The grass is always greener.

Plump tomatoes, giant zucchini, succulent, sweet corn…  and to think, you didn’t spend a dime on fancy fertilizers.

How do you do it? By taking out the trash.

Instead of sending fruit and vegetable scraps, eggshells, coffee grinds and so on to the nearest landfill, take them out to the compost pile. You’ll end up with the best fertilizer money—or rather, no money—can buy, and you’ll feel good about recycling.

It’s not as much work as you might think. Just collect organic scraps in a small bin and periodically empty them into a compost bin. The secret is having the right mix of “greens” (grass and food items), “browns” (leaves and ground sticks) and water. Your compost will be ready for gardens, shrubs and indoor plants in a couple of months.  

Check back in with First30Days for more information on composting, and other great ways to go green at home.