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GuidetoComposting Interactive

Best ways to compost

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John Dover
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7 views

GuidetoComposting Interactive

Best ways to compost

Uploaded by

John Dover
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Backyard Composting: A Beginner’s Guide

Good soil is crucial for growing healthy plants. The best soil is full of organic material, carbon-rich matter
formed from anything that once lived. Organic matter is important for making nutrients available to plants and
encouraging beneficial microbial life in the soil.

COMPOSTING is a process that converts food scraps and yard waste — such as leaves and grass clippings
— into useful, nutrient-rich soil amendment. A compost bin is the perfect complement to your backyard garden!

GETTING STARTED
Once you have your tools and ingredients composting is simply a matter of adding materials to your bin in the
right quantities. Think of it as a green and brown lasagna! Follow the steps below to start.

Position your bin somewhere where you will have easy access

1 from your kitchen. Place in half sun, half shade for the best results.
The warmer the location, the faster the compost will work. Make
sure to line the bottom with hardware cloth to minimize pests.

Create your first layer with dry shredded leaves and twigs: Place

2 the brown ingredients at the bottom and water thoroughly. The


water encourages bacterial growth, which will allow your material
to start breaking down.

What do I need? Your second layer includes green ingredients: Add a layer of clip-
• A standard plastic compost
bin or a homemade bin made
3 pings, plant scraps or other green material so that it is roughly the
same thickness as your first brown layer.
from timber, chicken wire, etc.
• Garden fork, compost turner
or some kind of poking tool
4
Additionally, you can add a thin layer of soil from your garden.
• Green organic ingredients Soil contains useful microorganisms to kick start your compost.
• Brown organic ingredients

As you go, continue to add brown and green ingredients in equal


volumes; see chart for what ingredients are considered brown and
5 green. Mix the pile.
Watch this video
for a composting
When your bin is full, you will want to stop adding materials, so
demonstration. the compost can finish. Producing finished compost generally takes
Source: Nelson City Council
6 three to six months. Your compost is ready when it looks like rich,
dark soil. You can slide up the lower door or tilt the bin and scrape
away the finished compost at the bottom, or lift off the bin and
start a new pile.
Tips and Tricks
Break up ingredients
By breaking up your ingredients into smaller pieces, you’ll allow your compost to decompose faster and speed
up the pace of composting.
Keep the air flowing
Keeping it aerated helps to speed up the composting process. To achieve this, turn your pile over or poke
holes in it every few weeks with garden fork, metal post or a compost turner. Dry shredded leaves or shredded
newspaper also help to create space in your compost that holds air.
Store materials
Prepare a bucket of your brown material ahead of time. This way you will have the material handy when you go
to add your new batch of green material from the kitchen or garden.
Ratio of Greens to Browns
Start with equal portions using half green and half brown materials at first. Then, as you gain confidence, alter
your ratio based on the conditions of the pile.

NEVER COMPOST
Stay away from these materials as they will cause your compost pile to smell, attract animals and/or
contaminate your finished compost with chemicals and weeds.
• Plastics
• Metals • Dairy
• Chemicals (including clippings from • Oily foods
treated grass) • Human / dog / cat waste
• Weeds with seeds • Glossy paper
• Diseased plants • Treated lumber or sawdust
• Meat

Trouble-shooting
Having problems with your compost? Check out the chart below to see what you can do!
Symptoms Possible Cause Solutions
Aerate by stirring pile or put in big sticks to
Not enough oxygen/compaction
Unpleasant odor from pile help with airflow
Not enough oxygen/too wet Mix in dry materials

Ammonia smell Too much nitrogen Mix in dry brown materials


Lack of nitrogen Mix in some greens
Not enough moisture Water pile
Pile not heating up
Pile needs to be turned Use a pitchfork, turn outside to center
Compost may be finished Remove finished compost and start over
Gnats (these will not harm
Try adding a layer of brown to the top
anything but can be annoying)
Pests are found in the bin
Line the bottom of the pile with hardware
Mammals
cloth or use plastic bin with locking lid

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