Letters

I enjoyed Jenny Noble’s article “Composting for Dummies” [Arts & Living, April 17]. She taught me about brown and green, which I have started to incorporate into my compost.

Three compost methods that I have been using for many years that work well:

(1) When the material in my compost drum is done, cooked and ready to use, I take out only 75 percent of it. The remaining 25 percent acts like a starter to compost the new material faster (like sourdough starter for making bread).

(2) Sometimes I dig 8-inch-deep holes with a post-hole digger or a shovel, put in 5 inches of kitchen scraps, flower heads, brown and green, etc, and cover with soil. It composts underground. Anything planted above it grows like it had fertilizer.

(3) For houseplants, put kitchen scraps, coffee grounds and eggshells into a blender. Spin it for a few seconds. Pour the liquid around your plants.

Tips: Cut off banana and onion skin ends, or any hard parts. Throw out. Everything should be cut up into 1-inch pieces. Weekly: rotate drum and add water.

For more compost info: jim@longislandpaddling.com. Your email address will not be shared.

James Dreeben

Hampton Bays