Is this a place to throw your food waste? Can’t you properly throw this waste away.? And many more question like this, we all are now habitual to these sentences as they have become a part of our life now. But yes, we all must agree with the fact that decomposing waste material in a proper way is mandatory. According to surveys and studies it has been found that on an average, a middle-class family produces 0.8 kg of daily waste which is then, makes its way to the municipal grounds, making the decomposition task a huge headache.
But what if we can decompose this waste at our home only? Decomposing a lot of waste at individual level sounds interesting, right? What if I say that this material which you think is waste can magically change itself into something usable, something that most of the garden lovers will love, and in future won’t ever need the platforms that offer Gardening Services Online In India, in order to buy compost and manures for their garden.
Now, you must be wondering how the waste collected from your house can be used to make organic compost, after all, that’s all waste. Don’t worry below here is a detailed explanation of everything.
What is Composting?
The term composting is basically used to define the process of turning waste material into organic manure. When tried to get into a bit more details, the term composting basically means the process of collecting degradable kitchen and house waste, and then using all natural processes turning the accumulated waste material into highly organic manure or compost, which is then further used for gardening.
The organic compost formulated from the method of composting is just like natural soil, it is dark brown in colour very similar to natural soil, and due to the presence of kitchen waste like fruits and vegetable scraps etc. it comprises of a rich amount of nutritional content.
Benefits of Composting
Turning your kitchen and household waste into something worthy doesn’t seem to be a bad idea, instead, it offers a wide range of benefits, which can be listed as:
- An eco-friendly step
- Prevents issues such as landfill, water pipes blockage, pollution etc.
- Promotes the 3 R’s
- A good way to recycle waste material.
- Provides a nutrient enriched soil.
- Enhances moisture retention process of the soil.
- Cost friendly.
This method is the best suitable and preferred method if you are new to composting. This method does not include a lot of hassle and is easy to carry out. This method includes composting which done in an aerated environment with the help of environment. Pot composting requires three pots stacked one upon the other and it includes following steps:
- Collect all your waste in different containers, like collect the wet waste including fruit and vegetable peels, leftover foods, tea bags in one container and in the other collect dry waste including paper, plastic etc.
- Put the content of the wet waste container in first compost pot when the container gets filled up to the top.
- Then, top the wet waste in first compost pot add, dried leaves of equal quantity.
- Following the addition of dried leaves add semi-composted matter such as buttermilk or cow dung, and start turning the pile every day.
- Check the level of the dampness of the pile, if it is too wet add some dried leaves and if it is too dry add some water and stir.
- When the container is full, leave it open for 35-40 days.
- Post 35-40 days when composting happens and the pot is full, transfer all the semi-composted matter into a large container or bin.
- Post 2 months the waste will turn into a rich compost or manure.
*Avoid adding food wastes such as dairy products, cooked food, meat etc.*
Vermicomposting is just an upgraded level of pot composting. Vermicomposting is way too similar to pot composting the difference is just that it includes earthworms or composting worms as the main players for carrying out the composting process. However, this should not be tried in first hand, at first you should always start with pot composting and thereafter you should go for a level up. Vermicomposting includes the following steps:
- Collect materials such as shredded paper, shredded cardboard, dry cow dung cakes and coconut fibers. Post collecting, soak these materials in water and squeeze out the excess water and then, place them at the bottom of a big plastic tub.
- Visit your nearest nursery and purchase some earthworms along with the soil they live in, and then, add half done compost to it.
- Start adding your kitchen waste to this bin in every 2-3 days, don’t do it daily and, avoid adding food wastes such as dairy products, cooked food, meat etc.
- Keep a check on the level of citrus foods you are adding to your compost tub, avoid adding acidic things.
The Bokashi Method:
Bokashi is a Japanese term which means “fermented organic matter,” and the Bokashi Method used for composting basically uses a selected group of microorganisms which ferments the waste material from your household into organic and usable compost. Bokashi Composting Method includes these following steps:
- Get an airtight drum for fermentation and start adding all your kitchen waste even the cooked food, dairy products, meat everything to this drum.
- The next day near the drum you will notice maggots, but don’t worry they are the main players in our composting method. Now, add Bokashi Powder to the drum.
- It is important that the drum should have a tap which can be used to drain out the amount of liquid generated amid fermentation.
- Nearly after some 17 days, the drum will have some white fungus all over around which shows that the fermentation process has begun.
- Continue collecting waste in the drum for about a month and then allow it to sit for some 18 days.
- Dig a trench and then put the fermenting compost in it, and cover it up for nearly three weeks. And then, three weeks later you will have a black organic compost of your own.
So, these were a few methods for making compost at your home from waste materials, however, if you are in a hurry and can’t do all this stuff then, you can easily Buy Gardening Materials Online or specifically you can buy Gardening Compost online with a single click. Happy Gardening!!