Compost happens, even if you don’t actively do much
A short article in the Columbian newspaper in Clark County, Washington, writes about how if you just throw all your yard debris in a pile somewhere and never touch it again, it will eventually break down into compost.
I think this is a good point. A lot of people get too overly concerned about adding compost starter, how much nitrogen rich or how much carbon rich material to add, how often to turn the pile, etc. Relax, it’s just compost!
However, I think another point that the article doesn’t make is that throwing all your compost in a giant pile can attract rodents (or your dogs, who will dig through to eat up those vegetable scraps!). Or, it can look ugly enough that your neighbors might complain to you, or the city.
Those are two good reasons that using a compost bin is often the most neighbor-friendly alternative when you do much composting. Not to mention spouse-friendly, if your significant other isn’t into the whole organic gardening thing.
