Want to know a dirty little secret? I love composting more than I love gardening.

Sounds crazy, right? Let me explain…

1. Composting is Effortless
Gardens are work. There are weeds to be removed, mulch to be put down, and veggies to harvest. Composting is simple. Organic material goes in, you turn it over every once in a while, and out comes nutrient-rich dirt.

2. Composting is Forgiving
Composting allows for laziness. If I neglect my garden for a week, weeds take over and plants die.  If I miss a week of adding food scraps, landscape clippings or organic waste to my compost bin, no big deal!

3. Composting makes Friends out of Enemies
When it comes to bugs in my garden – I want them out! They eat vegetation! They burrow in my veggies! They destroy my plants! In my compost bin, they go from being enemies to friends. Those same bugs are what make the magic happen! They help aerate my bin and break down compost into beautiful soil.

Are you ready to fall in love with composting? The Virginia Cooperative Extension has a great composting guide to help you get started. Go ahead, try it! Who knows, you might just find you love composting more than gardening, too!

This blog post was submitted by Erica Roberts, Media & Communications Coordinator with Virginia Beach Public Utilities.