Transform your kitchen waste into garden gold with a simple, sustainable practice: composting. Every piece of vegetable peel and fruit core you add to your compost pile helps create a rich, nutrient-dense soil amendment that can enhance the vitality of your garden. This simple yet profoundly impactful process allows you to reduce waste while contributing to the cycle of growth in your own backyard. Let’s explore the variety of kitchen scraps you can add to your compost pile.
Eggshells
Crushed eggshells add valuable calcium to the compost, which is beneficial for plant growth. They break down slowly, providing a sustained release of nutrients. Therefore, it’s best to crush them into smaller pieces to speed up the decomposition process.
Coffee Grounds and Filters
Want to incorporate a valuable nitrogen source into your compost? Use your coffee grounds to make the compost pile a little richer. The filters, if made of paper, are also compostable, adding carbon to accompany the nitrogen-rich materials. Together, they help create a well-balanced compost.
Fruit and Veggie Scraps
Almost all fruit and vegetable scraps can be composted, turning what would be waste into nutrient-rich material. From apple cores to potato peels, these scraps decompose quickly and add a variety of essential nutrients to the pile.
Good To Know
Keep citrus peels and onion scraps out of your compost, as they can make the mixture too acidic to help your plants.
Tea Bags
Similar to coffee grounds, tea bags contribute nitrogen to your compost. Just make sure the bags are made from natural materials like cotton or hemp and not synthetic fibers that won’t break down. Removing any staples is also a good practice to avoid adding metal to your pile.
Bread and Grains
Though they’re often overlooked, bread, rice, pasta, and other grains can be composted. These items should be added sparingly and mixed well into the compost to prevent attracting pests. They’re a good source of carbon and help to balance the green materials in your pile.
Turning kitchen scraps into compost is a simple step toward living more sustainably. This practice enriches your garden and reduces household waste, making a positive impact on the environment. By choosing to compost, you engage in a natural cycle of renewal while providing your plants with the nutrients they need to thrive. Let this act of recycling inspire a greener lifestyle, one that celebrates and contributes to the earth’s natural processes. Your garden—and the planet—will thank you for it.