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The Complete Composter

What is Composting?

Organic waste is composed of materials that were once alive. Leaves, twigs and grass clippings are organic. So are vegetable cuttings, fruit peels, eggshells and coffee grounds. The average New York City household throws away two pounds of organic waste each day. This adds up to over a million tons of organic waste per year, most of which is transported to landfills. When we bury organic waste, we not only lose precious landfill space, we also discard a valuable resource that can help beautify city parks, gardens and lawns. This is because most organic materials can easily be made into compost.

Compost is a dark, crumbly material that looks and feels like potting soil. It forms naturally when organic materials decompose. Compost is an excellent soil conditioner -- it loosens the texture of heavy clay soils, making them better for root growth, and it helps light sandy soils retain water and nutrients. Compost is also a source of minerals and nutrients that are essential to plants.

Composting is a natural process taking place everywhere around us. When a leaf falls to the ground, it is eaten and digested by microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi, and by larger creatures, such as beetles and earthworms. Compost is the remains these organisms leave behind. It becomes part of the soil, where its nutrients are absorbed by plant roots to help make new leaves.

Composting is nature's way of recycling.