed and visited more often. What is most important is to design a system that fits into your lifestyle. It takes as much, or as little work as you want to put into it. Consider where you place your bin and if you plan on turning, or having a static pile.

2. Balance by observing WONC(Water, Oxygen, Nitrogen, Carbon)

Most composting issues come from an imbalance of Water/Oxygen or Nitrogen/Carbon content.  For every unit of green material (fresh scraps) THREE TIMES the amount should be added in brown material (leaves, straw, sawdust, shredded newspaper).

3. You can compost anything biological, but…

It is not recommended to compost items such as meat, dairy, oils, pet wastes, in a small- scale system. These are considered “advanced” items and are only safe in larger scale operations.

DO COMPOST

DON'T COMPOST

All your vegetable and fruit wastes, (including rinds and cores) even if they are moldy and ugly Old bread, donuts, cookies, crackers, pizza crust, noodles: anything made out of flour! Grains (cooked or uncooked): rice, barley, you name it Coffee grounds, tea bags, filters Fruit or vegetable pulp from juicing Old spices Outdated boxed foods from the pantry Egg shells (crush well) Corn cobs and husks (cobs breakdown very slowly)

Meat or meat waste, such as bones, fat, gristle, skin, etc. Fish or fish waste Dairy products, such as cheese, butter, cottage cheese, yogurt, cream cheese, sour cream, etc. Grease and oils of any kind Why can't you compost these food wastes? They imbalance the otherwise nutrient-rich structure of other food and vegetation waste and breakdown slowly They attract rodents and other scavenging animals Meat attracts maggots Your compost bin will smell to holy hell and back!

I keep a covered 5 gal can in the kitchen and throw acceptable food waste right into that can until it is full enough (or smelly enough) to take it out to the compost bin in the back-yard.  Nature's Cradle can build and/or install any size or type of compost bin in your garden.  And, as always our designers will keep an eye on the aesthetic impact on your garden.  We will make sure your compost bin is as beautiful as the plants that will grow in your compost enriched garden soil.