Compost Keepers, Losers Weepers

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Mary Moore

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Photo Credit: Mary Moore

All kinds of foods – like vegetables, herbs, salad greens, mushroom stems, even coffee grinds and tea bags – make great additions to your compost pile.

As Americans think “greener,” the art of composting is gaining popularity. Turning leaves and other yard waste into dark, friable compost that’s ready to bring life to any garden is not only rewarding, it’s a great use of natural resources. And adding leftover fruits, vegetables, eggshells and used coffee grinds speeds up the leaf decomposition process for great compost even sooner.

The only trouble is that when you’re fixing a meal, there’s often too much going on to run any extras out to the compost bin – making it all too easy to just throw away those precious scraps. But keeping a container in your kitchen specifically for compost waste can make composting a simple part of your daily routine.

What should you look for in a compost keeper? For starters, you’ll probably want something that keeps the smell at bay. While food scraps are great for the compost bin, they’re not often great for the nose – and they don’t wait until they’re outside to start decomposing. My first kitchen compost keeper was simply a plastic container with a sealed lid I set on the counter. It wasn’t too bad during winter. We were eating a lot of low-acid foods that decomposed slowly, and the lid kept even the stinky onion smell inside. It wasn’t pretty, but at least I wasn’t throwing vegetable scraps away.

By spring, however, it became clear I needed to find another solution. We were eating more foods that decomposed with a vengeance (and serious smell). And even though I was emptying the container every few days, the stink filled the kitchen whenever I lifted the lid. I needed to find a solution that contained the food scraps, as well as tackled the stench.

Warnings

Don’t add oils, fats or protein – including animal parts (meat or bones), starchy materials (pasta or rice), greasy foods or dairy products – to your compost. You’ll attract rodents and other pests, as well as pets.

Tips

Make sure your compost keeper has a good handle so it’s easier to carry out to the compost bin (even if you use liners). The bigger the container, the stronger the handle will need to be to carry the load.
For a quick-and-dirty kitchen compost keeper, just use an extra plastic trash can (or other container) with a lid that seals. If you’re looking for a pretty countertop container for your kitchen, perhaps with a carbon filter, check with your local garden center, favorite seed company or stores that carry kitchen and garden supplies.

Faqs

Q: What type of foods should I save for the compost bin?
A: Almost all fruit and vegetable scraps are good (but too much citrus can make your bin acidic – too many coffee grounds do the same). Eggshells are also great (and make a good alkaline additive to acidic soil).

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