Composting:

Composting Kitchen waste is a much spoken of subject of today. Many do that at home and reap its
benefits. But some of us have a doubt whether we can feed our plants directly with kitchen vegetable
scrap so that they breakdown in their pots and will be useful for their plants. Here we can discuss some
important points as to why well composted organic waste is best to our potmix and for our plants.

Composting is not rotting but digestion of organic waste by microbes. Aerobic and anaerobic bacteria.

Certain fly larvae (maggots) too assists in speeding the breakdown. But those inching wriggling creatures
may not be liked by all as once they finish their feeding stage they crawl around all places to some safe
dry spot to molt and fly off! This can be disgusting!

Aerobic decomposing is better because the compost will be comparitively rich in Nitrogen as it is not lost
as stinking methane gas, Ammmonia or Sulphur dioxide released in anaerobic composting.

Decomposing is an exothermic process and so it generates lots of heat.

Also fermentation releases a lot of acids. This acids will set free already fixed nitrogen in the soil and also
turn some soluble salts to insoluble materials.

The decomposing heat generated, will kill plant roots and some valuable microorganisms too.

This way, raw waste added directly will do more harm than good for plants. Raw food waste attracts
insects, ants, rodents, scavenging birds and animals which can dig and spoil our plants.

It is best to compost the kitchen waste in a well drained container of your choice ..it should have holes
on all sides and bottom too to drain the leachate. This has to be collected and stored. Diluted, and fed to
plants time to time. This will be a health tonic!

Some tips for people who do not know much on Composting:

For easy composting, mix well, equal quantity of crushed dry leaves of any tree...(leguminous tree
preferred) to the degradable waste generated in your kitchen and add to your bin, each time you dump
your waste.

(Cocopeat, or chemical free saw dust or shredded waste paper too can be used)

If the mix is too dry, add a few millilitres of sour buttermilk so that the yeast and other bacteria
(Lactococcus lactis or Lactobacillus bulgaricus ) will ensure quick breakdown of those materials without
any stink as they release only carbon dioxide and moisture. This can be done as and when needed. No
need of any store bought decomposers or any named spore laden powders !

Turn the mixture once a week and once it is full, keep it covered in shade, away from sun and rain for a
month or two maintaining required moisture. By that time all will shrink and settle down and what
remains will be earth smelling nutrients rich, ready to use powered compost.

This can be safely fed to your plants.

( These pictures are picked from internet just to show the items we discussed here. These are not mine)

Happy composting!

Save our Earth and Our environment!

Anoop Kumar C P

16th December 2019