Pros and Cons of Composting: Is Composting Waste Important? Jenny Graham, March 19, 2024March 19, 2024 When looking at the pros and cons of composting, the numerous benefits far outweigh the potential drawbacks. Start turning your organic waste into a valuable, nutrient-rich soil amendment, often referred to as black gold. Pros and Cons of Composting According to the Environmental Protection Agency, “Composting is nature’s way of recycling and is one of the most powerful actions we can take to reduce trash in landfills, address climate change, and build healthy soil.” Some may say there are pros and cons of composting. In my opinion, there’s only benefits. What is Composting? Composting is the breaking down of organic matter, which turns it into nutrient rich fertilizer. Finished compost can be used to enrich soil and feed plants. You could consider it a form of recycling, a natural way of returning nutrients to the soil. How Composting Organic Matter Works Composting is a natural process where bacteria, microorganisms, and insects break down organic matter, turning it into a usable amendment. For the composting process to work you need the right mix organic materials, water, and oxygen. BY mixing about 2-3 browns or carbon- rich material with 1 green or nitrogen-rich materials, watering it, and turning it for oxygen, you can have finished compost pretty quickly. Pros and Cons of Composting: Benefits There are so many benefits of home composting for the gardener. I like to make a big batch at the beginning of each gardening season to use as an amendment in my backyard garden. Let’s take a look at the compost heap benefits. Reduces Food Waste- Instead of your food scraps going to a landfill, add them to a compost bin to reduce your amount of waste. Enriches Soil- Amend your garden seasonally by adding a layer of finished compost to add nutrients, organic matter, and microbes to support plant growth for higher yields. Reduces Your Carbon Footprint- Composting lowers greenhouse gas emissions by increasing carbon sequestration and by preventing methane gas emissions through aerobic decomposition. Methane gas is not present in a properly managed compost pile, unlike the landfill. Sustainable Practice- Sustainability is rooted in regeneration. You can sustainably produce natural fertilizer for your garden. Water Retention- By adding compost to your soil you are making it more like a sponge. Your soil will have greater availability to soak up water and be well draining at the same time. Manages Manure- Composting manure is one of the best ways to manage all that poo. Improves Soil Structure- Composting improves the structure of your soil by adding organic matter, helping the soil retain moisture and nutrients while attracting beneficial organisms to the soil. Reduces Soil Erosion- Soil that has good soil structure is also less prone to erosion. FREE Natural Fertilizer- Compost is free and full of essential nutrients. Using it reduces the need to spend money on and use chemical fertilizers. Pros and Cons of Composting: Disadvantages In my opinion, the pros and cons of composting are not even comparable. While some people may see these as potential drawbacks, they all can be solved in a properly managed compost system. Potentially Attracts Rodents- While this may be true, you can always use a closed bin compost system, like compost tumblers or a bin with a lid, to keep rodents out. A Smelly Compost Bin– Again, it sometimes may smell but with a closed bin system it will be contained. Furthermore, A properly built compost pile should not have overwhelming odors. Space- While composting does take up some space, it’s not much. My compost bin is 3 feet x 6 feet x 4 feet tall. Other composting systems, like compost tumblers tend to take up less space. Whereas a bokashi bin is a type of composter that uses only a five gallon bucket. Time & Effort- “Anything worth doing, is worth doing right.” – Hunter S. Thompson. Take the time and effort to figure out what type of composting system will work best for your situation. If you build a proper compost pile with the correct mix of carbon-rich material and nitrogen-rich materials, you will have finished compost in no time. How to Build a Compost Pile Using Organic Materials Now that we know the pros and cons of composting, let’s talk building a compost pile to make nutrient-rich compost. I have found that the best way is to start with a bulk of compostable materials. Stock pile them and start the composting process when you have enough ingredients to build a pile that is at least 3 feet x 3 feet x 3 feet. I prefer to build my pile in a broken chest freezer, starting the pile on one side of the freezer only. So, what exactly can you build a compost pile with? Compostable Materials & Building Your Compost Pile The materials needed to build a compost pile are in two different categories. You’ll need brown materials, which are your carbon-rich materials and greens, which are your nitrogen-rich materials. A good rule of thumb to follow is 2-3 browns to 1 green. I like to stockpile my green ingredients in my freezer until I have enough for a large pile. Shredding your ingredients into small pieces will help them break down faster. Starting with a thick layer of brown, layer your ingredients in your compost bin. You’ll want to water each layer as it goes in, dampening the material, but not so much that it is soaked. Fishing building your compost pile by layering your browns and greens until you have built a pile that is a cubic yard or 3 feet x 3 feet x 3 feet. If your ratios and moisture levels are correct, the compost pile will start to heat up. Let it get hot for 3-4 days, then turn your pile over to the other side of the compost bin. In another 3-4 days turn it again. Keep this up until the ingredients in your compost pile are unrecognizable and it smells earthy. You can have finished compost in about 30 days using this hot composting method. Brown Materials (Carbon-Rich Material) Dried brown leaves Dried yard waste and yard trimmings Brown paper bags Wood chips or Mulch Sawdust Nut shells Green Materials (Nitrogen-Rich Materials) Manure (My favorite is chicken manure) Coffee grounds Grass Clippings (My second favorite) Kitchen Scraps Green material from the garden (vegetable scraps) Composting Methods While the process of turning organic waste into nutrient-rich compost is relatively simple, there are many different composting methods to choose from. Take a look at the different methods of composting to see which fits into your particular situation the best. Compost Tumbler- Organic waste and food scraps are added to a horizontally mounted barrel, that is turned on a regular basis to aerate the compost pile. This method is popular for home composting. Worm Composting- Vermicomposting creates worm castings that are produced from organic material being fed to worms, which then break down into usable organic matter. A popular method for small spaces. Hot Composting- In hot composting, the compost pile is allowed to heat up. This helps organic matter break down faster and kills bad bacteria and weed seeds in the process. The ratio of browns, greens, moisture, and oxygen are vital to a pile getting hot enough to do the job. A pile of at least 3 feet x 3 feet x 3 feet is recommended. Cold Composting- This method can take months upon months for a pile to be broken down and made into usable nutrient-rich compost. It is however, an extremely low maintenance method. A “set it and forget it” method. Cold piles work in bins or right on the ground. Bokashi Composting- A bokashi bin uses beneficial bacteria to start the decomposition process. Bokashi bins are small five gallon buckets so they are great for small spaces. The organic matter that comes out of the bokashi bin can be buried in the garden by way of trench composting to finish the composting process. Trench Composting- The trench composting method is easy but it tales time to break down into usable ingredients for the garden. A simple trench is dug and organic matter is buried in the trench. Overtime plants will be able to access the nutrients. How to Use Finished Compost Finished compost can be used in many different ways. Depending on your method of gardening, you will find that your use of compost may differ from others. In my opinion, there’s no right or wrong way. Whatever works best for your situation is the right choice for you. Till it into the existing soil, which is more of a conventional method Add a thick layer and plant directly into compost (no-till method) Use it as a side dress for existing plants. As an amendment while planting transplants Use it to make a compost tea to use a foliar spray What if You Don’t Compost? Not composting your organic waste available to you has some disadvantages. If you don’t compost, you’ll be contributing to greenhouse gases, wasting resources, increasing landfill waste, possibly be dependent on chemical fertilizers for plant growth, and slowly be degrading your garden soil overtime from the lack of organic matter. Composting your food waste is a good habit to not only benefit the environment but also your garden and soil health. The Pros and Cons of Composting Now that you can clearly see the pros and cons of composting, start stock piling some organic matter, choose your favorite method and composting bin of choice and get busy breaking down that organic waste. The end product will be free, high-quality compost that will improve your soil quality and grow more food, sustainably. Good luck, friend. Happy Homesteading & Composting Making, Jenny @ The GrahamStead Family Farm Jenny and her family have been homesteading for over 20 years. They are currently farming on their 10 acre Florida farm, that they built from the ground up, 8 years ago, growing 100% of their meat and a lot of their vegetables. From their small herd of Aberdeen Angus Cattle, Pastured Poultry, Sheep, and seasonal pigs, they are able to raise enough meat for the family while selling extra to the community. All the while, striving to butcher at home, as much as possible, and use the bits and pieces of their harvest by preserving food, making bone broth, and (Jenny’s favorite) tanning all kinds of hides! Sources: https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-management-food/composting Composting Homesteading