Can You Put Sand In Compost? 🌱 It All Boils Down To Soil!

Can You Put Sand In Compost? 🌱: In this blog, we walk you through what you need to know about sand composting. Is such a thing possible or not? What are some strong recommendations to follow if and when we want to put sand into the mix and create a natural fertiliser? Continue reading this blog to learn more. 

One of the most effective disposal methods currently in our arsenal is composting. What is composting, first and foremost?

More on compost

Composting, in the simplest term we can muster, means compiling ‘greens’ rich in protein or nitrogen and ‘browns’ rich in carbon or carbohydrate and helping them break down to produce compost, a material that can help provide plants with nutrients. In a more scientific term, composting is process that involves breaking down naturally occurring microorganisms like certain kitchen food scrap/waste, leaves and grass clippings with fall leaves, twigs, sawdust and more.

An argument can even be made that composting is better than recycling (even though composting is, in essence, a form of recycling) due to the following reasons:

1. Composting does not use energy and virgin, natural resources whereas recycling does, and in large amounts.
2. It is a much easier method than recycling Even households themselves can compost minus the bin services! But, if you do have compost bins, take advantage and compost what you can.
3. Compost will never end up in landfill, whereas plenty of recycled materials have a limited recyclable span and will eventually end up in it.
4. Doing the composting method, you use materials that came into this world naturally. As for recycling, you use inorganic materials such as plastic that were produced with toxic unhealthy chemicals.

Of course, we still think of recycling as an effective method when it comes to both disposal and resource recovery. However, composting, when done right, can be a better option in the long run.

Now, this leads us to the topic at hand – can you put sand in compost? We have had some of our readers ask us this question, so we have made this entire blog post dedicated to answering it. Continue reading to learn more.

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Before we take you further into the discussion and determine what you should do with sand – if you should go on and set them up to compost them – along with sharing some tips on how to properly handle the sand composting method, we want to share Waster with you.

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READ: Can Knives Be Recycled? 🔪 The Best Options For Metal Kitchen Knives 

Yes, put sand in your compost

To finally answer the question, we answer it with a yes. You can quite literally put sand in your compost. This may seem like a silly question to ask, but do take note that this question is certainly practical and should be known by everyone.

The main benefit of adding sand to your compost pile is that it can add bulk to your compost materials. You may not have a lot of compostable materials in your possession, so you can better the results by adding sand to the mix.

But, for you to effectively put compost in sand, you first have to make sure that you mix the greens and browns we mentioned above perfectly. If your mixture is not proportional (i.e., one part of the mixture is higher or lower than the usual), then do not expect effective results in the end.

And, even if we encourage you to put sand in your compost, remember that not every sand is compostable. So, we remind you to be careful of what you put in your compost pile. Do not add sand rich in lime and sodium, as this may harm your plants more than it does good. In addition, you should never put sand that contains elements of bronze or brass. This type of sand is toxic to the soil and will only worsen the condition of your plants.

How to put sand in your compost to create a pile?

The process is not that tedious and easy enough if you follow the instructions carefully. Now, follow these mentioned steps below (steps from SFGATE).

1.  Before you build and maintain a compost pile with sand in it, make sure to mix the greens and browns carefully as this will help break them down faster. Again, we want you to break down the compost materials into their smallest form for a more effective composting. Take a look; the finished material when decomposition happens should turn into dark brown, broken-down, soil-like particles.
2. Get a large container like a wheelbarrow and put your sand there. Mix equal parts compost and sand in the wheelbarrow or any other large container.
3. Next, to further compost old sand, rake 3 inches of the compost and sand mixture over the garden bed. Break it down using a rototiller or something with similar function to a depth of 9 inches, mixing it thoroughly with the garden soil.
4. If the soil is too rocky or drains too poorly for gardening, then shovel the compost and sand mixture into raised garden beds.

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