Tips for backyard composting | Berks Regional News

When you cook with vegetables, you often have leftover skins and seeds.  Rather than throw that all away, you can compost it. 

Over time, composting turns that food waste into fresh soil. 

69 News spoke with the Rodale Institute in Berks County for some backyard composting recommendations.

Rick Carr, the farm director at Rodale Institute, recommends using a wire frame container if you have the space.

He says composting is a mix of “greens” and “browns”.

Greens are your food waste. From things that rot, to coffee grounds and egg shells, all your food leftovers can go in a compost pile.

While fruit and vegetable scraps are most frequently composted, meat and dairy can go in a compost bin. Just cover up meat and dairy items so it doesn’t attract critters.

Grass clippings would be greens, but Rick recommends you leave the grass clippings on the grass.

Browns are drier, more carbon-rich items like tree clippings, wood chips, newspaper, leaves, and straw.

A healthy compost pile will have a mix of drier browns and the more wet greens. This way, the pile is not too wet and not too dry.

If you don’t have the room for a wire frame container, plastic containers and compost tumblers are options that don’t take up much space.

Whatever compost container you choose, make sure it has a cover.  This will help the microorganisms break down the greens and browns into soil faster.

The Rodale Institute put together a guide for backyard composting.