Disposing of biodegradable waste can be tricky, especially in rapidly growing urban areas. However, composting offers a simple solution to reduce waste while creating nutrient-rich fertiliser for your garden.

Manjushree Ladiya, a terrace gardener from Ghaziabad, has been composting all her kitchen waste for the past four years. She’s turned her balcony garden into a green oasis with the help of compost made from everyday scraps.

“Composting is not as hard as people think it is. One can easily convert their everyday kitchen waste into compost, which contains all the essential nutrients for healthy growth of plants,” says Manjushree.

Manjushree follows a simple method to create compost at home. She starts by layering leaves at the bottom of a container, followed by cocopeat. She then adds kitchen waste like vegetable peels, fruit skins, eggshells, and tea or coffee grounds.

To ensure the compost decomposes properly, Manjushree regularly stirs the pile. She continues to add kitchen waste as it accumulates, making sure to balance the materials and keep them aerated. The compost takes around three months to break down into rich, usable soil.

Manjushree adds a bit of cocopeat and jaggery water to the compost pile to enhance its quality. This extra step accelerates the breakdown process and improves the compost's texture, making it ideal for plant growth.

She prepares different types of compost using specific kitchen waste for various plants. For instance, compost made from garlic and onion peels is rich in potassium, making it great for the growth of chillies. Banana peel compost, full of potash, works wonders for vegetable plants and fruit trees.

Manjushree also makes compost from tea leaves, which she finds especially beneficial for flowering plants, such as roses.

“Composting enhances its quality and tea leaf compost works the best for flowering plants, accelerating growth and flowering,” she explains. Additionally, compost made from citrus peels like mosambi and orange is rich in essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.