Dr. Rot says composting is super-easy. While compost bins are widely available, with some cities offering discounts to residents, it’s fine to just make a pile, says Paul Vaksvik, Dr. Rot’s alter ego. Here are some tips:
• Start with two to three buckets of yellowed or brown leaves mixed with one bucket of green leaves or grass.
• Mix the pile regularly and add enough water to keep it moist.
• Kitchen scraps can be added, such as vegetables, fruit peels, coffee grounds , eggshells.
• Do not add dairy, bones or meat. Also avoid using invasive weeds or other unwanted plant cuttings.
One of the benefits of making a compost pile is that it will loosen the soil underneath, Vaksvik says.
“One of the byproducts of composting is humic acid. In California, our soil is like concrete. It’s hard for plants to get their roots down into the soil. Humic acid gets in soil and loosens it up. If a garden is grown in the same place where you’re composting, it doesn’t take a lot of effort do get the garden going. But on the other hand, the good thing about a container is you can move it a little bit.”
“Composting is great. You can’t screw up. If you put it in a pile, it will decompose. Just fluff it up and add water from time to time,” he says.
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