Composting gets a lot of buzz these days, and why not? It’s an easy way to put kitchen waste to good use. Instead of clogging landfills, you’ll be creating a nutrient-rich amendment for your vegetable and flower beds.

When I got involved in gardening many moons ago, I was busy with young children. Large chunks of free time were hard to come by, so I did what I could. I cobbled together an enclosure out of readily available materials and tossed in some leaves and kitchen scraps. I rarely turned it or paid much attention to carbon/nitrogen ratios, but nonethess, compost happened.

My first compost heaps were made from discarded wood pallets nailed or wired together at the corners and wrapped in chicken wire, with a removable section as the “gate.” These worked fine for as long as the wood held up. What I use now is even simpler: welded wire fencing and four fence posts. There’s no real gate, just an opening in the fence that can be wired shut.

In the kitchen, garbage is separated into three types: recyclable, throwaway, and veggie. The veggie can is lined with a paper grocery bag, and when it fills up, it goes straight to the compost heap. I bury the new material; but in winter that’s not possible. So I do it when I can.

When I pull weeds or remove spent plants  from the garden, they go in the compost heap as well, along with dead leaves in the fall. I still don’t balance the carbon/nitrogen content, so the pile doesn’t really heat up (though I occasionally detect a slight warmth). Nonetheless, compost happens.

Of course, you can take a more organized, disciplined approach to composting and study the subject in depth if you choose. A Web search for information on composting will turn up a lot of good sites geared to the home gardener, such as Composting 101. You can also find a lot of detailed articles on composting and compost bins at FineGardening.com). Or you can just begin as I did and refine the process when you have time or inclination.

Build an enclosure, add plant material, collect your veggie scraps, and toss them in. Nature will take care of the rest.

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ORGANIC COCONUT COIR: Made from recycled coconut husks, coir is a light, sustainable growing medium that holds the perfect amount of moisture for starting seeds. 100% biodegradable soil alternative. Environmentally friendly and a renewable alternative to peat moss. OMRI listed and certified organic. IDEAL GROWING MIX: Improve seed germination and root growth with this premium coconut fiber mix, which improves nutrients absorption! Great for flower, vegetable, herb, and more plant types. OMRI listed. Naturally disease and pathogen resistant, it will help you grow healthy live plants. EASY TO STORE & EXPAND: Each compact coconut coir brick expands into 8 quarts of seed starting mix, providing 16 quarts total. Just add water to expand! Dehydrated bricks save space until planting. Once expanded, coconut coir provides a quality growing medium for all types of plants—indoor plants, house plants, outdoor plants, and more! NATURALLY CONSERVES WATER: Renewable coco coir has excellent moisture retention and better air circulation than peat. This eco-friendly, premium seeds starting mix combines well with other potting soil and compost for container plants & raised beds. 100% GUARANTEED: Burpee is committed to the success of all gardeners. We treat each order with care to ensure healthy seeds, plants, soil mixes, and gardening supplies are sent in excellent condition. If you are unsatisfied with your purchase, we aim to make it right!

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PRODUCT DETAILS: Vermont Compost Company Fort Vee Organic Potting Mix A rich, organic, compost-based potting soil that is ideal for growing your veggies, Plants, and herbs free from any harmful chemicals. Our all natural mixed organic garden soil is composed of all-natural ingredients our Plants needed to grow naturally and is a great choice for gardeners who prefer compost-based germination and growing medium. Product Weight: 20 Quarts

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MULTI-PURPOSE BUG KILLER—Bonide Neem Oil is a perfect pest control solution for any garden dealing with mites, flies, mildew, and more. This product is a three-in-one fungicide, miticide, and insecticide. READY TO USE—This product is conveniently ready to use when it arrives. The spray nozzle makes this product easy to deploy and can even be used up to the day of harvest. KILLS ALL STAGES OF INSECTS—Bonide's 3-in-1 Neem Oil is great because it kills the egg, larvae, and adult stages of insects while also preventing the fungal attack of plant tissues. DORMANT SPRAY—In addition to being useful for ridding your garden of insects and other pests, this Neem oil makes a great dormant spray to help protect your plants throughout all seasons. ORGANIC GARDENING—Derived from the Neem seed, our product is great for use on roses, flowers, vegetables, fruits, herbs, indoor houseplants, trees and shrubs. It's approved for organic gardening.

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