In the UK, it is estimated that we throw away over 1.7 million tonnes of fruits and vegetables each year. This is largely due to us buying too much produce which we never make full use of. So how do we combat this? With Food Waste Action Week commencing today, we thought we'd share with you an easy method on how to create a food compost that'll help you reduce food waste in your household.
So let's get down to it!
To start off with, you'll need to invest in a lidded bin measuring around 3 ft. high and 3 ft. wide. Next, you need to drill twenty to thirty holes in your lid and in the container's bottom and sides so air can flow in and out and water can drain through.
Proceed then with gathering different ingredients for the food compost, such as twigs, dry leaves, and sticks, as well as waste from your household like tea bags, eggshells, vegetable scraps, and coffee grounds. Be sure to leave out fat, pet waste, and dairy products!
Coffee grounds work perfectly in food composts.
Add a layer of soil so that microorganisms and earthworms can break down the materials as necessary. Then add water every so often and stir the mixture with either a large stick or shovel. Doing so will leave you with a food compost that'll improve your soil and provide your plants with lots of nutrients, which will help them thrive in your garden.
A layer of soil will enable microorganisms and earthworms to break down the materials in your mixture as necessary.
Ever tried bottle composting? That's also a great way to reduce food waste and recycle old materials! Start by getting a two-litre empty fizzy drinks bottle, such as a Coke or Sprite bottle. Proceed with rinsing it out, screwing the top back on, making sure to remove the label also.
Create then a flip top in your bottle by cutting most of the way around your bottle and a third of the way down. After that, put a layer of soil in the bottom of your bottle, using a spray bottle to keep the soil moist.
Proceed then with adding a thin layer of dirt, as well as a thin layer of fruit scraps, a layer of leaves, and a tablespoon of fertiliser. Keep adding these layers until your bottle is nearly full.
Leaves are an important ingredient for your bottle compost, so be sure to add them.
After that, make sure to tape the bottle’s top and put it in a sunny spot in your garden. Each day, roll your bottle around to keep the mixture from drying out. About a month after you've finished making it, when the mixture is brown and crumbly, you should be able to use it.
