Tools and Materials
What is Compost?
Compost is a nutrient-rich soil-like material made from the natural breakdown over time of organic materials, like leaves, food and coffee grounds. Compost is often called a soil amendment because it’s mixed in with soil to improve its overall quality.
Compost is made up of four things:
1. brown carbon products
2. green nitrogen products
3. air
4. water
All four elements are needed for healthy compost.
Examples of brown carbon products are dry, carbon-rich additions such as straw or hay, pine needles, dried grass or plants, twigs, paper egg cartons, shredded newspapers and brown paper bags.
Examples of green nitrogen products are plant trimmings, eggshells, old flowers, organic kitchen scraps, coffee grounds, manure from herbivores, seaweed and garden scraps.
It's easy to start composting. With a bit of maintenance, you can produce your own homemade compost to use in your garden.
To get you started, collect kitchen scraps for the compost pile in a countertop composter, airtight container or plastic bag. Storing your kitchen composter bin or bag of scraps in the refrigerator or freezer will prevent odors and give you flexibility in using them. For more efficient composting, cut large food scraps into smaller pieces.
Avoid composting meat, fish and bones, oils, grease, fatty foods, dairy, pet waste (dog and cat feces), treated or painted wood, coal or charcoal ash, large branches, diseased or chemically treated plants and weeds with seeds or invasive roots.
How to Create, Maintain and Use Compost
To learn how to compost, follow the steps below to get started.
Choose Your Compost Bin: Stationary or Tumbler
Stationary Composters and Tumbler Composters
A stationary composter has slats on the side that help with oxygen flow. A tumbler composter has holes on the side to allow oxygen to enter. The difference between a stationary composter and a tumbler composter is that a stationary composter sits directly on the ground and requires manual stirring, while a tumbler composter is a sealed, elevated drum that you spin to mix the contents.
When you’re composting, a good starting point to use is about two parts carbon-rich browns to one part nitrogen-rich greens by volume.
Composting in a Stationary Bin
Step 1: Select Your Compost Location and Add Soil
Select an area in your garden that’s shady and open so that you have easy access to the composter. Have your nitrogen and brown carbon materials on hand. Add soil to the composter to create a solid foundation. It’ll also help with drainage.
Step 2: Add Your First Layer of Compost Material
Start with your brown carbon layer because that will help create better airflow. Remember that you’re using a two-to-one ratio, so you’ll be adding two parts of your brown carbon material.
Step 3: Dampen the Compost and Continue Layering
Dampen the compost with a light spray of water using a garden hose. The compost should be damp, not wet. Next, add your green nitrogen material using the two-to-one ratio. Spread the layer out and lightly dampen. Continue layering and dampening as you go.
Step 4: Add the Final Layer
Your final layer of compost should be brown on top so that no food scraps are exposed. This helps prevent bad smells and keeps bugs and other pests away.
Composting works by allowing natural materials to break down over time. To help your compost break down faster, chop, shred or tear up larger items into smaller pieces before adding them to the pile.
Step 5: Turn the Compost
Every one to two weeks, turn the compost with a shovel to circulate the air. Also, when it’s time to turn your compost, you can always add more greens and browns. Remember to keep the ratios the same and keep it damp.
Step 6: Give the Compost Time to Decompose
Composting time can vary substantially depending on the materials, temperature, moisture, aeration, particle size and composting method. You’ll know your compost is ready when the compost is dark, crumbly, earthy-smelling and there are no visible scraps. Don't use compost before it’s ready because decomposing ingredients can attract pests.
When you're ready to access the compost in your stationary bin, lift up the bottom access door.
Check on the compost regularly. If it looks dry, lightly mist it to ensure it stays damp.
Composting in a Tumbler
Composting in a tumbler works much like composting in a stationary composter does, except you don’t need to lay down soil as a foundation.
Step 1: Add Your First Layer of Compost Material
Lay down your brown carbon layer of compost using the two-to-one ratio. On tumbler composters, there are two separate openings that allow you to add two smaller portions of your compost. It gives you a bit more control with composting.
Step 2: Dampen the Compost and Continue Layering Compost
Dampen the compost with a light spray using a garden hose. The compost should be damp, not wet. Add a layer of green nitrogen compost using the two-to-one ratio. Spread the layer out and lightly dampen. Continue layering and dampening as you go. Once you’ve added your compost, close the tumbler’s openings.
Step 3: Turn the Compost
Every one to two weeks, turn the compost by giving the drum a spin several times.
Step 4: Give the Compost Time to Decompose
As with the stationary composter, composting time can vary substantially. You’ll know your compost is ready when the compost is dark, crumbly, earthy-smelling and there are no visible scraps. Don't use compost before it’s ready because decomposing ingredients can attract pests.
When you're ready to access the compost in your tumbler, slide open the access door, give the tumbler a spin and pour the compost into a bucket.
Composting Problems and How to Fix Them
These are common problems you might encounter when composting.
Compost Problems and Solutions
| COMPOSTING PROBLEM | LIKELY CAUSE | SOLUTION |
| Your bin starts to smell unpleasant | You may have too many greens, there’s not enough air or there’s too much moisture | Add dry browns like shredded cardboard or leaves and turn the pile to eliminate the issue. |
| Your compost is having a hard time breaking down | You may have too many browns | Add some greens. Ensure you lightly mist it and keep it damp. |
| Your compost pile isn’t heating up | It may be too small or have an improper ratio of browns and greens | Add browns and greens as needed. Ensure the pile is moist, and turn it to aerate it. |
| Your bin starts attracting insects or curious creatures | You have exposed and/or inappropriate materials like meat, dairy and fat | Remember to cut your food into smaller pieces before you put them in the composter. Also, make sure there’s always a layer of brown carbon materials on the top layer of the compost. |
| The compost has a slimy texture | You may have too many green, nitrogen-rich materials and not enough airflow | Add dry browns and thoroughly turn the pile. |
| The compost is too dry | There’s not enough moisture | Gradually add water while turning the pile. The goal is for the material to feel damp, not soaked. |
Ways to Use Your Compost
Once your compost is ready, there are many ways you can use it.
- As a mulch: Spread two to three inches of compost around plants to help keep the roots moist and cool and to prevent weeds. Replenish compost mulch once or twice a year as it breaks down.
- When planting trees and shrubs: Apply compost 00to the soil surface around newly planted or established trees and shrubs, keeping it away from direct contact with trunks and stems. This gradually adds organic matter to the soil.
- In vegetable gardens: Work finished compost into the top few inches of garden soil before planting. You could also spread it over the soil between growing seasons.
- In raised garden beds: Mix finished compost with existing soil when filling or refreshing raised beds. It adds organic matter and helps improve soil structure, moisture retention and drainage.
- As a soil amendment: Enrich the soil with compost. Flowers, vegetables and fruits will benefit from the added nutrients and beneficial microbes contained in the compost.
- To top-dress container plants: Scrape away the top inch or two of old, compacted soil and replace it with finished compost. Leave a bit of space around the stems. Water normally to allow nutrients and organic matter to work into the potting mix.