There are many misconceptions about composting that have led people to avoid taking advantage of one of the most beneficial yard-beautification practices available. For landscaping purposes, rich compost represents an excellent source of nutrients for plants and serves as the kind of natural slow-release fertilizer that consistently yields beautiful flowers and shrubs, not to mention the incredibly positive impact it has on a vegetable garden.
Composting is also an excellent way to reduce household waste, as sending organic material to the landfill is a wasteful practice that is also quite harmful to the environment. Instead of the organic material decomposing into a rich soil suitable for supporting the plant life frequently featured in landscaping, the waste in unable to decompose in the landfill and instead contributes to the harmful emission of methane gas.
Of course, many people are well aware of the positive aspects of composting but avoid utilizing it due to misinformation regarding the process. It is fairly common to hear homeowners express concern over attracting pests or creating a foul-smelling compost pile that is offensive to neighbors and makes the home’s exterior a less welcoming environment in which to relax. These concerns are completely unwarranted, as a properly maintained compost pile will not result in either of the aforementioned circumstances.
Kion Kashefi, a longtime proponent of composting, uses his pile to create an ideal soil amendment for his vegetable garden and an excellent fertilizer for the many flowerbeds that dot the landscape of his home. Initially, he expressed similar concerns about attracting pests, but he quickly learned that it was quite easy to keep burrowing animals away by cutting some chicken wire to affix to the bottom of his compost bin. As for the smells produced by the pile, Kashefi recommends being careful regarding what goes into the pile, saying that dairy and meat products are the only organic materials he avoids using for this reason. As a result, his compost pile only produces a sweet scent that he rarely notices unless he is actively turning the pile.
