6 Methods of Composting
Now that we know the benefits of adding compost to our garden, we should discuss different methods of composting. These ways will work whether you live in an apartment with limited space or whether you have sprawling acreage. There is a way to compost for everyone regardless of your living situation.
What are the different methods of composting?
1. Open Air Composting
Open air compost is what most people envision when they think about composting. Open-air composting is an anaerobic composting method that needs air to properly compost. Make sure to pay attention to your combination of nitrogen-rich or green material versus your Browns or carbon-rich material. Improper ratios can lead to smelly composting pits that attract all types of vermin to your gardening area. Open-air composting is relatively easy to set up all you need is a space to place your materials. When done correctly, you create an ecosystem where fungi and other microorganisms are attracted. Make sure to bury your food scraps deep within the center of the pile to discourage rats and other pests from visiting your composting area. This method is labor-intensive because it involves regular flipping or turning the materials to ensure that the compost reaches the ideal temperature.
3. Trenching or Direct Composting
This is one of the easiest methods of composting. A form of passive composting, I love to incorporate these into all of my gardens, probably for nostalgic reasons. I believe that early farmers and gardeners probably composted in this method. I like to dig a hole or trench for direct composting and bury my food materials in it. One downfall to this method is that the anaerobic conditions lead to a prolonged decomposition period. But what I do like is that I can dig one trench and fill it up slowly, and as I work one section and fill it up, I can cover that area and then continue down the line. This method is excellent for people who do not have a lot of time and who do not want to put a lot of effort into composting.
4. Vermicomposting
This is one of my favorite methods of composting. You can start a worm farm in an apartment or an urban garden. The composting worm of choice is the red wiggler worm. While you can purchase these all over the Internet, I prefer to go outside and harvest them myself. This way, I ensure that I end up with indigenous worms that can withstand my climate. With worm farming or Vermicomposting, you bury food scraps into a bin where you house worms in a Coco core and newspaper mixture. For more information on vermicomposting, read here. If you’re willing to put in a little bit of work and create a desirable habitat for your worms, they will reward you with one of the best forms of compost that you can have.
5. Bokashi
Bokashi – is one of the best methods for indoor composting. With bokashi, you place food scraps into a bin, adding bran that is active with Lactobacillus and other microbes. We create an anaerobic condition and rely on bacteria to break down the food materials. One of the benefits of bokashi is that you can compost everything. Now when I say compost, I mean that loosely really, what we’re doing is pre-composting or fermenting these materials. After being held in our bokashi bin for a few weeks, we’re able to bury these food scraps directly in our garden bed or our compost bin, and they will break down exceptionally quickly. For more information on bokashi composting, click here.
There is no excuse for anyone to say that they cannot compost with these six ways of compost. You just have to be willing to put forth a little bit of effort. But your effort will be rewarded with black gold. And do not think that you must have a garden to justify composting. Compost can be added to flower beds, launch trees, or ornamentals, and the uses are endless.
Now let’s take this information, figure out which system is right for us, and start composting.
just grow it