After you enjoy your home compostable coffee pod, it's time to throw it (and your food scraps) into the compost bin.
Composting is beneficial to the environment because it diverts emissions from landfill, as well as creates nutrient-rich organic fertiliser for any garden.
Here are some compost bin tips and resources for operating a healthy compost at home.
Tip #1: Layer
A healthy compost has a mix of greens (plant scraps/clippings and food scraps) and browns (dead plants and leaves, cardboard, paper).
This mix creates an even pH balance, which means it actually breaks down your waste and doesn't stink. A stinky compost means that your mix is probably too wet. Try throwing shredded cardboard or any dry organic materials into the mix.
If you’re starting from scratch, you can think of it like making a layered cake. One layer of greens, another of browns, on so on. Add an image for browns and greens.
Tip #2: Add & Mix
Once your compost is established (call it half-full), you’ll be visiting it mostly to add food scraps.
Mixing your new scraps into the center of the heap is critical to them properly breaking down.
The center of the compost should be the hotter part, which kick starts the degradation process.
Tip #3: Ground Exposure
There are a lot of compost bins to choose from. We recommend finding one that has an open bottom with direct access to the dirt below.
This allows bugs and worms to enter your compost from the ground and also the juices of your compost to enter the ground naturally.
With these bins, you'll want to be sure to dig a few extra centimetres in the ground around the lip of the bin to prevent any rodents or pests from entering.
By placing your compost in a slightly elevated area you allow nutrients to naturally flow "downstream" in the soil to your garden.
Tip #4: Collection
This can be any container! It doesn’t and probably shouldn’t be too fancy, but should be convenient.
It should be sealable and the volume of it should vary based on your household size and how frequently you’re taking trips to the compost.
Occasionally, I’ll even use an empty bread bag and throw it in the freezer until I muster up the energy to visit the compost. The freezer and fridge are great friends if you want to prolong the trip to your compost bin a few extra days.
Tip #5: Balance, Balance, Balance
Maintaining a balanced compost-to-coffee ratio is a key ingredient in the recipe for successful composting. While coffee grounds bring valuable nitrogen to the mix, achieving a harmonious blend involves incorporating a variety of compostable materials.
Kitchen scraps, such as fruit and vegetable peels, offer a diverse array of nutrients and organic matter. Leaves, with their high carbon content, provide the necessary balance to the nitrogen-rich coffee grounds. Introducing grass clippings into the mix not only enhances the overall compost structure but also aids in temperature regulation.
