GREENSBORO, N.C. — Have you been deceived? If you thought spring was here for good, you were wrong.
In fact, the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Office is warning you, don't plant too early. You need to wait until the last average spring frost date.
When is that? It depends on where you live. Almanac.com shows you the average date depending on your zip code. For example, in Greensboro, the average last spring frost is April 5, in Wilmington, it is March 26 and in Boone, it isn’t until May 10.
So, what should you do while you wait? Compost. Consumer Reports looked at how food scraps and other organic waste break down over time, which makes for more nutrient-rich soil when you plant.
If you've never composted, there are three basic ways.
Backyard compost bins
If you opt for a backyard compost bin, toss in most food scraps including eggshells, coffee grounds, and yard trimmings. Just avoid bones, meat, fish, and
dairy products.
Here's the trick: When you add new waste to the bin, cover it immediately with some leaves, straw, or similar material – This keeps the ecosystem going, allowing it all to break down
Vermicomposting
Uses worms. For apartment dwellers, vermicomposting might be your best bet, since it doesn't
involve a lot of space.
“You can dispose of the same food scraps as you would in a backyard bin, but worms can shy away from things like garlic, onions, and citrus peels - so it's best to
avoid putting those items in your vermicompost bin,” said Kevin Loria, Consumer Reports.
City Large-scale composting systems
Most of the systems can handle anything and everything you put in the compost from meat and bones to yard scraps.