Composting is one of the cornerstones of regenerative gardening, and for good reason. Making black gold with household kitchen scraps and yard materials is easy, eco-friendly, and works wonders for the soil and your plants. Organic matter boosts a soil’s nutrient content, improving water retention and enhancing plant growth. Incorporating a home composting system is pretty straightforward, and with plenty of DIY options available, you can choose the one that works best for you and your garden!
You can find the options below and many more regenerative ideas in Stephanie Rose’s The Regenerative Garden: 80 Practical Projects for Creating a Self-Sustaining Garden Ecosystem.
Vermicomposting, also known as worm composting, is an excellent option for people living in small spaces or those who want to compost their home kitchen scraps indoors year-round. Making a homemade bin is easy; I made one a few years ago from big Rubbermaid containers. Red wiggler worms are perfect for vermicompost bins. Be sure to provide the worms with suitable bedding material, like damp, shredded newspaper and cardboard, and nestle a small amount of kitchen scraps into it. It won’t be long before the worms start chowing down, turning your food scraps into garden magic.
Spot composting is as easy as it gets; hardly any materials or set-up are required! This method involves digging holes throughout the garden and adding fruit and vegetable scraps to them. After covering the organic material, it’ll break down and feed your plants over time.
If you don’t mind the mess and the occasional (or very frequent) visit from critters, a compost pile is for you. This simple method involves throwing organic material into a pile and walking away. Layer two-thirds carbon and one-third nitrogen materials, turning it every so often to get the air flowing. You can cover the pile with cardboard for extra heat, but you’ll have to add moisture to keep it cooking.
I added a rolling compost bin to my garden setup last year with some decent results. A rolling composter is a closed system perfect for small spaces and keeping rodents and other critters out. The bin has two separate compartments: one for working compost and the other for filling with organic matter. Turn the bin frequently to mix all the materials and get your compost cooking faster. I bought my rolling compost bin affordably through a town composting initiative; check with your city to see if they offer a similar program.
Critter-proof bins are easy to build, but you can also purchase pre-fabricated bins with lids. Again, I found a local composting program a few years ago that offered the bins for free, and I’ve been using them in my garden space without any issues ever since. If building your own, use wood slats and build all four sides up. Use the same material to construct a lid. Whether you buy a bin or go the DIY route, wire mesh is essential for keeping burrowing rodents out. Place the mesh on the ground, allowing it to extend beyond the exterior perimeter of the bin. You can also run the wire up the interior sides for extra protection!
It’s always a good idea to have more than one composting system at play at any given time. This way, you can add to one bin or pile and let it cook while you add to others.
Happy composting!
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