For gardeners, a compost bin is a cost-effective tool that can be used to turn waste, which would normally be thrown away, into nutritious matter for plants.
Think about it, the food scraps and shells you throw out every morning can serve as a source of organic goodness for your crops! Sounds like a win-win deal to me!
This article will guide beginners on what exactly they can put into their compost bins to turn into plant nutrition. (Hint: It’s a lot of things!)
So, What Can You Put In A Compost Bin?
Many people will be surprised to know that a compost bin pretty much welcomes all kinds of organic waste, be it fruit scraps or cardboard.
Now, whether you consume 1 or 5 meals a day, almost all your meals will leave behind some kind of organic matter in the form of shells, peels, grounds, or even paper. All of this might sound like waste to you but, for plants, a mixture of all these organic materials is top-tier goodness!
Here are 5 examples of things you can put into your compost bin:
5 – Fruit Scraps
Whenever you peel fruit, some scraps always remain.
Mangoes, oranges, lychees, kiwis, and avocados all require you to either peel their skin or remove their cores before devouring them.
The scraps that remain from the fruit can be put into a compost bin for decomposition and later be used by crops as nutrition.
4 – Eggshells
For the majority of the world’s population, eggs are a staple for breakfast. This means multiple eggshells are thrown away every morning as a complete waste.
These eggshells can instead be put into a compost bin to create nutrient-rich soil for the garden – a win-win situation for the person consuming the eggs and his/her crops.
Also read this article and find out what happens if you don’t turn your compost.
3 – Coffee Grounds
Coffee is another breakfast staple for many people, meaning they have leftover coffee grounds every morning of the week.
These leftover coffee grounds are perfect for putting into compost bins as they decompose and slightly increase the acidity of the soil.
Plants that thrive in acidic soil can benefit greatly from this organic matter.
Find out what’s the difference between manure and compost.
2 – Dried Leaves
Whenever you rake up dried leaves after a windy autumn night, consider putting them into your compost bin.
They will not only help balance the nitrogen content by introducing carbon into the compost but also create gaps for ventilation in the organic matter which aids with the decomposition process.
1 – Hair
Yes, you read that right! Even hair can be put into compost bins!
If you have a furry pet at home that sheds lots of hair or you lose your own hair a lot, throw that hair you would normally vacuum out into your compost bin.
It is a good source of nitrogen when decomposed, but keep in mind to not use too much as it may create weird clumps in the compost.
Find out if you can compost tomato plants.
Final Words
A compost bin is a must for every gardener. It is an economical tool that cuts out the need to purchase too many fertilizers and can be utilized by anyone from a full-scale gardener to an average Joe trying to grow a few plants in his indoor nursery.
Unnecessary waste will be reduced while your plants receive nutrient-rich soil to grow at their fullest potential; a win-win in any case.