4
Why does everyone treat composting like it's a science experiment?
I've been managing the community garden plots in my neighborhood for about 2 years now, and I keep seeing people throw kitchen scraps into a pile with no browns at all and then wonder why it stinks. Last week someone showed up with a full bucket of just coffee grounds and onion peels, no leaves or cardboard mixed in. How do I get people to understand that a 3-to-1 ratio of browns to greens actually matters?
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
kai_burns733d ago
Jumping off what @charles720 said - I mean yeah, your pile will break down eventually no matter what you throw in there, but the difference is how long it takes and whether it turns into a nasty slime pit first. A 3-to-1 ratio is basically like a cheat code for avoiding gross smells and fruit flies. I've seen people who just toss in whatever and after a few months it's still a wet, stinky mess, while someone who follows the ratio has usable compost way faster. idk, maybe it's just me but it feels easier to just grab some dry leaves or shredded paper when you add greens than to deal with the hassle of a broken pile later.
8
charles7204d ago
Honestly though, is the 3-to-1 thing really that strict? I toss in whatever's handy and my pile breaks down fine eventually. Maybe we overthink this stuff sometimes.
2