Compost Awareness Week: Here’s why you should start a compost pile

The week of compost awareness serves to remind the public of the benefits of composting, how composting contributes to sustainability and how it helps to decrease climate change. With many folk still working from home, here’s a way to put your green fingers to the test and be an eco-warrior.

Benefits of compost

Not only will you improve the quality of your soil, the organic waste from your household will be put to good use and will fertilise the soil instead of going to a landfill.

The micronutrients that are found in the compost soil are known to keep those uninvited pests away. Besides enriching your soil, compost acts like a neutraliser if your soil is too acidic or basic, thus regulating acid and alkaline levels in the soil to help your plants grow. From reducing erosion to increasing biodiversity, creating your own compost does wonders for the environment.

While most food materials can be discarded and used, it is best to avoid bones, dairy products as well as infected plant material that may make the compost unusable.

What can I use to make compost?

Organic materials that can be used include; egg shells, tea bags, outer layers of fruit, coffee grains to name but a few. Try and aim for both green (vegetable/fruit outer layers) and brown wastes (wood shavings, newspaper). The brown wastes are rich in carbon that feed the organisms that break down the materials. The green wastes are useful for composting as they supply nitrogen to the soil which is needed for building the structure of the new soil.

Sprinkle the compost every few days to ensure that it is moist and throw it over your garden beds. After a few weeks, your scraps will turn into soil.

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