Composting can be very frugal for at least two reasons. The first is that it provides you with a free, nutrient plant-food for your garden. The second reason is that it reduces the amount of garbage you produce. If you pay for your garbage by the bag or pound, there is an immediate savings there. And you’ll also save on garbage bags, as well.
In the first part of this series on inexpensive composting, I talked about getting started with building your own easy compost bin. Now, here is part 2.
Place the compost bin (your garbage can) in a convenient spot. Elevate the can using cinderblocks or scrap wood. A disposable or aluminum pie tin placed under the can will catch any drips (liquid compost). This liquid can also be used for your garden.
Next, begin your compost bin with some layering. First layer garden soil on the bottom (about three inches). Next layer “browns,” which consist of junk mail, newspaper, dead leaves, cardboard, wood chips, paper grocery bags, sawdust and straw.
The third layer can consist of your “greens,” which is much of your household discards, such as fruit peels, coffee grounds, grass clippings, vegetable peels, and even pet hair. You’ll want to avoid anything that is fatty or has dairy in it, or you’ll attract lots of animals. Plus, it won’t smell very nice.
Sprinkle the top of the can with some more garden soil and sprinkle the top with water. The compost should be damp but not soaked. Place the garbage can lid on top of your new compost can, and then you are all set to go. You can keep adding layers as you have the material to compost. Try to keep going in the layers of dirt, browns and greens, but it isn’t absolutely necessary.
Next up is part 3 where I’ll talk about mixing the compost and whether or not you need to add worms.
Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, technology in the Computing Blog, and creating a home in the Home Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here.
Related Articles:
A Guide to Inexpensive Composting
Using Egg Cartons in The Garden
Frugal lessons from The Amish: Growing Food