Update: Local farmer talked me into composting food scraps and it actually works

I used to think composting was just a crunchy granola thing that would attract bugs and smell bad. Then last spring at the farmers market in Richmond, this guy named Tom with a stall full of veggies just straight up told me I was wasting like 30% of what I buy. He gave me a free little bin and said try it for 2 weeks. I started putting coffee grounds and eggshells and veggie peels in there, mixed it with some dry leaves from my yard. After about 3 months I had this dark dirt that made my tomato plants go crazy. Now I'm actually saving money on fertilizer and throwing out way less trash. Anyone else get convinced by someone in person instead of reading about it online?

3 comments

3 Comments

nancyj111mo ago

Put a thin layer of dry leaves or shredded paper on top after each addition to stop the smell and bugs completely. That's the trick Tom never told me at first, I had to learn it the hard way.

finley_gonzalez491mo ago

Take it from somebody who composts year round in a hot climate. You gotta go way thicker than you think with that dry layer. I put down a solid three to four inches of shredded cardboard or dry grass clippings on top every time I add kitchen scraps. That's what really locks in the smell and stops the fruit flies from having a party. Honestly, if you skimp on that top layer you're basically inviting every bug in the neighborhood to move in. It also helps keep the moisture balanced so your pile doesn't turn into a slimy mess. Ngl, I used to get so frustrated until I started piling it on thick.

jennifer8331mo ago

@finley_gonzalez49 is right about the thick layer, but "shredded cardboard" can mat down and trap moisture vs dry leaves.