Green + Brown = Black Gold

Compost. Black Gold. My Papa swore by the stuff. The heartiness and scale of his kitchen garden was proof positive of its miraculous powers.

Like father, like daughter, when we moved into our Connecticut Country House, we excitedly set up our compost bin. Neighboring the spot was a sad bit of a stick of forsythia. Not much of anything. In a matter of months, it sent out roots, and feasting on the all you can eat buffet of nutrients the compost offered, it grew like it was on steroids! Amazing.

It’s easy. Try it. You’ll like it.

5 Simple Snippets for Composting Success:

1. Buy or make a bin. Ours is made out of old wooden pallets. There are many DIY ideas online.
2. Add a Green Layer – Things that are high in nitrogen, like plant based kitchen scraps, grass, weeds, coffee grinds and even egg shells.
3. Cover with a Brown Layer – Items that are carbon based, like dead leaves, wood chips, small sticks and straw. Alternate the layers, and try and finish with a brown layer to keep pests at bay.
4. Keep moist. It should feel like a rung out kitchen sponge.
5. Mix it up. Every once in a while, give the mixture a stir to aerate. This will promote the breakdown process.

Depending upon the conditions and how often the compost is tended, you’ll have your very own trash-to-treasure supply of black gold in no time.

Happy Earth Day!

Love, Nora