The benefits of garden composting come in two different guises. Firstly the environmental impact you have on the planet and secondly the creation of something that benefits you, the gardener.

Disposing of our waste is truly detrimental to the environment. The array of energy used to collect, transport and process our waste is all having a negative impact on the planet. Really it seems wasteful to use energy just to get rid of our excess stuff. This is compounded by the impact the waste itself has on the environment at large. Food waste, garden debris and other organic materials often end up in landfill. Because they are sealed under yet more rubbish they are unable to break down naturally. Instead they decompose anaerobically producing vast quantities of methane gas.

Diverting all your organic waste reduces all the energy involved in processing it and cuts methane emissions which are a large factor in climate change. So by using a garden compost bin you really do help the environment.

On the more personal side, garden composting creates usable material from your organic kitchen scraps and garden waste. So, you do not have to start using a garden composter for totally altruistic reasons. Instead use one because you get to create soil enriching plant food. Over time plants use up the nutrients in your garden soil and the action of weather will degrade its structure. If you garden continually on a plot without putting anything back eventually the soil will become useless and unable to support healthy plant life. This is particularly true because gardeners tend to be relatively tidy, removing debris which would otherwise go some way to replenishing the nutrients and structure of your soil.

Adding garden compost regularly gives your soils a feed of slow release fertiliser. Nearly all the nutrients needed by your plants, except perhaps lime, will be contained in your newly created garden compost. Also, of equal importance, hummus improves the very structure of the soil and its ability to retain moisture.

Whether you dig your garden compost into the soil or just lay it as a mulch eventually all the goodness it contains is imparted to the soil and then your plants.
Using a garden compost bin means you get to improve your garden for free whilst also reducing your household waste. It really is a win-win situation.

 

By: Lec Watkins

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For more information about garden composting and choosing a garden compost bin visit the Garden Composter site.