Household composting

Composting, a child’s game!

Why do we use plant nourishment and chemical fertilizers which, you must admit, are neither ecological nor cheap? You might say: to have gorgeous flowers and a beautiful lawn? Yet, you have all you need in your garbage to produce an excellent natural and cost-efficient fertilizer.

What is composting?

Composting is the transformation of organic material by microorganisms. In the presence of oxygen and humidity, the microorganisms decompose the organic material. This reaction generates amazing heat. The heat inside your composting bin rises to 50°C (about 120°F). Once the process is complete, the result is rich mould, ideal for fertilizing your soil.

What are the advantages of composting?

Composting reduces a considerable amount of garbage found in the landfills. Canadians actually produce enough trash to fill six football fields, 1 kilometer high!!! And more than 80% of this garbage can be recycled or composted!

As a result, composting helps reduce pollution, saves on gas and money. It recycles organic waste and turns it into excellent fertilizers. Once it matures, the compost helps enrich your flowerbeds, vegetable gardens and soil.  Compost improves the physical properties of the soil such as drainage, aeration, water and nutrient retention, in both clay and sandy soils.

How do I compost?

Composting is done from organic material: leftovers from food scraps, gardening, wood chips. It is important is break down the materials you put into your composter into smaller pieces in order to accelerate the process. You can collect food leftovers in a sealed container in the kitchen until it is full before emptying it in your composter (an ice-cream container or a small pot will do).

Here is a list of items you can use in your compost bin.

Wet Materials:
Fruit and vegetable peels (including citrus fruit, banana skins).
Soup and salad leftovers (in small quantities so the compost will not soak)
Wild mushrooms
Old plants and flowers
Grass clippings (in small quantities; see section on lawns)

Dry Materials:
Coffee grounds and filters
Tea bags
Cereal, bread, pasta
Egg and nut shells, peach pits …
Woodchips, sawdust and twigs
Animal hair or fur
Corn cobs and stalks
Dry wood scraps in small pieces
Dry leaves
Hay and straw
Paper, newspaper and cardboard
Natural fabrics (in small quantities)
Seafood shells (shrimp, lobster, crab, mussels, oysters…)

Note that some wet material, when dried out in the sun, can be considered as dry materials.

However, some items must be avoided:

Seed-bearing weeds, because seeds will not be destroyed in the composter. When you lay out your compost, you will spread out the unwanted seeds and weeds will grow back where you don’t want them. 
Diseased plants are also to be avoided for the same reasons as weed. The compost would only help spread the disease.
Waste of animal origin (bone, meat, dairy products …) and fat (dressing, butter, oil …) attract skunks and raccoons.
Rhubarb leaves contain toxins that are harmful to plants when the compost is used.

Tip: Natural Insecticide
Soak your rhubarb leaves in a pot outdoors for 72 hours outdoors. Filter the water and use it in a spray as insecticide for your plants.

You can obtain compost in as little as 6 weeks if it is done scrupulously and rigorously. However, for most people, it takes longer to get a finished product.  Here are a few pointers to ensure good composting:

Place the composter in an area that is accessible 12 months a year.
Place the bin directly on the ground (take out the grass and use a bottomless bin) in order for the microorganisms to access the composting material easily.
Compost should be moist but not wet. If necessary, sprinkle your compost during hot and dry weather, and after an intense rainy spell, open the lid of your bin so that excess water can evaporate.
Maintain the heat level inside the composter. Place it in a place where it gets at least 4 hours of full sun per day.
Keep the ration of 1:2 between wet and dry materials.
Mix and turn the compost every two weeks to introduce oxygen into it.
Dried fern, nettle, dandelion and horsetail are good compost accelerators. Chicken, cow, goat and rabbit manure also do a good job.

The compost bin is useful to protect the compost from bad weather and maintaining the temperature (which enhances the decomposition process). You can either buy it or build it.  You can use a plastic garbage can, cut out the bottom and make holes in the sides for aeration. You can also build a box out of wood boards. It is important that the container be bottomless, resistant to wild animals and easy to empty out once the compost is mature. If you are not handy, you can buy containers from municipal garage sales for $25 but you must order them in advance by calling 514-457-6844.

Regulation

It is recommended to place the container in the backyard or the side, but there are no specific regulations for composters in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue. However, composting must not create any nuisance.  Compost must not be accessible to animals (use a lid) or disturb the neighbors.  Fines may be issued for such violations.

In Brief …

Choose a place close to the house so you can access your composter all year long.
Place your container directly on the ground (container must have no bottom and take out the grass under the composter) Keep a ratio of 1 part wet materials to 2 parts dry materials.
Keep your heap moist.
Turn it regularly for aeration.
When it looks like soil fertilizer, use it to improve your flowerbeds, your lawn or vegetable garden.
Ask for help and get more information if need be!

Tip: Compost Tea
Put an amount of compost in a bucket of water and let it soak for several hours. The liquid collected can be used to spray directly on plant leaves. Return the solid material back to your compost bin.

www.compost.org

www.recyc-quebec.gouv.qc.ca
1-800-807-0678 / 514-352-5002

Happy Composting!