Composting
Nature’s Way of Recycling
Composting is a simple way to cut down on household waste while creating something useful for your yard and garden. By recycling food scraps and yard materials, residents can improve soil quality, reduce dependence on chemical products, and play a part in protecting the local environment.
The Benefits of Composting
Food scraps and yard debris make up a significant portion of what we throw away. Composting at home keeps these materials out of landfills and turns them into a free, sustainable resource. The result is healthier soil, stronger plants, and a cleaner community for future generations.
- Reduce Waste and Landfill Costs
Organic material makes up nearly one-third of household trash. Composting at home cuts down on the waste that must be collected, transported, and buried. - Improve Soil Quality
Compost returns essential nutrients to the soil and improves its ability to hold water. This helps lawns and gardens grow healthier and become more drought-resistant. - Save Money
Composting replaces the need for many store-bought fertilizers and soil conditioners. Families can save money while creating a free, natural product right in their own backyard.
From Scraps to Soil: Starting Your Compost Journey
Creating a compost pile or bin is easy. To get started, choose a location with good drainage and partial shade. A compost system needs three main ingredients:
- Carbon-rich “browns” such as dry leaves, straw, pine needles, or shredded paper.
- Nitrogen-rich “greens” such as fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, and grass clippings.
- Soil or finished compost to introduce the microbes that help break everything down.
Chop or shred larger items to help them break down faster. Keep your pile moist (like a wrung-out sponge) and turn it every couple of weeks to add oxygen. With the right balance, compost is usually ready to use in three to six months.
Guidance & Composting Resources
- NC State Extension – Composting Resources
Practical guides on backyard composting, vermicomposting, and soil improvement. - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – Composting at Home
Step-by-step instructions, tips, and benefits of composting.
Composting With Worms: Vermicomposting
Vermicomposting uses worms to recycle everyday food scraps into a rich, natural fertilizer. Unlike traditional compost piles, worm bins are compact, low-maintenance, and can be kept indoors or outdoors. This makes them a great option for residents without yards or for anyone who wants to compost year-round. Vermicomposting is simple, family-friendly, and produces one of the most effective natural fertilizers available.
Getting Started:
- Container: Use a ventilated plastic bin or wooden box with a lid.
- Bedding: Shredded newspaper, cardboard, or coconut coir, moistened like a damp sponge.
- Worms: Red wigglers thrive in bins; avoid using garden earthworms.
- Feeding: Add small amounts of fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, or eggshells. Bury food to control odors and pests.
What to Avoid: Do not add meat, dairy, oils, or salty foods, as these attract pests and create odors.
Harvesting:
Within three to six months, worms will produce dark, crumbly compost (castings) ready for houseplants, gardens, or landscaping.
Recycling Yard Waste: Grasscycling and Mulching
Yard waste can be reused in simple, sustainable ways that improve soil health and reduce the need for chemicals or hauling debris away. Two of the most effective practices are grass recycling and mulching.
Grass Recycling:
Also known as grasscycling, this method leaves grass clippings on the lawn after mowing. Clippings decompose quickly and return valuable nutrients—especially nitrogen—back to the soil. Grass recycling saves time by eliminating the need for bagging, reduces landfill waste, and helps lawns stay greener, thicker, and more drought-resistant. Using a mulching mower makes the process even more effective.
Mulching:
Shredded leaves, pine straw, and chipped branches can be spread around trees, shrubs, and garden beds as mulch. Mulch locks in soil moisture, suppresses weeds, prevents erosion, and regulates soil temperature. As homemade mulch breaks down, it adds organic matter back into the soil, creating a natural fertilizer and reducing the need for chemical products.
These small steps turn yard work into long-term soil benefits while reducing waste.
What Not to Use: Avoid mulching with diseased plants, invasive weeds that may regrow, or treated/painted wood chips. These materials can spread pests, chemicals, or unwanted growth into your soil.