- 1). Find a good container to serve as the body for your composter. The only requirement is that this container has a tight-sealing lid. You can use an old food storage container, a plastic storage box, a metal trash can or even an old coffee can.
- 2). Poke a row of holes around the sides of your container. These holes allow for the flow of oxygen, which compost-making bacteria need to keep working.
- 3). Shred the newspaper into thin strips. Use newspaper with only black ink, as color ink is often made of potentially harmful chemicals. Leave Sunday comics and junk mail flyers out of your compost bin.
- 4). Fill the bottom of the bin with a thin layer of newspaper. Use a spray bottle to get the paper wet. While you want moisture in your composter, getting the paper too wet will only make things mold. Making good compost is all about finding a good balance between wet and dry materials. If you plan on using your composter mainly for dry things, such as plant clippings, you can get the paper a bit more wet. However, if you plan on tossing in wet pieces of vegetable ends or fruit rinds, your newspaper should stay more on the damp side.
- 5). Fill up your composter. Good compost materials include fruit and vegetable remnants, coffee grounds, tea bags, bread, beans and plant cuttings. Seal the composter lid tightly after you add new scraps.
- 6). Wait for nature to do its trick. The time it takes for kitchen scraps to become compost depends on the size of your bin, as well as the materials you are using. Check in on your composter from time to time to monitor its progress. Once the bin is full of what looks like rich, dark dirt, your compost is ready to be harvested.
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