Cardboard is one of the most vulgar material we encounter in our day-to-day lives , from packaging to shipping box .
But what happen to all that cardboard once we ’re done with it ? or else of sending it to landfill , a more sustainable option is compost . Cardboard , being rich in C , can significantly improve your compost pile .
However , there are good practices and usual booby trap you need to experience before tossing all your cardboard into the mix . In this scout , we ’ll research how to compost composition board effectively and what to forefend for the best effect .
Why Compost Cardboard?
Cardboard is principally write of wood flesh , which means it ’s rich in carbon , an essential element for composting . Carbon helps balance the atomic number 7 found in green cloth like food scraps and eatage clippings , maintaining a salubrious compost stilt .
Without enough carbon , your compost pile can become a smelly , despicable mess . But when balanced right , composition board can help aerate the compost and regulate moisture , creating a nutritive - rich end product for your garden .
Here are some benefit of compost cardboard :
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Air and Moisture Regulation : Cardboard helps create air pouch in your compost , guarantee right airflow and preventing compression , which accelerate up putrefaction .
poise Nitrogen - Rich Materials : The atomic number 6 in cardboard helps equilibrise the atomic number 7 from food scraps , sess clippings , and other gullible materials , advertise a faster and healthier composting process .
Waste Reduction : Composting composition board reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills , making your home plate more sustainable .
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Best Practices for Composting Cardboard
Not all cardboard is created adequate , and not all of it can be compost safely . Here ’s a breakdown of the type of cardboard you should compost and how to do it properly .
1. Use Corrugated Cardboard
corrugate cardboard , commonly used in shipping box , is one of the best types for compost . It ’s made up of level that create air pockets , promoting aeration and fast decomposition .
Before append it to your compost megabucks , tear or rip up it into smaller pieces . tear up composition board decomposes faster and is easier for micro-organism to break down down .
Tip : you’re able to use a paper shredder for thin pieces of composition board , but larger sheets can be torn by hand or prune with pair of scissors .
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2. Flat Cardboard is Good but Slower
2-dimensional cardboard , like cereal boxes or brake shoe boxes , is another satisfactory variant for compost , but it does n’t soften down as quickly as corrugate cardboard .
To help speed up the process , tear up or cut the flat cardboard into littler opus .
This character of composition board can be specially useful in the “ lasagna ” composting method , where you layer carbon - full-bodied stuff like cardboard with N - fertile textile like food scraps and grass .
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3. Remove Non-Compostable Materials
Before adding composition board to your compost pile , make certain to take away any credit card tape , recording label , or stickers . These materials do n’t break down and can contaminate your compost , making it less effective and harder to deal .
Best Practices Checklist :
Shred or tear cardboard into small pieces .
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Remove any tape recording , label , or non - biodegradable element .
Mix composition board with greenish fabric like food combat to maintain a proper carbon - to - N ratio .
Types of Cardboard to Avoid
While many type of cardboard are compostable , some are best fend off due to coatings , chemicals , or ink that can be harmful to your compost pile and , eventually , your grease .
1. Avoid Wax-Coated Cardboard
Some cardboard , like that used for Milk River cartons or takeout food boxes , is coated in a thin layer of wax to make it waterproof . Wax - coat cardboard does n’t demote down easily and can preface non - biodegradable materials into your compost .
If the wax coating is minimal and you ’re dictated to compost it , soaking the composition board in water can sometimes disband the wax , but this cognitive process is time - use up and not always effective .
2. Steer Clear of Shiny or Glossy Cardboard
Shiny or glossy composition board , such as soda packaging or sure endowment box , often contains plastic or heavy inks that do n’t break down in compost .
These materials can contaminate your compost with chemicals or leave behind microplastics , which can be harmful to plant .
Tip : If the cardboard has a shiny open , it ’s usually honest to recycle it rather than compost it .
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3. Be Wary of Heavily Dyed Cardboard
While cardboard with light printing is mostly fine to compost , heavily dye cardboard can comprise toxic inks that are harmful to both your compost pile and your garden . Avoid adding composition board with large , colorful graphics or logos , especially if you ’re unsure of the ink ’s make-up .
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Even with the best aim , composting cardboard can go wrong if you do n’t pay aid to a few key factors . Here are the most common mistakes masses make when composting cardboard and how to avoid them .
1. Using Too Much Cardboard
While cardboard is an excellent source of C , too much can throw off the balance of your compost hatful . A sizable compost galvanic pile require a balanced ratio of carbon - deep ( brown ) material and atomic number 7 - rich ( immature ) materials . If you surcharge your compost atomic pile with composition board , it can become too dry and wo n’t break down decent .
root : Maintain a balanced compost by layering shredded composition board with green materials like food scrap , grass clippings , or coffee primer coat . A good rule of pollex is to aim for about a 3:1 proportion of browns to greenness .
2. Failing to Shred or Tear Cardboard
Large , inviolate opus of cardboard take much longer to decompose than smaller pieces . Simply tossing a whole cargo ships box into your compost pile can decelerate down the process significantly .
The microorganism that break down organic thing need surface expanse to mould efficiently , and large lump of composition board do n’t provide that .
Solution : Always tear or shred composition board before add it to your compost pile . The smaller the piece , the quicker they ’ll break up .
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3. Ignoring Moisture Levels
Cardboard has excellent moisture - absorbing properties , which can be a double - edged brand . If your compost pile becomes too ironical , rot will slow down down or even stop . On the flip side , if the flock becomes too smashed , it can wrick into a muddy , smelly mess .
result : supervise the wet levels in your compost pile regularly . The down should be about as dampish as a damp parazoan — neither too dry nor too wet .
If it sense dry , add together more green materials or water . If it ’s too wet , immix in more cardboard or other dry materials to absorb the excess moisture .
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4. Not Turning the Pile Regularly
One of the key to successful composting is twist your compost piling regularly . This introduces oxygen , which is all-important for the micro-organism that break down constitutional issue .
If you do n’t turn your pile , it can become compacted , head to slower decomposition and even the increment of anaerobiotic bacterium , which can produce unpleasant olfactory perception .
Solution : rick your compost heap every one to two weeks to introduce oxygen and promote even decomposition .
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Composting Methods for Cardboard
There are several mode to compost composition board , each with its own benefit and clock time requirement . Here are the three most plebeian methods .
1. Lasagna Method
The lasagna method acting , also known as sheet composting , require layering cardboard with other organic materials , mimicking the layers of a lasagna . This method acting is idealistic for slow composting and work undecomposed for gardeners who do n’t mind waiting a bit longer for their compost to be quick .
How to Do It :
lie a sheet of cardboard flat on the ground or in your compost bin .
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Add a layer of green material ( solid food scraps , grass trim , etc . ) .
alternative layers of composition board and green material , finishing with a green layer .
Dampen each stratum to speed up the putrefaction process .
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2. Shredded Method
Shredding cardboard is the libertine elbow room to compost it . The smaller man recrudesce down quickly and can be mixed well with other materials .
Shred cardboard into pieces no big than 1 inch astray .
Mix the chopped composition board with green materials in your compost pile .
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Turn the hatful every few days to see even decomposition .
3. Layering Method
The layer method acting is a center - terra firma option that command you to violate the composition board into smaller piece but not rip up it totally . This method acting takes a bit longer than the shredded method acting but is less labour - intensive .
bust composition board into little pieces .
alternative bed of composition board and green textile in your compost pile .
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turn over the great deal occasionally to promote even decomposition .
Composting cardboard is an eco - well-disposed mode to slim down waste and ameliorate your garden ’s dirt health .
By follow right practice — like shredding or charge composition board into small pieces , maintaining a proper balance of carbon and nitrogen , and avoiding wax - coat or lustrous cardboard — you could produce nutrient - rich compost that profit your plants and the environment .
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Just be aware of mutual pitfalls , like overloading your compost with cardboard or ignoring wet level , and you ’ll be well on your way to compost success .
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