What is composting?

Composting is a way of recycling organic decomposed material in a natural process that gets turned into a rich soil known as compost. By composting organic waste, the nutrients are returned to the soil and this soil can be used for regrowth of plants. Compost is a dark brown, crumbly soil that smells like damp soil in dense forests. There are three kinds of composting. Backyard composting is a when leaves, straw etc, from the backyard are mixed with food scraps from the kitchen and turned into compost. Worm composting is another method wherein earthworms are added to a heterogeneous mixture of food waste, decomposed vegetables and worm castings. People living in apartments or smaller spaces generally use this method to make compost. Grass cycling is another method where grass alone is used to decompose instead of mixing it with other organic waste. 

How to start composting? 

The elements to promote composting would be air, moisture, organic matter, and balance of carbon nitrogen ratio, right temperature and volume. In order to start a compost pile, a good open area with drainage is necessary. You can also use a compost bin and it should be kept in a dry area, with partial sun or shade. The important materials to add into the bin are nitrogen/greens and carbon/browns. Layer these materials one over the other and keep adding the kitchen waste to it. Lightly sprinkle water firming it down but do not make it compact. The compost should be moist and keep turning it frequently to keep it aerated and speed up decomposition.