Nature: The Great Recycler
Nothing in nature is wasted or sent to a landfill. Nature recycles
organic material (anything produced by a living organism) through a
combination of biological and chemical processes. Microorganisms,
insects, and worms help decompose (break down) dead plants and
animals, returning nutrients to the earth so that other plants may
grow. When we compost at home and work, we are utilizing these
natural processes. The following series of leaflets have been
created to show you how simply it can be done and steps to ensure
your success.
Composting is Easy!
Composting your yard and kitchen waste doesn't have to be expensive
or inconvenient. A compost bin can be as simple as a chicken-wire
enclosure or a hole dug in the ground. Why not visit the compost
demonstration garden here at MUN Botanical Garden to get some ideas
for your own house or apartment.
The Benefits of Compost:
Adding kitchen and garden wastes to a compost bin reduces the
volume of garbage sent to landfills each year. Here in the province
of Newfoundland and Labrador we are becoming increasingly aware of
the problem of landfills running out of space, leaching pollutants
to the surrounding environment, all the while costing towns and
municipalities large tax revenues. A landfill is viewed as a blot
on the landscape and few of us want to live next to one. Since
almost 50% of our wastes are made of organic matter, which can be
composted, everyone can play an active role in decreasing the size
of our landfills.
Adding organic waste to a composter also enables us to return
valuable organic matter back to the earth. When compost is added to
soil, it can become a very useful and valuable source of nutrients.
Here are some examples:
Many areas of Newfoundland and Labrador have poor soil. Finished
compost, when added to soil is a valuable source of nitrogen,
potassium and phosphorus, as well as trace elements such as iron,
manganese, copper, zinc and boron. These are all very important for
plant growth. Purchasing fertilizers and soil can be expensive in
our province. Composting is not.
The Benefits of Compost (Continued)
When organic matter is added to soil, as in the case of adding
compost, it helps soils hold or retain water. This means you will
not have to water your garden as much or as often. (Even during wet
weather we often experience drying winds throughout our
province).
When you apply chemical fertilizers to your garden, the rain will
sometimes wash them away. To re-apply is often a time consuming and
expensive task. Compost helps bind or hold the nutrients in the
soil. Not only do they not wash away, but the valuable nutrients
are then available as needed, over the long term.
When you mix compost with your soil, you loosen the soil and help
increase the air spaces. The compost itself is in turn made up of a
variety of particle sizes and a large number of microorganisms.
Increased air spaces and a greater amount of microbes mean less
compact soil, healthier plants, and easier growth for roots.
Healthier plants in turn mean less diseases and greater resistance
to pests. Better root growth not only helps your plants thrive, but
enables it to withstand the effects of our winter ‘freeze and
thaw' weather, when plants can literally be pushed out of the
ground if the roots are too shallow.
Every season, compost created from deciduous leaves (called leaf
mold) is mixed with peat and other soil amendments, and is spread
across our flower beds at MUN Botanical Garden. Not only does this
add much needed organic matter to our flower beds, the compost acts
like a mulch, smothering emerging weeds and discouraging the growth
of others.
Adding compost to your garden soil also stretches the growing
season both in spring and fall. This is important in our province
during our short growing season. The darkened soil absorbs more
heat from the sun. Soil rich in humus warms up faster in the spring
and stays warm longer in the fall.
Adding compost to your soil adds many beneficial microorganisms to
your garden and creates an environment conducive to their
growth.
