I live in the suburbs and a few years ago I decided that I will turn my kitchen waste into
compost that I can use in my backyard garden rather than sending it to the landfill. I keep a small plastic bag in my sink and all the peelings, eggs shells,
coffee grounds, and leftovers go into this bag. Every couple of days I empty the small bag into a larger bag outside (I bought some
wood chips and saved the bags). I cover each deposit with a handful of shredded paper and egg cartons. When I’ve gathered
enough, I close the bag and make holes in it on both sides. In November, I bury my May-October compost in the garden, together with some leaves and sticks. In May, I put the November –May compost on the pathways between the beds, and I cover it with leaves. It doesn’t smell bad, just a very faint smell of earth.
I collect the leaves in November and I put them in paper bags, only instead of putting them on the curb, I used them to cover my
rose bushes, with a tarp on top, all winter long. The leaves are a bit wet when they go into the paper bags, so by Spring, they are covered in a white mold. I use them as mulch, to cover both the pathways and the beds in the garden. I put branches from the Christmas tree on top so the wind will not blow the leaves away. I have to renew the mulch several times, because it disappears rather quickly in the Spring-Summer, as an assortment of pillbugs, centipedes,
ants, crickets, and earthworms feast on it.
I find that this routine requires minimal effort. Am I doing anything wrong? Can you suggest any improvements?
Cristian, zone 5b
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