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You are here: Home / Composting / How to Compost Your Vegetable Garden Waste for Healthy Soil

How to Compost Your Vegetable Garden Waste for Healthy Soil

in Composting, Gardening on 06/08/23

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Table of Contents

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  • Different Ways Of Composting
  • Composting Garden Waste
  • Benefits of Composting Garden Clippings and Dead Plants
  • Key Takeaway
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Many people talk about how they can compost their kitchen scraps and other household items. Some people save their kitchen scraps and bury them or feed them to chickens – all of which works and can ultimately produce compost.

But, when I first started composting, I used a worm compost and only used kitchen scraps, so all of my garden discards were being wasted, smashed into trash bags and thrown away – leaves, grass, dead branches, plant debris – all of it wasted.

But you can use your garden to feed your garden… think about that for a minute.

A pile of dead plants to be used for composting
Composting is also a cost-effective way to manage garden waste.

Different Ways Of Composting

Composting can be done in a variety of ways, such as:

  • hot composting
  • vermicomposting
  • traditional composting

The process involves layering brown and green materials and regularly turning the pile to encourage decomposition.

The resulting compost is a valuable source of nutrients for plants and can improve the texture and health of the soil.

By composting, you can reduce waste, save money, and create a healthier garden ecosystem.

Composting Garden Waste

By composting your vegetable garden waste, you’re not only reducing the amount of waste going to the landfill, but you’re also creating a valuable resource for your garden.

Choose a composting method:

There are several composting methods, such as traditional composting, vermicomposting, and hot composting.

Choose a method that works best for you based on your available space, time, and resources.

Gather compostable materials:

Collect all your vegetable garden waste, including:

  • leaves
  • plant clippings
  • grass clippings
  • weeds
  • flowers
  • stems
  • dead plants
  • fruit or veggies that are damaged or rotting

You can also add fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, and eggshells from the kitchen to the mix. Avoid adding meat, dairy, or oily foods as they can attract pests.

Build your compost pile:

Start with a layer of brown material (dry leaves or shredded paper), followed by a layer of green material (fresh grass clippings or vegetable waste).

Keep adding layers until your pile is about three feet high. Make sure to keep the pile moist but not too wet.

Vegetable peels and clippings
Composting your garden clippings and dead plants is an environmentally friendly alternative to sending organic waste to landfills.

Turn the pile:

Every few weeks, use a pitchfork or shovel to turn the compost pile.

This helps to aerate the pile and speeds up the composting process.

If you’re using a tumbler you won’t need to turn it with a shovel or pitchfork, or if you’re vermicomposting, you won’t need to turn the pile (don’t turn the poor little worms… lol).

Monitor the compost:

After a few weeks, your compost pile should start to break down into dark, crumbly soil.

Check the temperature of your compost pile. It’s best to keep the temps at 55-65 °C (131-149 °F) to make sure it’s working well.

If it’s not heating up, you may need to add more green material or turn the pile more frequently.

Use the finished compost:

Once your compost has turned into rich, dark soil, you can use it in your vegetable garden.

Spread it on top of your soil or mix it in with existing soil to improve its texture and nutrient content.

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The Do's and Don'ts of Composting An Essential Guide

Benefits of Composting Garden Clippings and Dead Plants

Composting dead plants and garden clippings can have numerous benefits for both your garden and the environment.

By composting, you’re creating a natural soil amendment that’s rich in nutrients, beneficial microorganisms, and organic matter.

This nutrient-rich soil can improve soil fertility, enhance plant growth, and improve the overall health of your garden.

Composting also helps to reduce the amount of organic waste that ends up in landfills.

A bowl of mangosteen peels
By composting your vegetable garden waste, such as clippings and dead plants, you can create a sustainable way to recycle your organic waste and enrich your soil.

Additionally, composting reduces the need for synthetic fertilizers, which can have negative effects on the environment and human health.

The use of synthetic fertilizers can lead to the contamination of groundwater and soil, as well as the loss of biodiversity.

Composting is also a cost-effective way to manage garden waste.

Instead of buying expensive fertilizers, you can create your own nutrient-rich compost from garden clippings and dead plants, all but eliminating the need for fertilizers.

You Might Also Like: Ways To Compost

Ways To Compost

Key Takeaway

Overall, composting dead plants and garden clippings is a sustainable and environmentally friendly practice that can benefit both your garden and the planet.

By composting, you’re reducing waste, improving soil health, and supporting biodiversity, all while creating a healthier and more vibrant garden.

  • Composting produces a nutrient-rich soil amendment that is ideal for growing plants
  • Composting reduces the amount of organic waste that ends up in landfills
  • Composting reduces the need for synthetic fertilizers, which can harm the environment and human health
  • Composting is a cost-effective way to manage garden waste
  • Composting supports biodiversity by providing a habitat for beneficial microorganisms and insects
  • Composting improves soil structure, making it easier for plants to grow roots and absorb water.
Learn how to turn your vegetable garden waste into nutrient-rich compost for healthy soil. Discover the benefits of composting and get started.


2 Comments

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Comments

  1. Sandra Young says

    September 10, 2023 at 2:35 pm

    Hi there!
    Loved the article about composting. I have a tumbler but I’m not getting the proper ratio for food scraps and brown garden/leaves. What do you suggest.

    Reply
    • Dian says

      September 10, 2023 at 3:07 pm

      Sandra,

      It seems so simple, right? I am forever forgetting to layer correctly! lol

      The best way to do it, I have found is to start with a base of twigs and shredded leaves that will allow air in the pile at the bottom, then I add some compost or soil, then I add in food scraps and follow that up with shredded paper and cardboard (those Amazon boxes come in quite handy!).

      Every time I empty my food scraps into the compost I add a layer of grass clippings and/or shredded leaves.

      Make sure you water it – keep it moist like a wrung out sponge.

      I don’t have a tumbler so I have to turn mine about once a week to get the air circulation your tumbler should be giving it.

      For a tumbler you should do about 4 parts brown to 1 part green.

      Greens are your food scraps
      Browns are things like dead twigs, cardboard, paper, wood chips, straw

      Are you keeping it moist?
      What leads you to believe your ratio is wrong?
      Does it smell bad?
      Is it not breaking down?

      I hope this helped. Make sure to check back and let me know!
      Dian

      Reply

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Hi! I'm Dian, a wife of 30+ years, Mom to 4 grown kids, "Nana" to 8, and a Master Gardener. I LOVE reality shows & vegetable gardening & talking about both. You can read more here

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