tips & tricks
C
omposting is nothing new. Nature’s been in the recy-
cling business since the beginning of time. Ecosystems
recycle waste through bacterial action, and humans have
consciously taken advantage of this process for millennia.
What is new this century is that about half of humanity
now lives in urban areas, a trend that is only accelerating.
However, indoor composting is an easy way to turn urban
organic garbage into a valuable, nutrient-rich, and odor-
less soil amendment for your garden.
FIRST, WHAT EXACTLY IS COMPOST?
All around us float bacteria, spores, bug eggs, and other
invisible things seeking a perfect home. Anything organic,
moist, and warm will do. When they find it, the microbes
will colonize and build immense “cities.”
These communities are incredibly resilient and devour
just about anything organic. That’s why food spoils and
dead things rot away. The microscopic life forms break
down some ugly toxins, too.
The waste product of this decomposing process is the
small organic molecules that plants must absorb to build
their bodies and thrive. All this activity also produces
heat. Manure piles get hot enough to steam and rotting
hay can set a barn on fire. However, the heat in composting
material is normally just enough to kill pathogens and
the seeds that sprout weeds. While fungi living in this
system require time to develop undisturbed, they still act as
managers, maintaining heat and producing carbon dioxide
and ammonium (NH 4 ), the form of nitrogen that plants can
absorb. Eventually, the fungi take over the compost pile. At
that point, even tough fibers end up unrecognizable. Leave
the rotting stuff around for a while after it’s cooled and the
fungi keep working to break down woody lignins and fully
decompose phytotoxins that can harm plants.
OK, I’M IN. BUT WHERE DO I START?
To start a successful compost pile, make those
microorganisms an offer they can’t refuse: a safe and comfy
home with lots to eat. A waterproof, knee-high plastic
bucket with a tight lid, a drain faucet near the bottom to get
rid of excess water, and some drilled holes in the walls for
aeration is perfect for a basic indoor composting system.
“indoor composting is an easy
way to turn urban organic
garbage into a valuable,
nutrient-rich, and odorless soil
amendment for your garden.”
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grow cycle