Compost is organic material that can be added to soil to help plants grow. Food scraps and yard waste together currently make up more than 30 percent of what we throw away, and could be composted instead.

Composting is the natural process of decomposition and recycling of organic material into a humus rich soil amendment known as compost. For any business or institution producing food waste, this organic material can be easily decomposed into high quality compost.

No, an unfinished compost pile does not need to be covered in most cases. The most important factors for composting are air, water and a good mix of green and brown material. Covering a compost pile could cause a lack of oxygen, trap too much moisture and cause a smelly, anaerobic mess.

Yes! Go ahead and put non-organic produce in your bokashi composter. Although there is a risk that trace toxins may be detectable in the final compost, the benefits of composting far outweigh this small risk. Making compost is a smart thing to do for your garden, and for the environment.

Here are three of our favorites:

1. Worm Composting Bin. A worm composting bin is one of the most cost-effective ways to compost in a small space because it doesn’t take up a lot of room and is relatively low-maintenance.
2. Bokashi.
3. Electric Food Digester.
4. Community or School Garden.

(Here are some fun ways to eat leftovers.) However, you can compost virtually any cooked foods, including rice and other grains, breads, beans, pastas, sauces, soups, casseroles, eggs, and so on. Skip them if they include a lot of meat or dairy—read on to find out why.

Here’s our top picks of bagged compost ;

• Charlie’s Compost – Best Organic Compost To Buy.
• Michigan Peat 5240 Garden Magic Compost and Manure.
• Hoffman HOF21045 20# Best Organic Compost and Manure.
• COAST OF MAINE Lobster Organic Compost Soil Conditioner.
• Malibu Compost 100507243 715970 Growing Media.

Composting clippings Grass clippings are excellent additions to a compost pile because of their high nitrogen content. Grass clippings should not be the only compost material. As with mulches, a thick layer of grass clippings in a compost pile will lead to bad odors from anaerobic decomposition.

Grass clippings are a great addition to the compost mix, but they should be dried for a couple of days beforehand. Household products and foods like coffee grounds, vegetable peels, and eggshells are considered green material as well.

A properly maintained hot compost pile will kill weed seeds, as well as many other pathogens, so you can compost weeds without having to worry about them popping up in your garden beds. For hot composting to fully kill all weed seeds and roots, follow these tips: Turn the pile frequently.

In addition to doing all the things other biodegradable mulches do (retain soil moisture, block light to weeds, improve soil), grass clipping mulch contains so much nitrogen and potassium that it serves as a supplemental fertilizer. It may also deter some pests.

The main rule for using grass clippings as mulch is to apply them in thin layers. This happens naturally if you spread mulch as the final step after weeding. I have yet to find a garden crop that is not completely happy when mulched with three thin layers of grass clippings, spread two weeks apart.

7 Ways to Use Grass Clippings

• Add to Compost. Grass clippings are a great source of nitrogen and break down quickly.
• Use as Mulch in Garden Beds.
• Use As a Mulch for Grass.
• As a Mulch for Planting Containers.
• Make Into a Liquid Feed.
• As a Livestock Feed.
• Layer in a Raised Bed.
• 50 Years of Money-Saving Tips!

Grass Clippings: If you apply organic lawn fertilizer, dry grass clippings are a great option. They mat together to protect plants and retain heat. Straw: Straw makes great mulch for tomatoes. Water plants thoroughly before spreading peat moss, however, because it sucks a lot of moisture from the soil.

Mulching around tomatoes is perhaps the most overlooked (and important) part of growing quality tomato plants. Mulching with (herbicide-free) grass clippings, straw, or fabric will not only keep the weeds out, but also prevent blight.