Trench Composting: How to Recycle Your Food Scraps without a Compost Bin
Composting is certainly great for green living. But not everyone has the desire, space, or ability to have a
compost bin. Luckily, there’s a way you can get rid of your food scraps without throwing them in the trash.
Trench composting eliminates the need for a separate compost bin; it simply means that you bury your kitchen scraps in trenches that are deeper than they are wide. Those trenches and scraps are then covered with food; the depth keeps critters and dogs from digging up the waste, and the food eventually decomposes and fertilizes your garden. It a great way to nourish your garden with organic fertilizer.
There are certain food waste items that make for good compost, and those that don’t. You can also rotate your trend composting so that you make the best use of your space and allow food the time to properly decompose.
Another great benefit from trench composting is there is no unpleasant smell that compost barrels can sometimes have as the food and ingredients ferments.
So what are you waiting for? Use this helpful graphic to get digging and composting right into your
garden. Make your organic garden the best in the neighborhood.
Source: Fix.com Blog
I’m fairly new to composting–thanks for such an informative post & infographic.
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Gosh, I can’t imagine this being easier than a compost bin–digging is so difficult in our yard! We live on a cliff, and it’s all clay around the rocks. Our workable garden soil all came from compost and purchased topsoil. Erosion down the slope is an enormous problem for us, so we can’t dig holes that we aren’t going to fill with roots immediately. It would be different on a different kind of land, though.
We’ve always put bread and rice in the compost and never had any problems with them. Also, the concern about pet waste is only for carnivorous pets; rabbits, gerbils, and other vegetarians do not have dangerous fecal bacteria (unless they have certain illnesses). Rabbit manure is an excellent fertilizer.
Hi Becca,
In your situation I would definitely say compost bin would be a much easier and better choice, but we all have to find what works best for our individual needs and situation.
According to Mother’s Earth website http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/recycling/stories/30-things-you-should-never-compost-or-recycle — Rice: Cooked rice is unusually fertile breeding ground for the kinds of bacteria that you don’t want in your pile. Raw rice attracts varmints. — Bread products: This includes cakes, pasta and most baked goods. Put any of these items in your compost pile, and you’ve rolled out the welcome mat for unwanted pests. — Human or animal feces: Too much of a health risk. This includes kitty litter. Waste and bedding from non-carnivorous pets should be fine.
But again we need to find what works for us. If you haven’t had a problem composting bread and rice then that is great.
The infographic does say no animal waste, but I do agree with you that is not completely accurate – I believe that it should have been more specific. When I took a look at it I also did not understand why they put no animal waste at all. Since I actually didn’t make the infographic myself I really couldn’t change it. I appreciate you pointing that out.
Thanks for reading my article and commenting. It always a pleasure to hear from you Becca! I appreciate you questioning things so that we can all learn together. Have a healthy, happy & blessed day.
Thank you for sharing this valuable information about trench composting with us at the Healthy Happy Green and Natural Party Blog Hop. I’m pinning and sharing.
HI Deborah,
Glad to be part of Healthy Happy Green & Natural blog hop. Thanks for sharing.
Great info! We use trench style composting at our house! Mostly because we quickly overflowed the compost bin we started back when I was doing all the raw food catering and events. I love reducing our waste by composting food scraps.
Hi Andrea,
Thanks glad you found my info useful and glad you are using trench composting. It does makes composting easier for many people and it great to recycle food. THnaks for stopping by and commenting. Have a healthy day!
I’d heard of the idea before, but never really thought out how to rotate it through the garden. Now it makes more sense!
HI Kathryn,
Glad I helped you understand the trench composting procedure. Thanks for stopping by, reading my article, commenting and I hope you come visit again soon. Have a healthy, happy, & blessed day.
Some good tips. I love the graphics!
Thanks for stopping by, commenting and please come back and visit soon. Glad you like the graphic & hope you found them helpful. Have a healthy, happy & blessed day!
I love this concept to make composting more accessible to people. Thank you for sharing this inspiration!
HI Jennifer,
Yes this way of composting can be much easier more many people. Thanks for stopping by, reading my article and commenting. Have a healthy, happy & blessed weekend!
Fabulous graphics! We direct compost here, but I never thought about creating an actual trench around the garden bed. So cool! Visiting from Our Simple Homestead.
HI Daisy.
Thanks! Trench composting can be so much easier for some people. Glad to be part of Our Simple Homestead blog hop. Have a healthy, happy & blessed weekend! Marla