Why is composting important to gardeners and particularly to organic gardeners?

Answer 1

Composting is important to gardeners in general, and to organic gardeners in particular. For it conserves resources, protects the environment, and saves money. As an example, composting reduces the amount of the solid waste stream that goes into landfills. For it uses brown, carbon-rich and green, nitrogen-rich compostable materials. Some well known examples are the recycling of kitchen scraps other than dairy, greasey and oily, and meat products; and of yard wastes such as grass clippings. Compostable materials are broken down by the combination of adequate levels of air, moisture, and temperature; and by the regular turning of the materials in the compost bin or pile. This kind of decomposition is called aerobic, because of the presence and assistance of oxygen. Without adequate air, and without the help of oxygen, the decomposition is anaerobic. This is the kind of decomposition that takes place in landfills. It's responsible for a landfill's foul smells, and production of methane, which is a greenhouse gas. And so aerobic decomposition in compost bins and piles discourages the production of greenhouse gases, and of noxious odors. The end result of aerobic decomposition is the production of dark brown, fresh-smelling, organic matter-rich humus. This organic matter may be used as a mulch, a natural fertilizer, and a soil amendment. It encourages soil aeration, drainage, fertility and structure. And so it promotes soil food web, soil and plant health. For it supports air and water pore spaces, and thereby more effective and efficient infiltration and percolation of water and nutrients throughout the soil. The consequences of composting are improved atmospheric, surface and below ground health. For compostable materials are recycled and reused; constituent elements are restored and reused; and greenhouse emissions and solid waste streams are reduced. All of this is done without expense unless the cost of a store bought instead of a home made compost bin is involved. All of this also is done with the local resources on hand, and without any kind of additive, chemical input, or processing. And particularly important to organic gardeners is the reliances on things local, and on the lack of processing.