How to prepare compost in home
Composting: How to Make Compost using Tumblers & Bins
Compost is the single most important supplement you can give your garden. It’s a simple way to add nutrient-rich humus to your lawn or garden that fuels plant growth and restores vitality to depleted soil. It's also free, easy to make, and good for the environment. But composting also has other benefits.
Related Products:
Jora JK270 Composter
Aerobin 400 Insulated Composter
Hungry Bin Worm Composter
Composting Benefits
Soil Conditioner
With compost, you are creating rich humus for your lawn and garden. This adds nutrients to your plants and helps retain soil moisture. They don’t call it “black gold” for nothing.
Compost is the single most important supplement you can give your garden.
Recycles Kitchen and Yard Waste
Composting can divert as much as 30% of household waste away from the garbage can. That’s important because when organic matter hits the landfill, it lacks the air it needs to decompose quickly. Instead, it creates harmful methane gas as it breaks down, increasing the rate of global warming and climate change.
Introduces Beneficial Organisms to the Soil
Microscopic organisms in compost help aerate the soil, break down organic materials for plant use, and ward off plant disease.
Good for the Environment
Composting offers a natural alternative to chemical fertilizers when applied to lawns and garden beds.
Reduces Landfill Waste
Most landfills in North America are quickly filling up; many have already closed down. One-third of landfill waste is made up of compostable materials. Diverting this waste from the landfill means that our landfills will last longer (and so will our wild spaces).
Related: Best Compost Bins and Tumblers Reviewed
What to Compost
What you can put into your compost will depend somewhat on what kind of composter you have, but some general rules do apply.
All compostable materials are either carbon or nitrogen-based, to varying degrees. The secret to a healthy compost pile is to maintain a working balance between these two elements.
The Secret to a Healthy Compost Pile: Carbon/Nitrogen Ratio
Carbon
Carbon-rich matter (like branches, stems, dried leaves, peels, bits of wood, bark dust or sawdust pellets, shredded brown paper bags, corn stalks, coffee filters, coffee grounds, conifer needles, egg shells, straw, peat moss, wood ash) gives compost its light, fluffy body.
A healthy compost pile should have much more carbon than nitrogen.
Nitrogen
Nitrogen or protein-rich matter (manures, food scraps, green lawn clippings, kitchen waste, and green leaves) provides raw materials for making enzymes.
A healthy compost pile should have much more carbon than nitrogen. A simple rule of thumb is to use one-third green and two-thirds brown materials. The bulkiness of the brown materials allows oxygen to penetrate and nourish the organisms that reside there.
Too much nitrogen makes for a dense, smelly, slowly decomposing anaerobic mass. Good composting hygiene means covering fresh nitrogen-rich material, which can release odors if exposed to open air, with carbon-rich material, which often exudes a fresh, wonderful smell. If in doubt, add more carbon!
| Material | Carbon/Nitrogen | Information |
|---|---|---|
| Wood chips / pellets | Carbon | High carbon levels; use sparingly |
| Wood ash | Carbon | Only use ash from clean materials; sprinkle lightly |
| Tea leaves | Nitrogen | Loose or in bags |
| Table Scraps | Nitrogen | Add with dry carbon items |
| Straw or hay | Carbon | Straw is best; hay (with seeds) is less ideal |
| Shrub prunings | Carbon | Woody prunings are slow to break down |
| Shredded paper | Carbon | Avoid using glossy paper and colored inks |
| Seaweed and kelp | Nitrogen | Apply in thin layers; good source for trace minerals |
| Sawdust pellets | Carbon | High carbon levels; add in layers to avoid clumping |
| Pine needles | Carbon | Acidic; use in moderate amounts |
| Newspaper | Carbon | Avoid using glossy paper and colored inks |
| Leaves | Carbon | Leaves break down faster when shredded |
| Lawn & garden weeds | Nitrogen | Only use weeds which have not gone to seed |
| Green comfrey leaves | Nitrogen | Excellent compost 'activator' |
| Grass clippings | Nitrogen | Add in thin layers so they don't mat into clumps |
| Garden plants | -- | Use disease-free plants only |
| Fruit and vegetable scraps | Nitrogen | Add with dry carbon items |
| Flowers, cuttings | Nitrogen | Chop up any long woody stems |
| Eggshells | Neutral | Best when crushed |
| Dryer lint | Carbon | Best if from natural fibers |
| Corn cobs, stalks | Carbon | Slow to decompose; best if chopped up |
| Coffee grounds | Carbon | Filters may also be included |
| Chicken manure | Nitrogen | Excellent compost 'activator' |
| Cardboard | Carbon | Shred material to avoid matting |
Is There Anything I Definitely Shouldn’t Put in My Compost?
- Do not compost meat, bones, or fish scraps (they will attract pests) unless you are using a composter designed specifically for this purpose.
The Green Cone Solar Waste Digester is one good example. - Avoid composting perennial weeds or diseased plants, since you might spread weed seeds or diseases when spreading your compost.
- Don’t include pet manures in compost that will be used on food crops.
- Banana peels, peach peels, and orange rinds may contain pesticide residues and should be kept out of the compost.
- Black walnut leaves should not be composted.
- Sawdust may be added to the compost, but should be mixed or scattered thinly to avoid clumping. Be sure sawdust is clean, with no machine oil or chain oil residues from cutting equipment.
Related: The Easiest Way to Start Composting Now
TIP: Storing Compost in the Kitchen
To store kitchen waste until you’re ready to transfer it to your composter, keep a container with a lid and a handle under the sink. A stainless steel compost pail with an carbon filter or a ceramic model will cut down on odors.
If you don’t mind occasional smells, use an old ice-cream pail. Chop up any large chunks before you toss them in.
A Word About Yard Waste
With yard and garden wastes, different composting materials will decompose at different rates, but they will all break down eventually. If you want to speed up the composting process, chop the larger material into smaller pieces. Leaves and grass clippings are also excellent for compost but should be sprinkled into the bin with other materials, or dug in to the center of the pile and mixed. Avoid putting them on in thick layers – they will mat together and reduce aeration, which slows the composting process.
Adding garden soil to your compost will help to mask any odors, and microorganisms in the soil will accelerate the composting process.
Composting Leaves
If you have too many leaves to incorporate into the compost bin, you can simply compost the pile of leaves by itself. Locate the pile where drainage is adequate; a shaded area will help keep the pile from drying out.
The leaf pile should be at least 4′ in diameter and 3′ in height. Include a layer of dirt between each foot of leaves. The pile should be damp enough that when a sample taken from the interior is squeezed by hand, a few drops of moisture will appear. The pile should not be packed too tightly.
The pile will compost in 4 – 6 months, with the material being dark and crumbly. Leaf compost is best used as an organic soil amendment and conditioner; it is not normally used as a fertilizer because it is low in nutrients. For more information, read Use Autumn Leaves to Keep Your Compost Working Through the Winter
TIP: Leaf-Mould Tea
Use leaves to make a nutritious “tea” for your plants. Simply wrap a small pile of leaves in burlap and immerse in a garbage can or large bucket of water. Leave for three days, then remove the “tea bag” and dump contents into the compost. Scoop out the enriched water with a smaller bucket and use to water your plants and shrubs.
Related: 10 Pro Composting Tips From Expert Gardeners
How to Compost
- Start your compost pile on bare earth.
This allows worms and other beneficial organisms to aerate the compost and be transported to your garden beds. - Lay twigs or straw first, a few inches deep. This aids drainage and helps aerate the pile.
- Add compost materials in layers, alternating moist and dry. Moist ingredients are food scraps, tea bags, seaweed, etc. Dry materials are straw, leaves, sawdust pellets and wood ashes. If you have wood ashes, sprinkle in thin layers, or they will clump together and be slow to break down.
- Add manure, green manure (clover, buckwheat, wheatgrass, grass clippings) or any nitrogen source. This activates the compost pile and speeds the process along.
- Keep compost moist. Water occasionally, or let rain do the job.
- Cover with anything you have – wood, plastic sheeting, carpet scraps. Covering helps retain moisture and heat, two essentials for compost. Covering also prevents the compost from being over-watered by rain.
The compost should be moist, but not soaked and sodden. - Turn. Every few weeks give the pile a quick turn with a pitchfork or shovel. This aerates the pile. Oxygen is required for the process to work, and turning “adds” oxygen. You can skip this step if you have a ready supply of coarse material like straw. Once you’ve established your compost pile, add new materials by mixing them in, rather than by adding them in layers. Mixing, or turning, the compost pile is key to aerating the composting materials and speeding the process to completion. If you want to buy a composter, rather than build your own compost pile, you may consider a buying a rotating compost tumbler which makes it easy to mix the compost regularly.
Related: How to Use Finished Compost
How to Choose a Composter
Choosing what type of composter will work best for you involves considering three main factors:
- Where you live
- What you’ll be composting
- Whether you want to turn your compost manually or not
| Where do you live? | What will you be composting the most? | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Composting mostly kitchen scraps | Composting kitchen scraps plus some yard waste | Composting lots of yard waste | |
| Urban (no outdoor space) | Worm bin (vermicomposting) | ||
| Urban (some outdoor space, patio, or balcony) | Worm bins or Compost tumbler | Compost tumbler | |
| Suburban (with yard) | Enclosed bin or compost tumbler | Enclosed bin or compost tumbler | Enclosed or DIY bin |
| Rural (with yard/acreage) | Enclosed bin, or compost tumbler | Open compost pile, enclosed bin, or tumbler | Open compost pile or multiple enclosed bins |
If you’re prepared to turn your compost every 1-2 weeks and you live in an area with access to outdoor space and carbon rich materials, enclosed bins or open compost piles could work for you.
If you live in an urban environment or your back isn’t ready for all that turning, compost tumblers or a worm composter are options worth considering. Read on to learn more about each of these compost systems and other composting tips.
Related: Worm Composting Basics for Beginners
Simplest Composting Methods
“No-Turn” Composting
The biggest chore with composting is turning the pile from time to time. However, with ‘no-turn composting’, your compost can be aerated without turning.
The secret is to thoroughly mix in enough coarse material, like straw, when building the pile. The compost will develop as fast as if it were turned regularly, and studies show that the nitrogen level may be even higher than with turned compost.
With ‘no-turn’ composting, add new materials to the top of the pile, and harvest fresh compost from the bottom of the bin. This can be easily done in an Aerobin Composter, or a Eco King compost bin. Which brings us to …
Enclosed Compost Bins
For small-scale outdoor composting, enclosed bins are the most practical.
Enclosed bins include:
-
DIY Compost Bin
The least expensive method is to build one yourself from a heavy-duty garbage can. Simply drill 1.5-cm aeration holes in rows at roughly 15-cm intervals around the can. Fill the can with a mixture of high-carbon and high-nitrogen materials (see our table above). Stir the contents occasionally to avoid anaerobic pockets and to speed up the composting process. If the lid is secure, the bin can be laid on its side and rolled; a length of 2″ cedar ( use a 2×2 or a 2×4) can be bolted to the inside, running top to bottom, to help flip the material. Without this, the contents tend to stay in place while the bin is rolled.
-
Standard Compost Bins/Digesters
Another option is a compost bin, sometimes called a ‘compost digester’. Compost bins are enclosed on the sides and top, and open on the bottom so they sit directly on the ground. These are common composting units for homes in residential areas where bins tend to be smaller, yet enclosed enough to discourage pests.
These bins are inexpensive, but it is difficult to turn the compost, so it can take several months to produce compost. These bins are thin-walled plastic, and may chip along the edges, especially during a freeze. -
Food Waste Digester
These countertop ‘composters’ grind and dehydrate food waste rather than decomposing it. The process takes as little as three hours, leaving you with an odor-free material suitable for garden fertilizer. When finished, bury the resulting material beneath the soil surface, where the decomposition process kicks in–to the benefit of your plants.
-
Tumblers
The most efficient enclosed bin method is the compost tumbler. It’s possible to maintain relatively high temperatures in drum/tumbler systems, both because the container acts as insulation and because the turning keeps the microbes aerated and active. Some designs provide an interior “paddle” or “aeration spikes” which help bring air into the compost and prevent clumping of the composting materials.
Other designs have holes on the ends for aeration. This greatly speeds up the composting process.
An enclosed ‘tumbler’ system offer the following benefits:
- Speeds up the composting process
- Composts year-round due to higher internal temperature
- Can’t be accessed by rodents, raccoons, dogs, or other critters
- Keeps compost neatly enclosed and odor-free; well-suited for residential areas and large apartment terraces or patios
To learn more, see Compost Tumblers: Comparing different compost tumbler models
Visit our shop for more information or to buy a compost tumbler.
Tips for Successful Composting
Activate Your Compost
‘Activators’ can be added to your compost to help kick-start decomposition and speed up composting. Common compost activators include: comfrey leaves, grass clippings, young weeds, and well-rotted chicken manure. You can also buy inoculant at your local garden center, though a shovel full of finished compost from another pile works just as well.
Flying Insects Attracted to Your Compost?
Small fruit flies are naturally attracted to the compost pile. Discourage them by covering any exposed fruit or vegetable matter. Keep a small pile of grass clippings next to your compost bin, and when you add new kitchen waste to the pile, cover it with one or two inches of clippings. Adding lime or calcium will also discourage flies.
Unpleasant Odors from Your Compost Pile?
This can be a concern in urban and suburban areas with small lots and neighbors living close by. Reduce or eliminate odors by following two practices: first, remember to not put bones or meat scraps into the compost; second, cover new additions to the compost pile with dry grass clippings or similar mulch. Adding lime or calcium will also neutralize odors. If the compost smells like ammonia, add carbon-rich elements such as straw, peat moss, or dried leaves. See 7 Signs Your Compost is Struggling and What You Can Do About It.
Is Your Compost Pile Steaming?
No problem.
A hot, steamy pile means that you have a large community of microscopic critters working away at making compost.
Is Your Compost Pile Soggy?
This is a common problem, especially in winter, when carbon-based materials are in short supply. To solve this problem, you’ll need to restore your compost to a healthy nitrogen-carbon balance. To learn how restore your compost pile, read our article How to Fix a Soggy Compost Pile.
Matted Leaves, Grass Clippings Clumping Together?
This is a common problem with materials thrown into the composter. The wet materials stick together and slow the aeration process. There are two simple solutions: either set these materials to the side of the composter and add them gradually with other ingredients, or break them apart with a pitchfork. Grass clippings and leaves should be mixed with rest of the composting materials for best results.
Problems with Raccoons?
If there’s a population of raccoons in your area, they will be naturally attracted to your compost pile.
The best solution to this problem is to bar their entry to the compost. (Traps and poisons are more trouble than they’re worth.) A wood or metal lid can be easily hinged to the bin described above on this page, or you can buy a commercially-made compost bin with secure fitted lids which are pest-proof, such as the Aerobin or Jora JK270.
A Moveable Feast
The soil beneath a compost bin becomes enriched as nutrients filter down with successive waterings. You can place your bin on a plot of earth that you plan to use for a future vegetable or flower bed, or fruit tree. Each year, you can move the bin to a different area; you’ll get a double benefit – the compost from the bin, and a bed of nutrient-rich soil ready for new plantings.
Take Advantage of Autumn's Bounty
The biggest challenge for small-scale backyard composting is finding enough carbon-rich materials to balance the regular input of nitrogen-rich materials from kitchen scraps, fruit and vegetable peelings, coffee grounds, grass clippings, and other fresh materials.
To learn how to make the most of autumn’s bounty, read: Autumn Composting Tips
What About People Living in Urban Locations, Can We Compost Indoors?
Even if you live in an apartment or other urban location, you can still reduce your organic waste and produce your own compost for potted plants, balcony planters, or your plot in the local community garden. There are several different methods for composting indoors which are odor-free and compact enough for even small apartments. For more information about these and other indoor composting methods, read our article: How to Compost in an Apartment
What About Weed Seeds?
A liability in composting is the unexpected introduction of new weed seeds to your garden. This is caused by slow or incomplete composting that didn’t generate enough heat to kill any and all weed seeds. Weed seeds in compost are a nuisance because once the compost is transferred to your garden beds, the compost acts to fertilize the weeds and make them even more persistent! With home compost bins or piles, the way to eliminate weed seeds is twofold:
- Make sure your compost is hot enough.
Reach your hand into the center of the pile – it should be almost too hot for comfort. Specifically, the temperature should be 130 – 150 degrees F. It takes about 30 days at 140 degrees to kill all weed seeds. - Mix your pile.
While your compost may be hot in the center of the mass, the outside of the pile is cooler, giving seeds a chance to survive. Mixing brings cooler material to the warmer area and also increases aeration, which helps attain the higher heat levels. Compost tumblers are very useful for this.
If you are buying bedding for animals, or using mulch or carbon-rich material to bulk up your compost pile, be aware of introducing seeds to your garden via the compost. For example, make sure to get straw, and not hay, since straw is mostly weed-free. Ask the sales staff if there have been any complaints about seeds in these products.
Related: The Best Compost Tea Recipe to Help Your Plants Thrive
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How to Make Compost at Home
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Updated: May 24, 2022
About making compost
- Compost is a dark, crumbly, earthy-smelling material produced by the natural decomposition of leaves, grass clippings, and many other organic materials.
- The composting process "happens" without human intervention because microbes and soil animals are on the job 24 hours a day, decomposing plant and animal remains.
- Composting allows you to expedite this natural process to produce a regular supply of compost (a.k.a. "black gold") for your landscape.
- Finished compost contains major and minor nutrients necessary for plant growth and also improves soil structure.
Why should I compost?
- It reduces the amount of material going to landfills. Municipal waste is composed of 13% yard wastes, 12% food waste, and 34% paper, most of which can be composted (U.S. EPA, Office of Solid Waste 2005).
- Compost is a valuable and free soil amendment that saves gardeners the money used to buy alternatives, such as peat moss, fertilizer, or vermiculite. It improves soil tilth (physical condition of the soil), aeration (reducing compaction, improving root growth and water penetration), water-holding capacity (important during droughts), and contains a wide range of plant nutrients. Most soils benefit from regular additions of compost.
- Compost suppresses some soil-borne diseases.
Populations of some microbes in compost may out-compete pathogens for food and habitat while others attack or repel plant pathogens. - It's good for the environment, fun, educational, and an activity the whole family can help with.
How is compost made?
- Bacteria, fungi, and other microbes are the key players in composting. These organisms "feed" on organic matter and use the carbon and nitrogen it contains to grow and reproduce.
- The heat generated by your compost pile is a result of microbial activity. Microbes are active in small numbers at temperatures just above freezing and are most numerous at 130º–140º F.
- They are assisted by many larger organisms like earthworms, slugs, snails, millipedes, sow bugs, ants, and various insect larvae that feed on plant and animal matter in the soil. These same organisms are responsible for the decay of both forest floor litter and the corn stubble in a farmer's field. Therefore, do not be alarmed if you find any in your compost pile.
They are performing the initial breakdown of coarse materials - biting, chewing, decreasing the size of the materials, and thus increasing the surface area so that the microorganisms can do their work. - Composting microbes use carbon for energy and nitrogen for growth (protein synthesis). When you mix various forms of organic material in your compost bin, it is important to achieve a proper balance of carbon to nitrogen (C:N ratio).
- The proportion can vary; the microbes will function well at C:N ratios from 25:1 to 40:1. A mixture of materials containing 30 parts of carbon to 1 part of nitrogen is considered ideal.
- Most organic materials do not fit the 30:1 ratio exactly, so different materials are mixed together. With the proper mix, microbes and other digesters will quickly start working to make compost for you. Finished compost has a C/N ratio of 20 - 25:1.
Carbon, nitrogen sources, and items not to compost
| Carbon Sources (Browns) | Cornstalks & corncobs *Some organic materials are initially acidic |
| Nitrogen Sources (Greens) | Coffee grounds Crab/fish waste - Trench method only Fruit & vegetable scraps Grass clippings (untreated) Fresh hay Manure: cow, horse, poultry, sheep, rabbit Seaweed |
| Items not to compost | Bones Cheese Cooking oil Dairy products Lard Mayonnaise Meat products Milk Peanut butter Salad dressing Cleaning solvents Pet feces Petroleum products Plastic Soil Synthetic fabrics Wood ashes (large amounts alters the pH) Avoid adding lime to your compost pile/bin |
However, the compostingTypes of composting
Cool or passive composting
- This method is not labor-intensive but requires patience.
- This process is carried out by a narrow range of microorganisms (mesophiles) that reproduce in the ambient (outdoor) temperature range, i.e., 40° F. to about 110° F.
- These microbes are thorough and produce excellent compost, but they need about a year to complete the process.
- If you constantly add fresh materials to your pile, the materials on top of the pile will be in the early stages of decomposition when the material at the bottom is ready to use.
- Remove the top of the pile and harvest the compost at the bottom annually, or start a new pile when the first pile is 3'x3'x3'.
- Don't build a pile over 5' high because the weight and volume will compact the organic wastes and limit air movement. This can cause smelly, anaerobic decomposition.
- Turn the pile once or twice a year, to hasten the process and create a more uniform product.
Hot or active composting
- This method produces a compost harvest in the shortest period of time but requires more careful attention and periodic labor.
- Hot composting usually involves a bin, or perhaps a pile, which is filled all at one time with the necessary ingredients without the addition of more raw materials later.
- The ideal bin size is a minimum of 3'x3'x3' or 27 cubic feet.
- A heap this size involves a broad range of microorganisms and generates significant heat.
- Once triggered into action and provided with the appropriate mixture of carbon (browns), nitrogen (greens), water, and air, the 'thermophiles' (heat-loving bacteria) will generate temperatures of 130-170° F., and will produce a compost harvest in six to eight weeks.
- The temperature will typically rise within 24 hours after the bin is filled. As the thermophiles consume nutrients and oxygen, they produce enough heat to evaporate some of the moisture.
- The temperature will decrease as they begin to die. This occurs when all of the easily digested sugars and starches are broken down and the tougher compounds like hemicellulose and cellulose remain.
- Before the temperature drops below 100° F., turn the materials so that fresh materials, air, and, if necessary, water are available at the core of the bin.
- In time, the volume of the original material will decrease. DO NOT add more raw materials unless the process is not working properly.
- Continue checking the temperature, turning, adding moisture, etc., until the volume of the material is about 50% of the original. The temperature will not rise again.
- The compost should be dark brown and should not resemble the original materials. Let the pile sit for two weeks, allowing the mesophiles to finish it off. This is known as curing and will help stabilize the nutrients.
Compost Temperature Control
- Temperature can be monitored in several ways. Compost thermometers are available for purchase.
- Or use your hand to monitor the temperature. If the pile feels cool when you thrust your hand into it, it probably needs to be turned.
(The target temperature is 100º and body temperature is about 98.6°). - If the pile/bin feels at least as hot as the hot water from your faucet, it is doing fine. If it feels really hot and has the aroma of ammonia, it may need a little more carbon, because excess nitrogen may cause anaerobic (no oxygen) decomposition that results in bad odor and more heat.
Sheet composting
- This is an excellent method for creating a new bed in late summer for planting the following spring.
- Mow or weed-eat the grass and weeds in the area as low as possible.,
- Place overlapping sections of newspaper or corrugated cardboard over the entire area.
- Spread a 2-4 inch layer of compost followed by a 4-8 inch layer of shredded leaves. You can also spread grass clippings (avoid weeds with seedheads and herbicide-treated turf).
- In spring, you'll be able to plant directly into the soil without the need for rototilling. Any leaves that have not broken down can be raked aside and used as mulch.
- This method uses up large amounts of locally-available organic material, requires some initial labor, does not require turning, and boosts the earthworm population.
Trench composting
- This method offers the small-plot vegetable gardener an opportunity to improve the soil on a continuous basis.
- Dig a trench or hole in a garden bed about eight to twelve inches deep.
- Bury your kitchen waste (fruit and vegetable peelings and cores, coffee grounds, etc.) covering the material as you go with soil or chopped leaves. Chopping the scraps with a shovel prior to covering will speed decomposition. The kitchen waste will feed soil animals and microorganisms increasing soil fertility.
- Rotate the location of the trenches and holes. It works best in fenced gardens that exclude raccoons, possums, and groundhogs.
- You can trench compost kitchen waste throughout the year although the process slows significantly from November through March.
Instructions for a wire compost bin
Composting tips
- Locate compost bins and piles away from trees to reduce the likelihood of roots growing into the compost.
- Mix materials thoroughly; it's usually not helpful to layer materials.
- To speed up the process you can add an extra nitrogen (e.g., cottonseed meal, blood meal) source at each turning.
- Keep your compost pile moist (like a wrung-out sponge) but not soggy for efficient decomposition. Excess moisture causes anaerobic decomposition and offensive odors. During dry weather, it may be necessary to add water at weekly intervals.
- Do not add branches and other woody materials unless they are chipped into small pieces.
- In dry weather, cover the pile to prevent excess moisture loss and to aid decomposition. A tarp or other cover also protects the pile from becoming too wet during periods of heavy rainfall and helps prevent nutrient leaching.
- Turn or mix the pile regularly.
If fall-gathered leaves make up the bulk of the pile, turn the pile in mid-November before freezing occurs. Do not turn the pile in winter because this allows too much heat to escape and slows decomposition. - When kitchen scraps are collected or composted it can be helpful to mix in a dry, high-carbon material, such as leaves, sawdust, or shredded paper, to reduce odors and facilitate decomposition.
- Enclosed compost tumblers can quickly become soppy wet and anaerobic if you add too many kitchen scraps and rotted fruits and vegetables, and not enough brown materials.
Comparison of composting methods
| Type | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|
| Hot | Quicker harvest. Kills many weed seeds and diseases. Less likely to attract unwanted animals. | Requires careful attention and frequent labor. Requires storage of some materials prior to use. (Most carbon sources can easily be stored for many months.  ) |
| Cool | Materials added as generated. Less labor. Compost rich in beneficial organisms. | Takes a year or more. Some nutrients lost to leaching. Can attract animals and flies. |
| Bin | Neat and tidy appearance. Can be used for either hot or cool methods. | Must purchase or fabricate. May be difficult to turn in materials. Generally requires more labor than other methods. |
| Tumbler | Neat and tidy. Good for maintaining aeration. Works well for cool composting. Good for small spaces. | Costly. Volume is usually inadequate for hot composting. Filling and/or harvesting may be awkward. Requires close attention. |
| Worm Composting (Vermicomposting) | Easy. Little or no odor. Can be done indoors or outdoors. Rich product. Excellent way to compost food waste. | Requires careful attention to food materials added. Must provide suitable location and temperature for worms; may attract fruit flies. |
| Sheet Composting | No turning required. Boosts earthworm population. | Requires timing and patience. Requires some initial labor. May not be ready for planting when anticipated. |
| Trench Composting | Easy. Boosts number of earthworms. Doesn’t attract flies. | Requires planning, persistence, and regular trips to the garden. |
When is compost ready to use and how can I use it in my yard?
- When the material is even in color and texture and has an earthy smell with no "off" odors.
- When the temperature of the pile is at the outdoor temperature.
- When a small amount placed in a plastic bag and sealed causes no condensation of moisture inside the bag.
- Incorporate it into the soil as a soil amendment. Add to established beds or when creating beds.
- Use two inches of compost as mulch around landscape plants to keep the soil cooler, retain moisture, and add nutrients to the plants over the course of the growing season.
- Grow vegetable and flower transplants and container plants in screened compost. Try a mixture of 50% compost and 50% commercial soilless growing media.
- Use it to make compost tea, which has multiple benefits to plants and soil. Applying it to the soil around plants or spraying it on foliage applies beneficial microbes that could suppress the colonization of disease-causing fungi. Compost tea also contains small amounts of organic nutrients necessary to the health of plants. It encourages earthworm activity and will enhance the population of soil microbes.
How to make compost tea
Compost tea is made by "steeping" compost in a bucket of water (5 parts water to 1 part compost by volume) for 1-3 days, then straining and applying the liquid to plants. Make compost tea using composted yard waste (leaves, grass clippings, etc.) or vermicompost (worm compost). Do not use farm animal manure compost. It is low in a wide range of nutrients and good for fertilizing seedlings and transplants.
Based on HG 35 Backyard Composting, author former HGIC Consultant Lew Shell. Reviewed by Jon Traunfeld, Director HGIC, Extension Specialist, Fruits and Vegetables.
Rev. 9/2020
Related information
Organic Matter and Soil Amendments
Do-it-yourself composting in the country and at home (for champignons)
Author: Elena N. https://floristics.info/ru/index.php?option=com_contact&view=contact&id=19 Category: Garden plants Reissued: Last edited:
Contents
- What is compost
- What can and can't be composted?
- Why is compost useful? nine0012
- How to make compost with your own hands
- How to prepare compost at the dacha
- Fast compost
- compost at home
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Any plant develops better and bears fruit in fertilized soil.
One of the most affordable and common fertilizers for the garden and garden is compost. nine0007
What ingredients can be used to make compost, how to make compost at home or in the garden, what crops this fertilizer is used for, whether it is worth buying ready-made compost and which of the proposed compositions to prefer, we will tell in our article.
What is compost
Compost (lat. Compositus - compound) is a fertilizer that is formed during the decomposition of organic matter under the influence of microorganisms. Composting is a natural method of recycling and recycling organic waste, which improves soil structure and saturates poor or depleted soil with substances necessary for plants. But garden compost should not be confused with those soil mixtures that are sold under this name in garden centers and pavilions. If you make your own compost, this best of all organic fertilizers will cost you nothing. There are many recipes for making compost, and we will introduce you to some of them.
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What can and cannot be composted?
May:
- raw cereals, fruits, vegetables and their cleaning and trimming;
- sunflower stalks, corn cobs, garden and melon tops, dry leaves, cut hay;
- spent tea and coffee grounds;
- prepared food leftovers;
- thin branches and shoots, unworked and unpainted wood, including sawdust and chips;
- straw, seed husks, nutshells; nine0012
- bird droppings and fresh herbivore dung;
- paper - napkins, packing cardboard, xerox paper and newspapers in shredded form;
- peat;
- shredded natural fabrics - linen, cotton, wool, silk, hemp and linen ash;
- Down and feathers of birds, animal hair.
Not allowed:
- large and hard meat bones;
- ashes from stoves or fireplaces; nine0012
- synthetic materials and fabrics;
- peel from citrus plants;
- perennial rhizomatous weeds, especially when flowering or seeded;
- plant residues affected by diseases or treated with herbicides;
- insect pests and their larvae.
Experts still have no consensus on whether human and carnivore feces can be added to the compost, as well as on the question of whether milk, fat, meat and fish residues can be added to the compost. nine0007
The process of converting grass, food and household waste into organic fertilizer is conditionally divided into three parts:
- decomposition: at this stage, the waste is heated inside the pile, changes its structure and is enriched with useful substances. As a result of transformation, useful microorganisms, fungi, earthworms appear in the compost, which help to accelerate the processing of the mass into fertilizer.
- humus formation: at this stage, it is important to ensure aeration of the pile, because without oxygen, microorganisms that organize and carry out the process of compost maturation can die. To provide air access, the mass is mixed with a pitchfork or a shovel; nine0012
- mineralization: at the stage of mineralization, nitrogenous compounds are decomposed, and humus is converted into mineral forms.
The process reaches its maximum value after a year of compost aging.
Why is compost useful?
Firstly, this is one of the best mineral fertilizers, filling the soil with a huge amount of important trace elements.
Secondly, it is the cheapest means for structuring the soil, which is carried out by increasing moisture conservation. nine0007
- How and with what to lime the soil, how often to do it, what is the best not to lime?
Thirdly, compost is convenient to use as a mulch that slows down the evaporation of moisture from the soil and suppresses the growth of weeds.
Fourth, you no longer have to remove or burn organic waste, as it can be placed in a compost pit and turned into an excellent fertilizer.
How to make your own compost
How to make compost in the country
There are two ways to make compost - fast and slow, otherwise called cold and hot. But first, let's decide on the compost bin and the location of this bin in the garden.
It is best to build a box from wooden planks or any boards that have not been in contact with toxic materials - wood stain, varnish, paint, and the like. If you want a box to last for years, make it from pine planks - it won't cost you much. Put together four walls, observing the gaps between the prefabricated planks - these gaps will serve to aerate the compost. nine0007
It is better to place the box (pillar) on a hill so that it is not washed away by water, and away from the garden, otherwise the roots of all plants will change direction and stretch towards the compost pile. Choose a place, level the surface, dig in four supports and nail three walls to them. It is better to make the fourth wall removable or openable so that it is convenient for you to turn the compost or get it to mulch the beds. It is better to concrete the bottom of the box, or you can cover it with thick plastic wrap or old linoleum. nine0007
If you don't feel like nailing down boards, you can buy a pre-made plastic or metal composter in the store - a compost bin with a lid, the main purpose of which is to prevent the compost from crumbling.
The advantage of such containers is that they can add protein waste - meat, fish, milk, because they are tightly closed with a lid, and rodents do not penetrate into them. In addition, they retain heat well and can be moved around. And the disadvantage of industrial composters is that they do not receive air. If you are not on a tight budget, buy a local organic processing station that independently maintains the process temperature and is equipped with a control system. In the end, you can make a cylinder of the desired height and width from a chain-link mesh and put waste for composting into it, but it will be inconvenient to get compost from such a container and dig up the mass in it. nine0007
When can I make compost? There is no strict framework in this question: you can start laying layers in the spring, after pruning trees and shrubs, and replenish the layers as organic material arrives. In autumn, fallen leaves, tops of vegetables and melons can be placed in a compost heap.
Advances in modern science even make it possible to produce compost in winter. But first things first.
How to make compost? At the bottom of the composter or windrow, place wood chips or cuttings of branches that will serve as drainage material, and then start filling the composter layer by layer, and the more types of organic matter you put in the compost, the higher its quality will be. Composting involves alternating dry waste with wet and green with brown (nitrogenous with carbonaceous). In the so-called green layer, waste is laid, which is a source of nitrogen - trimming and peeling vegetables, small twigs, green tops, and in the brown layer - torn newspapers and other paper containing carbon, fallen leaves and dry twigs. You can enrich the composition of the compost with plants that contribute to the rapid formation of humus - yarrow, dandelion, chamomile, valerian. To speed up fermentation, the compost heap is watered with a solution of mullein or bird droppings.
The consistency of the mass should resemble a damp sponge, but moderation should be observed in moistening the compost, since the "flooded" microorganisms will not be able to generate heat that promotes decay. nine0007
- Compost or humus - which is better and should I choose?
To maintain the temperature and environment necessary for the process, a homemade composter should be covered with oilcloth, old carpet, linoleum or a lid knocked together from tight-fitting boards. Once or twice a month, the layers of compost should be turned over with a pitchfork to loosen the mass, achieve uniform moisture and stimulate processes that are fading due to lack of ventilation. In the heat, the compost is watered from time to time to maintain the required moisture. nine0007
Well, you put compost in the box, now you need to wait until it rots. Ready compost looks like a dark, damp, crumbly mass that smells like forest soil.
The production of compost requires following certain rules:
- The compost must not smell bad.
If there is a smell of ammonia, then the processes are not proceeding correctly, and the mass can turn into poison. In this case, add torn paper to the compost to neutralize the predominance of nitrogen components in it. So that the ammonia formed during fermentation does not leave the pile in the form of fetid gas, but is processed into nitrogen, the following order of filling the tank should be observed: each layer of waste should be no more than 50 cm thick, and organic layers are interspersed with layers of soil or manure 5-10 cm thick; nine0012 - everything that you put in the compost heap should be chopped beforehand, and the greens should be slightly dried so that it does not turn sour in the compost, but rot;
- before the onset of winter, you need to shovel the entire pile so that the bottom layer is at the top and the top is at the bottom;
- the height of the pile should not be more than 1.5 m, and the width should not be less than 1 m, otherwise it will be difficult for you to shovel the mass.
The height of the heap is measured a couple of months after the compost is laid, since during this time it settles significantly. nine0012
Quick compost
Many gardeners prefer to make quick compost: they dig a shallow (no more than 40 cm) but wide hole in an elevated area, fill it with broken branches and chopped wood, and throw earth on top. In a year or two, you will have an excellent fertilizer for the garden and vegetable garden.
The fastest compost is obtained from leaves: in autumn, fallen leaves are laid in a shallow pit, layered with garden soil, watered with biostimulants (EM preparations - Baikal-M1, Humisol, Tamir, Urgasa or the like) and covered with a black film, and in the middle May, this compost can already be partially used for its intended purpose. To speed up the process, you can put a “sourdough” from already rotted compost into young compost. You can speed up the process of preparing compost by such means as a solution of sugar and yeast, which should be abundantly poured over plant residues put into the composter, or nettle infusion: pour ¾ buckets of nettle with warm water, add a bag of dry yeast and put in a warm place for 5 days, after which the infusion is filtered and watered with compost.
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Compost at home
Compost can be made at home in winter.
Do-it-yourself compost at home is easy to make. For this you will need:
- How to enrich the depleted soil, how to restore the elements in the soil, absorbed by plants or washed out by rains during the season?
- plastic bucket;
- garbage bag;
- several plastic half liter bottles; nine0012
- a bottle of EM liquid that speeds up the composting process;
- atomizer;
- plastic bag for sugar;
- bag of garden soil or commercial soil.
Shape plastic bottles into cylinders of the same height by cutting off the bottom and neck, and place them on the bottom of the bucket. Place a garbage bag with a few small holes in the bottom to drain excess liquid into the bucket and start filling it with crushed plant debris, spraying each three-centimeter layer from the spray bottle with the accelerator solution prepared according to the instructions.
After moistening the residue, squeeze the air out of the bag, tie it tightly and press down with a load - for example, a five-liter plastic bottle of water. About every three days, empty the bucket of water that has drained from the compost - this liquid can be poured down the drain overnight to clean sewer pipes and drains in sinks. And if you dilute this liquid with water in a ratio of 1:10, you can water indoor plants with it. nine0007
As the bag fills with organic matter, spray each layer of fermentation promoter, bleed the bag out of the bag and put pressure on it - do this until the bag fits in the bucket. As soon as the bucket is full, put it together with the compost in a warm place to ferment for a week, then mix the compost with a little garden or garden soil, transfer it to a sugar bag and take it out to the balcony or loggia where it will now be stored. nine0007
Place a new garbage bag with drainage holes in the empty bucket and start the process of collecting and turning waste into compost again.
If you do everything right, you will not hear an unpleasant smell. A sour smell can occur simultaneously with the appearance of white mold on the surface of the compost - this is a sign that the process is not proceeding correctly. To correct the situation, add finely chopped newspapers or other paper to the bucket. Put the second portion of the ripened compost into the bag in which the first batch of fertilizer is stored. Ready-made home compost can be poured into pots of indoor plants, added to the substrate for seedlings, or taken to the country and used as fertilizer or mulch. nine0007
Mushroom compost
Bag compost
Mushroom cultivation is now a very profitable business, and many people are adapting to grow these mushrooms in their cellars - this method is called intensive, as opposed to extensive, when mushrooms are cultivated in natural conditions. Mushrooms are grown in different ways, but the most effective method is growing in bags: it does not require high financial costs, and diseased mushrooms in one bag do not infect mushrooms in neighboring bags.
The only drawback of this method can only be considered that the laying of the substrate in bags requires significant physical effort. Compost in bags is placed on the floor in parallel or in a checkerboard pattern, and the checkerboard arrangement saves production space. nine0007
A high yield of mushrooms can only be obtained on a nutrient medium, and this requires a substrate based on compost. Compost for growing mushrooms, like garden fertilizer, can be prepared independently. For 100 kg of wheat or rye straw, you will need 100 kg of horse manure, 8 kg of gypsum, 5 kg of chalk, 2 kg of superphosphate and urea. Straw is cut 15-20 cm long, poured for 2-3 days with water so that it does not get wet, but moistened, then put three or four layers of straw in a pile or box in line with layers of manure, adding compost fertilizer - all urea and part of superphosphate (500 g). Then the mass is thoroughly mixed, gypsum is added, then the remainder of superphosphate, then chalk, and after adding each ingredient, the compost is thoroughly mixed each time - 4 times in total.
The output is 300 kg of substrate - this amount should be enough to lay 3 m² of mycelium. nine0007
If you use not horse, but bird droppings, then the proportions will be different: 100 kg of droppings and 100 kg of straw will require 300 liters of water, 8 kg of gypsum, and alabaster is used instead of superphosphate and chalk.
Mushroom compost should mature outdoors in a place protected from the sun and rain for three weeks - during this time the components "burn out", the ammonia evaporates completely, and the compost can be used: approximately 15 kg of compost is placed in special perforated bags masses and plant mycelium in it. nine0007
Crate compost
The mushroom box system was developed in the USA in 1934 and is still popular today, mostly in the United States, Canada and Australia. Growing champignons in boxes, as well as in bags, allows you to localize the defeat of fungi by diseases and pests and provides the opportunity to keep mushrooms at different phases of development in different rooms.
Boxes are made from spruce, birch or alder planks. The volume of the boxes can be from 0.4 to 2 m², and the optimal depth of the containers is 12-15 cm. Before use, they are disinfected with a 4% formalin solution or a 2% Lysol solution. As for the substrate, the method of its preparation is the same as when growing champignons in bags. nine0007
Ready-made compost - is it worth buying
If you have no time to make compost or you are afraid of not being able to cope with this task, you can, of course, purchase ready-made compost. The Biud product has proven itself well - a universal concentrated and environmentally friendly biocompost that can be used both for ornamental crops and for fruit and berry crops. To create this biofertilizer, both traditional composting methods and the latest Finnish technologies are used. The basis for the compost of this brand is high-moor and low-lying peat, cattle or horse manure, poultry droppings and fur-bearing carnivorous animals.
Chopped straw, sawdust of hardwood trees, dolomite flour, vermiculite and other natural preparations are used as additives. By the name of the compost, you can determine what type of manure is used in it - "Cow", "Horse", "Chicken". There is also a biocompost in the series, created to fertilize the soil in autumn, it is called “Autumn”. nine0007
The use of compost during planting has a fruitful effect on vegetable crops - fertilizer is applied to the wells one tablespoon at a time. 2-3 cups of fertilizer are placed in the pits of berry bushes, and a liter jar of compost is placed in the pits of fruit trees.
Mushroom compost is also not in short supply - you can buy it both loose and in briquettes. However, it is still worth trying to make compost yourself, because this will require very little effort, and all the necessary ingredients are waste of your life. Start collecting and layering organic waste at home, as described in our article, and the first bucket of compost you make yourself will inspire you to build a large garden fertilizer box and start a compost heap.
As a result, you will always have high-quality and free organic fertilizer in your garden. nine0007
Literature
- Read related topics on Wikipedia
Compost or humus - which is better and should I choose?
Compost pit or heap - what is the difference and which is better?
Sections: Fertilizers Gardening
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How to make compost and compost
Important steps:
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Prepare a compost container. nine0007
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Alternate layers for better compost maturation.
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Maintain a constant temperature and humidity in the compost heap.
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Turn the compost mixture so that it matures faster.
Compost and humus are often confused and used as synonyms. But despite the fact that both are natural fertilizers that help plants grow, compost and humus are not the same thing.
In this article, we will help you understand what is compost and what is humus, and give you useful tips on how to use leftover food at home. nine0007
Manure is organic manure that is used to increase crop yields, but it takes a very long time to get it: 2 to 5 years. It is obtained from the droppings of various poultry and livestock. Humus does not smell like ammonia, it is a light and homogeneous substance that is suitable for fertilizing very many plants. It is added to planting holes. Manure is an excellent base for mulching trees, flowers, and vegetables.
Unlike humus, compost is made from leftover food, as well as branches, bark and various plants (grass, weeds). Compost is the best fertilizer for the soil, providing plants with good nutrition. Compost does not contain nitrates, salts of heavy metals and other harmful substances. This is a creation of nature, which man has perfectly managed to master and use it for his own purposes to increase soil productivity. nine0007
Many summer residents often ask how to prepare compost and humus themselves, and not resort to chemicals, in order not only to get a good harvest, but also to save our planet by reducing emissions into the atmosphere.
Our advice will help you in this matter.
Get a wooden box to create an organic base for your compost. You can make it from boards or planks, pine boards or bars are best suited. It is important to remove any remaining paint or oil before assembling the box. nine0007
How to make humus
The process of making humus is similar to the stages of making compost. The difference lies in the exposure time and ingredients. To obtain humus, organic residues must be kept for at least two years. The most important thing in the process of preparing humus is maintaining the correct humidity. Humus should not be dry. If it is dehydrated, then there will be less trace elements in the humus for subsequent fertilization. Below we describe the general process for preparing manure and compost. nine0007
How to make compost and humus correctly
First, let's figure out what you can make compost with your own hands and what methods exist for creating it.
Compost is usually based on an organic basis: food leftovers from the kitchen, sawdust, leaves, twigs and other organic debris. Everything is collected in one heap and the process of decay starts.
Poultry and livestock droppings are suitable for making humus. After complete decomposition in the process of decay, manure into humus becomes similar to black soil, it is moist and loose, and there is no unpleasant odor in it. nine0007
Before making compost or manure, you need to take a special wooden or plastic box and start laying out the compost ingredients in layers. We recommend placing the compost bin on an elevated position to prevent soil erosion.
To obtain high-quality compost, its layers must be alternated: first wet, then dry. Often garden soil and peat are added to the compost, and sometimes manure or bird droppings are added to increase soil productivity. Compost matures in about a year and a half, and if you use compost accelerators or aerate the compost mass, the preparation of compost in the country can be reduced to one season.
It will take at least two years for the humus to mature. nine0007
Temperature and humidity
To start the process of rotting compost and make compost with your own hands, you need the right temperature inside the heap and humidity, ideally constant. In the task of how to make compost or humus, it is very important to strike a balance. If a very unpleasant smell has formed in the compost heap, then so-called brown components, such as sawdust, dry grass, shredded paper or cardboard, must be added. The second part of the compost usually consists of green ingredients that decompose quickly, which is what causes the smell. If you add too many of them, then the smell from the compost pit will come out unpleasant. nine0007
When it comes to making compost, it's important to keep an eye on the temperature. The temperature in the compost heap should be maintained at 60-70 degrees, and heat should come from the heap itself. As soon as it cools: green ingredients are usually added: green grass, fruits, vegetables, dung, leftovers from plant foods.
It is not recommended to use fish or meat to add to compost or humus, as they decompose more plant matter and create a very unpleasant odor.
For composting in the country, it is important to maintain constant moisture in the heap. The compost should not be too wet, but it should not be allowed to dry out either. If the compost or humus has become dry, it is recommended to add a little water to it. Gardeners often prepare compost using a quick aerobic method, often turning the compost mixture over for a constant supply of air. So the compost matures faster.
If you follow the advice on how to make compost correctly, you will be able to use it in 3-4 months. It is important to achieve a crumbly, moist dark brown mass that smells of earth. You can use compost all year round for planting trees, berry bushes, vegetables and herbs. We hope you have learned enough information about the difference between compost and humus, and are armed with the knowledge of how to make your own compost, and are ready to have a great harvest next summer season.
