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Tag: compost

  • How to Make a Compost Pile

    Making a compost pile in your yard yields one of the most effective and affordable tools for gardeners looking for eco-friendly alternatives to using harmful chemical fertilizers. Even better news – composting is easy. By reducing your yard and household waste, you can create the perfect, nitrogen-rich soil for thriving flower and vegetable gardens for free! So, read on for some of our favorite tips for how to make a compost pile in your yard.

    Green Compost Materials

    As you start the planning to make a compost pile in your yard, note that you will need to create a blend of biodegradable matter that falls into “green” or “brown” categories. Your kitchen is likely to be the primary source of green material, which is typically food waste like vegetable peels, fruit scraps, and coffee grounds. 

    Is all kitchen waste suitable for composting? No. Try to avoid oily foods or meat and dairy. Why? EatingWell explains: “animal products such as dairy, bones, and meat, … can attract pests,” and food like “mayonnaise, peanut butter, salad dressing or vegetable oils” can present difficulties during decomposition. Fish should not be composted either. 

    Experts are often asked if the green material that is sourced from the kitchen should only be organic. While that is a great goal, don’t feel pressured to throw out viable produce scraps just because they weren’t organic. The next time you shop, Real Simple suggests that you “look for ‘pesticide-free’ signage even more so than ‘organic’ labels.”

    Also, before you toss your banana peel or leftover store-bundled greens into the compost pile, be sure to check them over. Real Simple warns: “If you’re making the effort to compost, take extra care that scraps (fruit and veggie peels, and paper bags) are free of labels, twist ties, rubber bands, and other synthetic, non-biodegradable parts.”  

    Yard waste can also be part of your green supplies. Are you looking for a good use for your grass clippings? Keep them for your yard’s compost pile. Are you forever pulling weeds from your garden? The good news is that your compost pile will thank you for them. 

    Brown Compost Elements

    Brown compost materials include carbon-rich elements like wood chips, straw, and pieces of bark. Martha Stewart Living reveals: “Newspaper and hay make good brown matter,” but be sure to shred the newspaper so that “it doesn’t form a mat” and “avoid glossy or colored paper.” Falling autumn leaves can be one of the most readily available forms of carbon available. And the leaves are free! Martha Stewart Living offers this helpful tip for leaf-gatherers: “Since they’re abundant for a short time, … stock up once they fall and use them throughout the winter.”  

    Do you know those cardboard pizza boxes that you cannot place in your blue recycling bins? Good news! As long as you rip the boxes into small pieces, the experts at EatingWell give the thumbs up to including them as your brown compost materials. 

    A Shovel-Full of Neutral Soil

    While not absolutely necessary for starting the composting process, Martha Stewart Living does recommend having at least a small supply of neutral soil on hand. They reason that when neutral soil is added to the middle of the compost pile in your yard, it “helps to protect the compost while supplying the organisms needed for the breakdown process.” 

    Cold Composting Method

    Cold composting, also known as anaerobic composting, is often the easiest and cheapest way to begin to make a compost pile in your yard. The actual method is quite simple. As EatingWell advises: “[Anaerobic composting] involves piling the greens and browns and letting nature handle the decomposition process unaided.” While the compost pile should not smell particularly intense, there will be decay, so choose a spot away from your home and your yard’s leisure spaces, just in case. And although starting a composting pile takes relatively little time, the entire decomposition process using cold composting can take up to two years. 

    Aerobic Composting

    Aerobic composting is very similar to the cold composting approach, but it requires an infusion of oxygen into the process, which increases the internal temperature of the pile. The higher temperature then speeds up the decomposition process. While this sounds like it could be time-consuming, it really isn’t. According to EatingWell, this just “requires turning (or mixing) the materials every so often to give it exposure to oxygen.” A standard garden shovel will do the trick.  

    How to Make a Compost Pile in Your Yard

    Start by laying down a bottom layer of your brown materials. Because this forms your base, you’ll want it wide enough to support the layers above it without collapse. The next section should be from your collection of green biodegradable material. Expert gardener and herbalist Leslie Bish recommended to Real Simple that the general composting rule is to employ a “two-to-one ratio of brown to green materials” as you build the pile. When you reach what is projected to be the middle of your compost pile, shovel in a small amount of neutral soil. 

    Your yard’s compost pile should be kept damp, but you do not want it to be waterlogged. Heavy bouts of rain can not only impede decomposition but displace some of your biodegradable material. The last thing you want is for your pile to fall and spread to other areas of your yard. If you live in a region with abundant rainfall, consider putting up a protective tarp to keep the pile from being soaked. The pros at EatingWell also suggest “[adding] sawdust to dry it” as needed.  

    If it looks like your compost pile is not beginning the decomposition process after a reasonable amount of time, it might need some attention. Leslie Bish advised Real Simple that in these cases, “‘It might be too dry, or not have enough nitrogen, so add a little water with the hose and more green material.’” 

    When is the Compost Pile Ready For Use? 

    If you chose the turning (aerobic) method for maintaining your compost pile, you might have compost ready for use within six months unless you experience a sustained winter. Cold compost piles can take up to two years before they are viable as organic fertilizer. In general, Martha Stewart Living recommends not using the compost until it is “dark brown, free of recognizable ingredients, and safe to smell.” While you might be eager to start using your new soil enhancer, it is essential to wait until decomposition is finished. Otherwise, professionals warn, it could prove dangerous to your trees or garden plants.

  • Composting for Beginners

    There is no doubt that composting has become one of the most popular trends in both the sustainability and gardening communities. It is a powerful, budget-friendly tool for gardeners who want their flowers or vegetable patches to thrive without the use of harsh chemical fertilizers, and it is an appealing process for those trying to reduce their kitchen and yard waste significantly. While you may assume that composting is only for professionals or people with acres of land, homemade compost is relatively easy to produce and can be created no matter the size of your property – even apartment dwellers can take part. If you want to learn how to make your own nutrient-rich soil and help eliminate unnecessary waste, read on as we offer tips on how anyone can start composting.

    Compost Ingredients

    When you start composting from scratch, keep in mind that you need a mixture of “green” and “brown” biodegradable materials to get the right balance of nitrogen and carbon to successfully complete the decomposition process. “Green” materials include much of your typical kitchen waste, including vegetable scraps, eggshells, coffee grounds, and fruit scraps. EatingWell cautions that those learning how to compost at home should not include “animal products such as dairy, bones, and meat, which can attract pests” or “oily foods such as mayonnaise, peanut butter, salad dressing or vegetable oils” because they are challenging to decompose.  

    If you live in a home with a grass-covered yard, toss in grass clippings as part of your “green” blend. While flowers can be included in your composting, EatingWell warns against “commercially grown cut flowers, which often contain dyes and chemicals.” If you have used heavy pesticides on your yard, keep that waste out of your compost because the chemicals themselves won’t be broken down during the composting process. Have you just completed a significant weeding of your yard? Good news! You can include the weeds. However, Martha Stewart Living does recommend avoiding composting with “weeds bearing seeds” as they can grow in your compost pile or be spread wherever you use your finished compost. For the same reason, the Magazine advises against incorporating “diseased or pest-ridden plants.”  

    “Brown” ingredients can include fallen leaves, twigs, lint, sawdust, and shredded newspaper. If you happen to have easy access to hay, that can also be employed as a “brown” element. For people who have despaired about not being allowed to recycle shredded bits of office paper or pizza boxes, despair no more! Both can be incorporated as “brown” ingredients into your compost, provided the boxes are broken down into small pieces. For those adding newspaper, Martha Stewart Living recommends that “it doesn’t form a mat—be sure to avoid glossy or colored paper.” Also, bio-plastic products may indicate that they are biodegradable, but they really should be left to commercial composting services.

    While you can start composting with these elements alone, Martha Stewart Living suggests having a quantity of neutral soil on hand – the exact amount will depend on the size of your composting pile. Why? The Magazine recommends adding “soil in the middle of the pile … to protect the compost while supplying the organisms needed for the breakdown process.” 

    Composting Methods

    Start by determining which composting process makes the most sense for you and your space. Anaerobic composting (“cold composting”) is the easiest process, but it is best suited for large properties. As EatingWell explains: “[Anaerobic composting] involves piling the greens and browns and letting nature handle the decomposition process unaided.” And while it is easy, it can produce a pile that emits an earthy smell of decay, and it will take considerable time for the decomposition process to complete (up to two years, in many cases).

    Worm composting (also known as Vermicomposting) is a process that introduces worms into the composting pile or bin to speed along decomposition, rather than relying on the organic material alone. In fact, “worm boxes” have become increasingly popular among apartment dwellers and those trying to live a zero-waste lifestyle. Worm composting bins need to be kept inside to avoid worms dying when temperatures dip during the colder months or the thermometer climbs in the summer.

    The aerobic approach is the most popular for those who have the space for composting bins, either ones purchased or built. The main difference in this method versus the anaerobic one is that it requires periodic “turning” of the composting pile to introduce oxygen. As Martha Stewart Living explains: “Turning the compost helps promote oxygen flow and releases the heat that builds during decomposition – aim for a temperature between 90° and 140°F.” 

    Special Equipment

    When people learn how to start composting, often their first question is whether or not they require special bins. The answer entirely depends on which method you want to use. Worm bins do need containers, but you can easily create ones out of plastic bins that you may already own. With the help of a drill, a small amount of screening, and glue, you will have containers ready for the introduction of your waste material, neutral soil, and the Red Wigglers. For those pursuing cold composting, Red Wigglers can also be introduced into the free-standing pile.

    Anaerobic and aerobic approaches do not require any special equipment, and, in most cases, you can start right now with the materials you have. You need enough space to keep the growing pile thriving and, ideally, away from people, as the smell may be mildly off-putting. You may want to invest in a tarp to protect it from high winds. If you are handy, you can quickly build a composting bin from wood scraps and mesh; however, Martha Stewart Living advises that “using a closed bin is best to maintain moisture levels for the compost — especially in extreme climates….” You can purchase a variety of simple bin options, including two-door models that allow for easy removal of finished compost, as well as the addition of fresh, biodegradable material. The Magazine recommends placing your bin in a space that enjoys a happy balance of sun and shade, while also allowing for the easy addition of water.

    As apartment dwellers have turned to increasingly environmentally friendly approaches to daily living, composting technology has become more sophisticated. As experts tell Real Simple: “People who don’t have a sprawling yard can buy small, odorless compost containers that fit easily in kitchen spaces….” Higher-end kitchen models take up very little space and can create enriched soil in just a few hours. They also claim to reduce meat scraps, some dairy, and bones, unlike standard, non-commercial composting approaches.

    How to Start Composting

    Begin your composting pile with an airy layer of “brown” ingredients, for instance, a base of fallen leaves. Next, add a smaller segment of greens and a scoop (or shovel) of neutral soil into the mix. The exact ratio of “brown” to “green” somewhat depends on the actual ingredients, but Martha Stewart Living recommends that you “continue layering browns and greens in a two-to-one ratio, ending with a layer of brown.”  

    You will want to keep your composting pile moist, but not sopping wet as that could impede proper decomposition. You don’t want to see a lot of water dripping through the pile, and you do want to keep outdoor bins (or loose piles) protected from the rain. EatingWell suggests adding sawdust to bring the pile back into balance if you feel your composting material has become too wet. 

    If you have chosen the aerobic approach, you will want to turn the pile periodically. You can use a pitchfork, a shovel, a lawn rake or a hand, gardening rake (or whatever device allows you to turn the pile easily). This is critical as “turning provides oxygen for the microorganisms and makes for a rapid, even decomposition,” according to Martha Stewart Living.

    Finished Compost

    How do you know when your compost is ready to be used in your garden, around your trees or on your lawn? Martha Stewart Living advises that a finished compost is “dark brown, free of recognizable ingredients, and safe to smell.” While faster than “cold composting” which can take up to two years, aerobic outdoor “turning” composting will take at least a few months, even without sharp changes in temperature. Naturally, worm bins and high-tech apartment composters will make this process dramatically faster. But whatever you do, do not try to use compost that is not yet finished. As the experts at EatingWell warn, unfinished compost can be toxic. 

    Now that you have learned how to start composting, it’s time to begin! While the process can take time, you’ll love not only having nutrient-rich, organic soil but knowing that you have significantly reduced the amount of the kitchen and yard waste going into landfills each year.