Composting Tips & Tricks

At the Kokoza Festival in May, Kokoza held many online discussions with different leaders in sustainable initiatives. One online event spotlighted Jean-Jacques Fasquel who is a master composter and explained his community composting projects in Paris, France. He additionally offered advice for the audience in answering their questions regarding composting in general. As a master composter, Fasquel’s job includes teaching other people how to compost through helping people organize compost systems in apartment buildings, schools, and company buildings in Paris, France. He also advises the city council on how to approach implementing other composting systems in the city. There have been many success stories upon implementing composting systems in the urban environment.

Composting is a common practice known for repurposing food waste, but often we are reluctant to even begin to organize a personal composting as it can seem too difficult to maintain. Won’t the compost smell? How long until we can use the compost as a fertilizer with the soil? There are an endless number of questions regarding composting, but gratefully Fasquel answered many of these questions during his discussion with Kokoza team members.

Can eggshells be put in compost piles?

• Yes

• Eggshells will not compost and break down because they are already a mineral

• But they still provide calcium for composting

• Recommendation: crush eggshells before adding them to compost pile

How can you make compost smell better?

• Important to maintain the balance between green stuff and brown stuff

• Green stuff = food waste

• Brown stuff = wood chips, shredded wood, and dead leaves

Can you put citrus items into compost?

• Yes

• All food waste can be composted, therefore citrus items fall into this category

How can you reduce the amount of flies?

• Significance of the order of compost

• Leaving fresh food waste on top attracts flies

• 1st: drop food waste in

• 2nd: mix new food waste with old compost

• 3rd: cover compost with brown stuff (i.e. shredded wood)

How long is the maturation period for the compost?

• The larger the volume, the quicker the maturation period

• Takes approx. 6 months for neighborhood compost

• Takes about 1 year for private gardens

From this composting webinar, I learned a lot about the simplicity of composting and the many basic methods to develop an easily maintained compost pile. It can seem daunting at first to put all of your food waste together and attempt to create a fertilizer for your garden, but the benefits will greatly outweigh the work needed to maintain the compost pile. You will then be able to see the fruits of your composting work through the beautiful produce from your flourishing garden. Composting is one simple habit to develop to help contribute to the world in a sustainable way.