Recycling garden waste is a great way to reduce the amount of trash we throw away. There are many ways to recycle garden waste, and it can be as simple as taking your old pots and pans out of the garbage and putting them in your recycle bin.
Well lucky for us, we can recycle our vegetable and plant scraps! There are many ways to compost at home without too much trouble. Below I list 40 easy tips for recycling garden waste at home.
Table of Contents
1 – Kitchen Compost Pail
If you have a household compost pail, clean it out regularly and add newspaper or shredded paper to aid decomposition. You can also add eggshells for calcium and crushed eggshells if you want to stop fruit flies from breeding in your kitchen compost bucket.
2 – Garden Pile
If you do not have a kitchen compost pail, you can make a garden pile if it is full. A great way to make the pile is to set out layers of newspaper to prevent fruit flies and odors. Add nitrogen-rich scraps like fruits and vegetables in one layer, then add browns like leaves or paper in the next. This allows for consistent airflow through your compost pile.
3 – Compost Bin
One of the most economical ways to recycle garden waste is to build a quick and easy compost bin out of chicken wire. Bend the screen into a cube shape with holes large enough for airflow but small enough not to allow leaves or twigs to fall through. You can drill holes into the sides or cut them with wire pliers.
4 – Worm Farm
Another easy way to compost is to learn about vermiculture (vermicomposting), otherwise known as worm farming. All you have to do is feed your red wrigglers (red worms) your scraps, and they make perfect castings to help fertilize your garden.
5 – Kitchen Scraps
Kitchen scraps can also be used to make leaf molds or composted with grass clippings for an easy no-fuss mulch or soil amendment. You can also try adding them with potting soil to help aerate the soil and reduce watering.
6 – Flower beds
You can add your kitchen scraps to your flower beds. It is not recommended to add them directly to a garden bed, as generally speaking, flowers are more susceptible to pests than vegetables. However, if you have composted kitchen scraps with other ingredients in a flower bed, you will have a great source of nutrients.
7 – Soil Additive
If you are an avid gardener, you can make your soil additive as plant food. Mix your composted kitchen scraps with molasses and Epsom salts, then add them to the soil outside where plants grow. If you give your plants some feed before they flower, you will get bigger and better flowers.
8 – Exotic Potting Mix
You can also use your kitchen scraps for making exotic potting mixtures. Try using fruit pits in place of perlite or vermiculite to help aerate the soil while keeping it moist. Another idea is to add sawdust to your potting mix, which will help with drainage and aeration.
9 – Never Waste Again!
One of the best ways to make sure you always have something to add to your compost pile (especially if you enjoy gardening) is never to throw anything away again. If this sounds like a ridiculous idea, it is not! Let’s say you have a banana peel, but never throw it away as garbage because that wastes space. Instead, you can add it to your garden pile – composting will take care of the rest!
10 – Vegetable Scraps
If you have vegetable scraps from making dinner, consider adding them to your compost pile. If you are making soup or stew, leave the skin of the vegetables on and throw them into the trash.
11 – Coffee Grounds
If you have just used a fresh filter, save those coffee grounds! Many people mix them with their plant scraps for an easy soil amendment rich in nitrogen, which plants love.
12 – Eggshells
If you have fresh eggshells, they are also a great addition to your compost pile. If you are not composting them in the garbage can, grind them with salt, so they don’t attract pests!
13 – Basement Debris
The household junk that accumulates in basements can also be added to your compost pile. This includes shredded paper, old yarn, or twigs leftover from pruning. It is even possible to recycle towels, t-shirts, and jeans if they are cut up small enough!
14 – Lawn Debris
If you have any clippings leftover after mowing your lawn, the best thing to do is use them in your compost pile. This will help your garden grow faster, healthier, and greener.
15 – Garden Debris
If you have an overgrown garden with lots of weeds or grass in it, consider adding this debris to your compost pile. Cut up larger pieces, so they are more manageable, then mix them with your other plant scraps.
16 – Flower Heads and Stems
If you have extra flower heads and stems after the flowers die off, consider composting these as well! Cut them up into small pieces to help break down faster, or use a weed whacker for fast decomposition. You can even plant the stems directly into the garden if you want to plant new flowers!
17 – Old Pots and Containers
If you have old pots or containers sitting around that are no longer in use, be sure to add them to your compost pile. These will decompose easily, saving you from having to buy new ones.
18 – Lawn Clippings
If you have an abundance of lawn clippings, consider adding them to your compost pile. Although it may seem like they are taking up space, they will decompose in no time! Mixing the clippings with some leaves or shredded paper makes decomposition even faster.
19 – Wooden Branches
Wooden branches that you have leftover from pruning are also a great addition to the compost pile. Just remove any leaves, then break them down into small pieces to decompose faster.
20 – Vegetable Plants
Consider using them in your compost pile if you have an extra vegetable plant or two! Just cut them up into small pieces, so they decompose faster.
21 – Animal Debris
If you have any animal nests around your house or garden, consider composting these as well! Make sure to remove the animals first, then break down the nests into smaller pieces for faster decomposition.
22 – Stale Bread
Stale bread is also an excellent addition to your compost pile. The best way to break it down is simply by leaving it out, so the birds can eat it.
23 – Onion Skins and Peels
Onion skins are another great addition to your compost piles! They are especially beneficial for acid-loving plants like roses or blueberries.
24 – Pine Cones and Twigs
Pine cones and twigs are also a great addition to your compost pile since they care for themselves! Just mix them into the soil or mulch.
25 – Moldy Bread
If you have moldy bread that will waste, consider adding it to the compost pile! Moldy bread is full of fungi, which decompose easily.
26 – Plant Wastes
You can add any leftover plant wastes to your compost pile as well. This includes leaves, stems, and roots from the garden. Just be sure to break them down into smaller pieces for faster decomposition!
27 – Banana Peels
Banana peels are also a great addition to the compost pile! Although they may seem like food, they will decompose easily. Some people choose to add them directly into the soil of their garden plants.
28 – Wood Chips and Sawdust
Wood chips and sawdust not only look nice in your garden, but they are also full of nutrients. They help improve the soil quality so your garden can grow even greener!
29 – Cardboard
Cardboard is one of the easiest items to recycle in your home, making it a great choice for your compost pile as well! Tear up large pieces, then mix them into the soil or mulch.
30 – Eggshells
Eggshells are also a great addition to your compost pile! They help break down the soil and improve its quality, so your garden can grow even greener! Mix them into the soil or mulch.
31 – Rotted Vegetables and Fruits
If you have any rotting vegetables and fruits around, consider adding them to your compost pile! Just make sure to remove all of the bad pieces before mixing them into the soil or mulch.
32 – Leaves
Leaves are another great addition to your compost pile! They add nutrients back into the soil while improving the quality. However, if you add too many leaves, they can easily smother smaller plants. Mix them in carefully to avoid this.
33 – Pine Needles
Pine needles are another great option for your compost pile! They are full of vitamin C, which decomposes well. Plus, they look very nice around the garden.
34 – Old Pasta and Rice
Pasta that is no longer edible is also a great addition to your compost pile. It decomposes well because it is full of starch, which is easily broken down by fungi.
35 – Corncobs
Corncobs are another great addition to your compost pile. They are full of nutrients and can help break down the soil around them over time! Plus, they look very nice alongside the edges of your garden.
36 – Pine Needles and Twigs
Pine needles and twigs are another great way to break down your compost pile! They help improve the soil quality while adding nutrients back into the dirt. They also look very nice around your garden plants.
37 – Seeds
Seeds that do not sprout are also a great addition to your compost pile! They decompose easily, so you can either use them as mulch or mix them into the soil.
38 – Leaves and Twigs
Leaves and twigs are another great way to break down your compost pile. They help improve the quality of the soil by adding nutrients back into the dirt! Plus, they look very nice around your garden plants.
39 – Pumpkin and Squash Seeds
If you have any pumpkin or squash seeds lying around, consider adding them to your compost pile! You can either leave them whole or crush them up first for faster decomposition.
40 – Cheese Rinds
Cheese rinds are also a great addition to your compost pile! They decompose easily because they contain so much cellulose. Some people choose to add them directly into the soil of their garden plants.
Conclusion
The best way to recycle garden waste is by using it in your backyard. But if you need some other ideas, here are 40 tips for recycling garden waste that will help make this task a little less daunting! And if the thought of doing all this work yourself sounds like too much hard labor, don’t worry because we have just what you’re looking for with our green landscaping services. We offer everything from lawn care to tree trimming and removal so let us know how we can help beautify your space while minimizing the amount of trash going into landfills at the same time! What are some ways you reuse or recycle garbage?
