Composting from Small Patios to Spacious Backyard Gardens

You hear time and time again that you should collect your food scraps to nourish your garden with recycled organic material, known as compost. But why should you consider composting? Because it enriches your soil with essential nutrients, enhances moisture retention, and minimizes waste.

Composting can be easy and space-efficient. Just place your daily food waste, plant materials or other compostable items into a container. Soil microorganisms will assist in breaking down organic matter (once living material) into a form that benefits plants and soil. Earthworms play an important role in this process, but they can also be used for quick benefits in the garden for those who want to forgo the compost bins. Follow along for details on how to use worms and compost in gardens of all sizes.

For constructing a compost bin, begin with a base layer of twigs, straw, cardboard, or similar materials to ensure proper drainage. Then, alternate between adding layers of dry and moist compostable materials. Include nitrogen-rich elements like grass clippings, clover and wheatgrass to activate the compost pile. Maintain a cover on your container to preserve moisture and heat. While retaining heat speeds up composting, be cautious not to kill the beneficial microbes. Periodically turn the pile every few weeks to aerate it, providing oxygen for the active microorganisms and preventing overheating. Over time, you can incorporate additional materials into the mix. This method is ideal for larger in-ground or raised bed gardens.

Suitable materials for composting include disease-free yard waste like grass clippings, leaves, twigs, natural wood ash, and vegetarian animal manure. Composting these elements enables their nutrients to enrich your garden soil. Without prior composting, applying them directly to your soil might deplete nutrients needed by your existing crops during decomposition. In your kitchen, you can contribute food scraps, meal preparation discards, coffee grounds, tea leaves without bags, and houseplant waste. Also, consider adding other organic items like black and white newspapers, cardboard, or printed paper.

Avoid adding non-vegetarian manure, such as from dogs or cats. Manure from these sources can contain harmful bacteria and contaminants. Also, avoid any noxious weeds, pesticide-treated plant material, diseased yard waste, food scraps with animal products, and large amounts of citrus peels and onion discards. Noxious weeds and plant diseases may continue to spread with even a small amount of plant material. Animal products, such as meat cuttings, should be avoided as they can attract pests or animals that will disrupt your garden or compost bins. 

Many people think that a large garden is necessary to begin composting. However, composting can be initiated by anyone – whether they are patio, container or in-ground home gardeners – to enjoy the advantages it provides. If you have limited space, consider options like worm castings, worm tea or the bucket method. Each of these approaches enables you to reintroduce nutrients into your soil, enhance organic content, and foster soil health.

Try worm castings if you want the benefits of compost without managing a bin or bucket. Worm castings are the product of materials being broken down (composted) by earthworms. The castings store and slowly release nutrients into the soil. In addition to their valuable nutrients, worm castings host a plethora of beneficial microorganisms that enable plants to access the nutrients stored in soils. You may want to consider adding worm castings to your soil as they can also suppress damping-off in seedlings and new transplants. 

Adding worm castings is as easy as spreading potting soil. Add a bag or two to your garden bed, a handful to potted plants or apply a worm tea. To do this, soak a sack of worm castings in water. Ideally, I like to use a bucket for this, as it is easy to pour throughout the garden. Start by adding about 4 cups of worm castings to a cheesecloth. Then, allow it to steep overnight in about 2 gallons of water. If you are working in a large garden, you may want to double these measurements or consider preparing several buckets. For patio and balcony gardens, one batch should be sufficient. 

Unlike traditional composting methods, worm tea is odorless and quickly increases the quality of your harvest. While the composting process can take weeks and months to achieve a usable product, worm tea can be used after only one day. Protect your gardens from pests like aphids, white flies and mites with the natural benefits worm castings have to offer. 

For the bucket method, all you need is a 5-gallon bucket and your organic products. Fill it as you would any other container by layering your dry and moist materials until the bucket is full. After only a couple of days, you should notice the level of materials decrease as water leaves the plant material or food waste. Be sure to keep your compost bin moist but not too wet. Because the plastic bucket can trap any released water, you may need to drain some excess. 

Add more materials as decomposition takes place in the bucket. Either mix by rolling the bucket or using a small tool. One of the best things about using a 5-gallon bucket for composting is being able to keep a lid on it, preventing pests from getting into your bin. Keep it right on your patio or balcony for easy use.

Don’t wait to get started, you can start your compost pile right now with the cooling weather. While heat helps the composting process happen more quickly, you can still reap the benefits of a beautiful bucket full of compost that will be ready in time for spring planting. Recycle organic waste all winter long, spread worm castings, or brew some worm tea. Start the coming spring off right with good drainage, rich nutrients and less waste going to the landfills. Learn more: www.trueleafmarket.com.

About the author: Ashleigh Smith is the managing editor at True Leaf Market, with a bachelor’s degree in Horticulture from Brigham Young University – Idaho. True Leaf Market is a national certified organic, non-GMO seed and horticultural company based in Salt Lake City, Utah. The True Leaf Market staff specializes in supplying a large selection of conventional, heirloom and organic seeds to home gardeners and hobbyists everywhere. .