When you hear the phrase ‘recyclable materials’, you may start cringing with disgust. You don’t want to get your hands dirty with rotting kitchen waste – that’s understandable. What if you could sustain your garden with these materials without needing to get knee-deep in the yuck? Guess what, you can! Composting may sound icky, but it’s truly a form of magic in your garden. Composting refers to the reusability of biodegradable materials – such as food. It can be done in various ways and will not only get rid of all the unwanted leftovers in your kitchen but add life to your garden soil and the plants that grow in it. Here are some ideas on how you can cultivate a garden with recyclable materials in a clean and very efficient manner.

Image by Manfred Antranias Zimmer from Pixabay

Direct Composting

This basically refers to digging a hole in the ground and burying all the waste in there. Although very easy, it takes super long for the materials to actually decompose, so if you’re looking for a quick way to produce compost, this may not be the way to go. This method is only applicable to fruits and vegetables, so you’ll have to go and separate the waste before burying it. But, if you feel that digging a hole is kind of where your composting journey should begin and end, go for it! It’s still effective and low maintenance in its own right.

Worm Farming

Probably the next big thing when it comes to composting, this particular method is genius and fast-acting as well. Worm farming, also called vermicomposting, can be done inside a bin and saves lots of time as the worms do all the work for you! These earthworms are hard workers and, as opposed to direct composting where you have to separate the fruits and vegetables from the waste, this lovely method can be used with far more types of waste. Also a more fast-acting approach, worm farms can dispose of more than 4kg of your household waste per week! It’s also fairly easy to set up and look after – a detailed worm farming guide will educate and instruct you on exactly what it is you need to do and not do.

Mechanical Composting

This method breaks down waste and produces compost within 24 hours. It also works very well for commercial use if you’re in the restaurant or hospitality industry. But, even though it works fast, it’s quite an expensive system to acquire and requires further assistance once the mechanism has done its job. If you’re planning on using it for your household, also be ready for a spike in your utility bill as it runs on electricity.

All of the above are just some examples of how you can use ordinary household waste to improve the quality of your garden’s soil, which will ultimately make for a healthier plant life within it. So don’t be shy, get to work! And who knows – maybe you’ve found your next exciting hobby!

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