How to Compost

What is composting?

Composting is nature's process of recycling decomposed organic materials into a rich soil known as compost. Anything that was once living will decompose. Basically, backyard composting is an acceleration of the same process nature uses. By composting your organic waste you are returning nutrients back into the soil in order for the cycle of life to continue. Finished compost looks like soil–dark brown, crumbly and smells like a forest floor.

Believe you're to busy to compost?

Most people believe they are too busy to compost. That's because you don't yet have a system that works for you. Read on to learn what is the simplest way for you to get started on your own composting system.

How composting works

Composting involves mixing yard and household organic waste in a pile or bin and providing conditions that encourage decomposition. The decomposition process is fueled by millions of microscopic organisms (bacteria, fungi) that take up residence inside your compost pile, continuously devouring and recycling it to produce a rich organic fertilizer and valuable soil amendment.

Sound complicated? It’s really not. All you need to know about composting is a basic understanding of a few simple principles, and a little bit of elbow grease. Nature does the rest.
Note: Decomposition, or the composting process, occurs constantly and gradually around us everyday. The dark, rich soil covering the forest floor is an excellent example of this. When we compost, all we’re really doing is speeding up Mother Nature.

How composting helps your soil

Composting makes great, healthy soil out of waste products that needs less water and additivesby increasing the water-holding capacity of soil. Compost can hold an amount of water equal to 200 percent of its dry weight, compared to 20 percent for a low-humus soil.The organic matter in compost binds with soil particles (sand, silt, and clay) to form small aggregates, or crumbs. Crumbly soil is said to have good structure, as opposed to sand, which has poor structure because it’s too coarse to form aggregates, or clay, which can act like cement when wet. These aggregates hold water on their surfaces, making it available to your plants as they need it. As aggregates form, more spaces are created for oxygen, an essential for good root growth. At the same time, the soil spaces form channels for excess water to percolate through the soil, improving drainage.
Items that would normally go into your disposal system or household trash - eventually ending up in up in a landfill, are now repurposed in a way that benefits you and saves you money.
It will replace your need for chemical fertilizers and other soil amendments. Nutrients are released at the rate your plants need them. In early spring, as your plants are slowly starting their growth, the microoganisms in compost are slowly releasing nutrients. As the weather warms up and your plants begin rapid growth, the microorganisms also work faster, releasing more food for your plants. Isn’t nature wonderful?
Compost contains nutrients that your plants need for optimum growth, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. And it’s an especially good supplier of micronutrients that are needed in small quantities and are sometimes overlooked by gardeners, such as boron, cobalt, copper, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, and zinc. The more varied the materials used to make the compost, the greater the variety of nutrients your compost will provide. In some situations, you will not even need to fertilize soil enriched with compost.
Acts as an inoculant to your soil, adding microorganisms and larger creatures such as earthworms and insects, which are nature’s soil builders. The compost environment is teeming with life, and all soils can benefit from such a rejuvenation.
Neutralizes various soil toxins and metals, such as cadmium and lead, by bonding with them so they can’t be taken up by plants.
Acts as a pH buffer so plants are less dependent on a specific soil pH. The earthworms in the compost help in this process, because in passing organic matter through their bodies they modify the pH of the soil. And you can lower the pH of your soil by adding compost made from acidic raw materials, such as oak or beech leaves, sawdust, and pine needles.

Vegetables growing in "home grown" soil.

Keys to successful composting:

1. Make sure your materials are small pieces - this will help items break-down more quickly.
2. Water to help decompose the materials
3. Rotation of the matter

Suitable Materials for Composting

Many organic materials are suitable for composting. Yard wastes, such as leaves, grass clippings, straw, and nonwoody plant trimmings can be composted. Woody trimmings can be composted if they are small enough and the site receives enough water.

Grass clippings can be composted; however, depending upon the type, you can also feed them to your birds and goats where they will be immediately "composted" as long as they haven't been treated with herbicides or insecticides. The same will hold true if grass clippings are used. In addition, it is advisable to mix them with other yard wastes such as leaves or wood chips as a bulking agent to increase free air space. Otherwise, the grass clippings may compact and restrict air flow.

Branches, logs, and twigs greater than 1/2-inch in diameter or more than 8 inches won't break down on their own, so you'll need to make them into smaller pieces.

Kitchen wastes such as vegetable scraps, fruit waste, coffee grounds, and eggshells may also be added. Some cities have ordinances that restrict the use of food scraps in compost piles. Check with local authorities about restrictions in your area.

Ingredients that can make good compost include:

Browns = High Carbon

Ashes, wood
Bark
Cardboard, shredded
Corn stalks
Fruit waste
Leaves
Newspaper, shredded
Peanut shells
Peat moss
Pine needles
Sawdust
Stems and twigs, shredded
Straw
Vegetable stalks

Greens = High Nitrogen

Alfalfa
Algae
Clover
Coffee grounds (excellent for worms)
Food waste*
Garden waste
Grass clippings
Hay
Hedge clippings
Hops, used
Manures
Seaweed
Vegetable scraps
Weeds*

*What not to compost

Because they may pose a health hazard or create a nuisance, certain organic materials should not be used to make compost.

Adding human, cat, or dog feces cannot be recommended because they may transmit diseases.
Meat, bones, grease, whole eggs, and dairy products should not be added because they can attract rodents to the site. They can also overheat your pile.
Weeds that have gone to seed. Most plant disease organisms and weed seeds are destroyed during the composting process when temperatures in the center of the pile reach 130-150 degrees F for 15 days or longer. However, in most home compost piles, it is very difficult or impossible to mix the materials efficiently enough to bring all wastes to the center. Consequently, adding large amounts of weeds with seeds or diseased plants may create problems if the compost is used in the garden. Avoid questionable plant materials.
Inorganic matmerials won’t break down. This includes aluminum foil, glass, plastics and metals.
Pressure-treated lumber is treated with chemicals that could be toxic in compost.
Coal ashes are not safe. They contain sulfur and iron in amounts high enough to damage plants.
Some paper with colored inks (including newsprint) contain heavy metals or other toxic materials and should not be added to the compost pile
Synthetic chemicals can withstand the composting process and remain intact in the finished compost. Poisons have no place in the natural micro-community of your compost pile.

Location and Appearance

First you’ll need to select your location for composting. Where you put it depends on function and aesthetics. In terms of appearances and good relations with your neighbors, you probably don’t want to place your compost bin on your front lawn next to the mail box. (Your neighbors, and not to mention your mail man, will also appreciate a more behind-the-scenes location.) Instead, opt for the backyard, or, if you don’t have one, then a bin located in your basement can do the trick.

From a functional standpoint, you’ll need a place with good air circulation. Don’t place it next to your home or other wooden buildings as the decomposing scraps and resulting compost may cause the wood to rot. Partial shade is a good idea so the compost doesn’t get overheated. Also make sure the spot of land where you place your heap gets good drainage. Close to the garden and to a water source are both good places for building a compost pile since it will be easier to move the materials to and from the garden and easier to water it. Another idea may be to place it near your kitchen to make it convenient to place table scraps on the pile or in the bin..

Size

Make your pile no smaller than 3′ x 3′ x 3′. In fact, this is probably the perfect size. It’s sufficient enough to “cook” your waste and transform it into compost, but not so large that it will become unmanageable and hard to turn.

Composting Method Options

You may want to consider having both of these options. The secured lid works well for acceptable kitchen waste, can be kept close to the house and minimizes attracting rodents while the open bin can be used for non-food product materials.

Composting tumblers, barrels and bins

This is a quick, easy and clean way to compost. These ready made bins work great when space is limited and are attractive and secure enough from pests to allow placement closer to the living quarters. For this particular model, the base that it sits on provides an easy method for turning the compost. You can make your own or buy one at many garden centers.

Features to look for:

Note, in Figure 1, the barrel has a secure lid that locks into place to avoid animals from getting in and attracting flying pests.
Air holes will provide circulation and drainage of excess moisture.
Fill the bin 75% full with organic waste material and apply water until moist.
Every few days, turn the drum on its side and roll it around the yard to mix and aerate the compost.
The lid can be removed after turning to allow for air penetration.
The compost should be ready in two to four months, depending on how diligent you are with the turning and watering.

Figure 1

Pile-type structures

Bin structures can be fairly simple or complex and are the most practical for larger quantities or organic waste. Another simple alternative is to create an enclosed compost pile with wire and posts. It's also more environmentally friendly because less materials are required to create it.

The example in Figure 2 on the right shows a large circular bin made by using a length of finely woven wire fencing braced with t-posts and clamped onto the posts with fence clamps.
The compost area should be about four to five feet in diameter and at least four feet high. Again, make sure your pile no smaller than 3′ x 3′ x 3′
A stake may be driven in the middle of the area before adding material to help maintain the shape of the pile and to facilitate adding water, but it is not necessary.
With this design, it is easiest to turn the composting material by simply unsnapping the wire, moving the wire cylinder a few feet, and turning the compost back into it.
It is not necessary to put a structure around your pile, but it helps keep things much neater

Figure 2

Moisture

The microbes that do your dirty work in the compost pile require water for survival, but it can be hard to judge how much water to add and when. Too much water means your organic waste won’t decompose and you’ll get a slimy and smelly pile that could well answer to the name “swamp thing.” Too little water and you’ll kill the bacteria and you won’t get your compost.

One rule of thumb: the more green material (cut grass, weeds, leaves) you put in, the less water you’ll need to add. In fact, if you need to add dry ingredients such as straw or hay, soak the material first in water so it won’t dry out your compost pile. In general your compost should be moist, but not sopping wet. If you are composting at home and you get a lot of rain, build a roof over the pile. This can be as simple as a tarp. The reason you want to give your compost pile more shelter is because nutrients, or leachates, leak out when it rains. That’s not such a problem in a place where rainfall isn’t heavy, but if you get a lot of rain where you live, it can make a big difference. Too much water in the pile will slow down the process and can also make it slimy and icky.

Aeration

Oxygen is also required by many of the microorganisms responsible for successful composting. Give them adequate ventilation and they will take care of the rest. Make sure that the bacteria in your compost gets sufficient air by turning the pile often and well with a pitch fork or spade. Don’t aerate your compost and it will break down slowly, resulting in a slimy, dense, stinky pile. It’s also a good idea to turn the contents since it rearranges the decaying material. With a little care, you can move the less decomposed material on the edges to the middle of the pile to heat up.

Temperature

As they eat, the organisms responsible for composting generate large amounts of heat, which raise the temperature of the pile or compost bin and speeds up decomposition. A compost pile that is working well will produce temperatures of 140-160˚F. At these temperatures almost all weed seeds and plant diseases are killed. A “very hot” compost pile will generate temperatures of up to 170˚F for up to a week or more. Use a compost thermometer to measure the exact temperature at different locations inside the pile.

A basic understanding of the temperature in a pile will help you know:
– When to turn it
– When to add more materials
– When to add water
– When it’s finished

The Composting Process

Monitor the progress and quality of your compost by measuring its temperature. Do not use compost until it has cooled down from 150°F.
Smell is another indicator. A bad smell usually indicate poor aeration or too much nitrogen.
Appearance is another indicator. Finished compost is brown like soil and the original materials should not be recognizable. It should have a rich, earthy smell.
The regular addition of compost or other organic materials to soils maintains and improves them by keeping beneficial microorganisms thriving and multiplying.

Adding Materials

When adding organic waste to your compost, don’t squash the materials down to make more space. Squashing the contents will squeeze out the air that microbes in the compost pile need to turn your garbage into gold. (Instead you’ll be promoting the anaerobic microbes, which also do a good job converting carrot peels and other organic matter into compost but tend to be a lot smellier.)
Also be strategic about filling your bin. Include a mixture of brown fibrous ingredients and greens. A well-balanced “diet” will ensure that composting doesn’t take too long and that you don’t end up with a slimy, smelly heap. Also shred, dice or otherwise make scraps smaller, which will help the resident bacteria do a good job in converting the garbage into compost.
Finally, after you’ve added kitchen vegetable waste, throw some leaves or grass clippings on top of it. This will help keep things balanced, reduce smells and make your compost bin less attractive to critters who are trying to sniff out a free meal.
Note: As organic material in a compost pile heats up it breaks down and takes up less space. A compost pile can shrink up to 70% as it “cooks.”

Speeding up the process

Compost decomposes fastest between 120 and 160˚F, so anything that will increase the heat will “cook” your compost faster. Here are four tips for fast composting:
1.) Chop and shred larger items, which makes it easier for the bacteria to break them down. For example, one easy way is to slice and dice garden waste is to run your lawn mower over leaves and other garden waste. Take scissors to newsprint or cardboard.
2.) Turn, turn, turn.
3.) Give your compost heap a “big meal” versus small snacks. Collect all your organic waste over a couple of days and then add it in one big bunch. The more you add at one time, the more your compost will heat up.
4.) Keep your compost pile in the sun. The heat will speed up the process.

How to use your compost

Compost is finished when it’s a dark, rich color, crumbles easily, and you can’t pick out any of the original ingredients. It should have a sweet, earthy smell. If it’s too stringy or lumpy, it may need more time. If this is the first time you’ve tried making compost, keep in mind that the amount of time can really vary. It can take anywhere from three to 12 months to produce compost. Decomposition depends on a number of things including temperature, what organic matter you’ve filled your bin with, type of compost bin used, how fine the waste material was chopped, how often you’ve turned it, and more.

Once you have achieved finished compost, it can be spread liberally around the yard and garden. It is great to use as a soil additive, a lawn dressing, as a mix with potting soil or as a moisture-holding mulch around trees and shrubs and on flower and vegetable beds. You can add it to the soil any time of year without the fear of burning plants or polluting water. The benefits of using compost are numerous. It builds good soil structure; enables soil to retain nutrients, water, and air; protects against drought; helps maintain a neutral pH, and protects plants from many diseases commonly found in the garden. It also feeds earthworms and other microbial life in the soil. In general, it doesn’t matter what kind of soil you have. All soils can be improved with the addition of compost.