Adding compost is a tried and true way to amend your garden's soil. You can buy compost from your local garden store or make it yourself out of organic materials you probably have around the house including leaves, grass clippings, kitchen scraps, etc.
Most DIY composting methods require a designated area, effort, and time to create rich dark compost at home. There is one way that is gaining popularity for its simplicity called Dig and Drop composting.
It is as simple as it sounds and consists of three easy steps:
1. Collect kitchen scraps. Things to collect include fruit and vegetable peels, coffee grounds, loose-leaf tea, stems and cores of fruits. It is best to not include large pits like avocado, peach etc. IMPORTANT: Do not use any animal products such as dairy, bones or meat scraps. The one exception is egg shells.
2. Dig a hole in your garden. You want it to be deep enough so animals can't smell it and dig it up. It also keeps discarded seeds from growing. A hole about 8-12 inches deep is good. Make sure to not dig too close to your plants to avoid damaging their roots. A good rule of thumb is to stay about 4-6 inches away from the stem of the plant.
3. Drop the scraps in and cover. Simply drop the scraps in the hole and push them down to remove air pockets. Refill the hole and you are done!
You can do this every night or save them up in a bowl for a few days. There are even covered stainless steel buckets with charcoal filters you can buy if looking at wilted lettuce and browning apple cores doesn't appeal to you.
Dig and Drop composting is the perfect answer for people who don't have the time, space, or desire to do the more traditional composting methods. So next time you peel a potato, cut off the bottom of a head of lettuce or come across a squishy strawberry - don't throw it away - bury it in your garden!