In spring the compost pile was a machine. You could sink a hand into it and feel the warmth, that faint sweet-earth smell coming off the top, everything breaking down on schedule. Then July shows up and the whole thing quits on you. Banana peels you tossed in two weeks back still look like banana peels. It sits there doing nothing, and it's easy to figure you did something wrong.

You almost certainly didn't. A pile that quits in midsummer is a familiar composting headache, and it nearly always comes down to one of two things going sideways in the heat. Maybe it dried out and the microbes doing the work died off with it. Or it packed down so tight nothing can breathe. Both are easy to spot once you know the feel of them, and quicker to fix than you'd first expect.

Culprit One: The Pile Dried Out

Strip it back and a compost pile is really a colony of microbes, and those microbes need water to stay alive – roughly the moisture of a wrung-out sponge. July heat wicks that out faster than the pile can hold it, worst around the edges and up top, and past a certain point the bacteria go dormant. Or die off. Decomposition doesn't taper so much as switch off.

Checking takes maybe three seconds. Grab a handful from the middle and give it a squeeze. It ought to feel damp and let go of a drop or two. If it comes out dusty, or barely cool to the touch, then that's a thirsty pile. A dry pile also tends to feel loose and look grayish, the material bleached rather than rich brown, none of the heat you'd expect when you dig in.

How to Rehydrate a Dry Pile

Reviving a compost pile when it's bone dry isn't just pointing the hose at it and walking off. Water hits that dried-out surface and mostly runs down the sides without sinking in, so the core stays as parched as it started. Layer the water in instead. Pull the pile apart, wet each section as you go, then rebuild – so the moisture works through the middle instead of pooling on top.

While it's open, mix in something wet and nitrogen-rich to help it hold water next time – fresh grass clippings, kitchen scraps, or a few shovels of manure. Then check it every few days through the hot stretch. A compost thermometer from Amazon takes the guesswork out, since a pile climbing back toward 120 to 140F (49 to 60C) is telling you the microbes are awake and fed.

Culprit Two: The Pile Can't Breathe

The second culprit runs the opposite direction, and it's sneakier – a pile can be soaking wet and still be a problem. Microbes need oxygen about as much as they need water. Leave a heap un-turned for weeks and it settles, compacting under its own weight until the air pockets give out. Pile a thick mat of grass clippings on top, packing down like wet paper, and the whole thing has gone anaerobic.

This one you smell before you see. A pile starved for air turns sour – ammonia, or that rotten-egg funk, nothing like the clean earthy smell you're after – and the middle often goes slimy where a different crowd of microbes, the kind that get by without air, moves in. They work a lot slower. What you're left with is a wet, matted mess instead of crumbly finished compost.

How to Get Air Back In

For a compacted pile, the fix is oxygen, and that means turning it. Digging the outside into the middle and breaking up any matted clumps opens the structure back up and gets air to the microbes that have been starving for it. A dense pile can take some muscle. A compost aerator from Amazon augers down into the center and pulls a channel open without you having to fork the entire heap over by hand.

How often to turn compost is where people overthink it. Through the summer, once a week keeps a pile aerobic and moving without much fuss, and if you've just fixed a stalled one, turning it every three or four days for the first couple of weeks gets it caught up faster. A pile that gets buried under grass clippings all season stays stalled, so a rotating bin like this Miracle-Gro dual-chamber tumbler from Walmart makes the turning far less of a chore.

Getting the Green-to-Brown Balance Right

The last piece is what goes in. Hot weather runs a pile through greens fast, so a mid-summer heap heavy on browns – dry leaves, straw, shredded cardboard – breaks down sluggishly for lack of nitrogen, while one buried in greens goes wet and sour. A rough two-to-one, browns to greens by volume, keeps it cooking through the heat. Get the water and air right first, though. Those are what stalled it, and they're what will start it again.

Compost tea is finished compost that’s steeped in water until the nutrients, bacteria, fungi, and beneficial organisms pull out into the liquid. It is a fast-acting alternative to dry soil amendments that require a long time to make a noticeable difference in your garden. You can use compost tea around plant roots or mist it onto leaves after just a day or two so plants can start getting the nutrients they need fast.

The quality of your brew lives or dies with the compost you use for your compost tea. It has to be fully broken down, dark and crumbly, with nothing recognizable left in it. Anyone still working out how to compost should nail that first, since unfinished compost could bring pathogens into your garden rather than the beneficial organisms you want.

But a single 5-gallon bucket batch of compost tea, made right, covers tons of ground and gives plants a huge boost. Here’s how to make your own compost tea at home.

What Is Compost Tea?

Compost tea the liquid mixture made when you add compost or manure to water and let it steep. This DIY liquid fertilizer has many of the same beneficial microorganisms and nutrients found in compost. The thought is that by watering plants with this solution, plants have quick access to the best that compost has to offer.

In addition, some claim that regular use of compost tea can have the additional benefits of increasing the water retention of the soil, improving its fertility, reducing the need for chemicals in the garden, and reducing plant pathogens in some edible crops. But there are downsides of using compost tea that you should not ignore.

First, there are scant scientific studies backing up organic gardeners’ claims as to the positive effects of watering plants with compost tea. Since the composition of compost varies so widely, compost tea also varies, which makes careful and precise measurement of its true benefits difficult to ascertain.

In addition, compost is teeming with microbes. But some types of compost, like kinds that include manure, can create a tea with harmful, pathogenic microbes that do more harm than good. Bacteria like E. coli, Salmonella, and Listeria that cause foodborne illnesses can show up in improperly made compost and compost tea. That’s why it’s important to use only finished compost when making compost tea.

Benefits of Compost Tea

Regular compost does plenty of good when worked into soil, but a liquid compost tea gets into areas where dry soil amendments struggle to reach. They can add nutrients via leaf surfaces, deep into the root zones of plants, and cover wide areas without having to work in huge volumes of material all over the garden.

Nutrients that are already dissolved in water are available to roots immediately. That speed is important for plants with short growing seasons or for transplants that are still getting settled.

Microbes are really where compost tea earns its keep though. Beneficial bacteria and fungi from the brew settle into leaf surfaces and soil, outcompeting disease-causing organisms. Crowd these out before they establish and your plants have a lot less to deal with.

Regular application of compost tea builds up that beneficial microbe community over time, which improves moisture retention in the soil, more good biological activity, and reduced fertilizer dependency. It won’t rescue an absolutely wrecked soil on its own, but as part of a broader organic fertilizing routine it earns its place.

Best Types of Compost to Use

Not all compost brews equally. Fully mature compost is what works best – dark, crumbly, sweet-smelling, no woody bits or food scraps still in there.

Hot-composted material is the safest pick since high decomposition temperatures kill most harmful pathogens. Cold-pile compost doesn’t have that going for it. Bagged compost works fine, too, as long as it’s really finished. Worm castings make a particularly good base for compost tea and tend to produce a noticeably microbe-rich result.

Skip manure-based compost that hasn’t fully broken down. The pathogen risk on edible plants is real enough to not chance it. Plant-based compost teas can go on fairly often if needed. Manure-derived mixes are another matter entirely. Only use them heavily diluted and once a month at most.

Either way, aim for roughly one part compost to five parts water. A coffee-like color and an earthy rather than sharp smell means your compost tea is ready.

How to Make Compost Tea

Since compost tea has become more popular, some companies have begun manufacturing it and selling pre-made compost tea, like this one from Amazon. There are also compost tea bags, like these ones from Amazon, that you simply add to water to make your own natural fertilizer if you don’t have any compost on hand.

Many home gardeners, however, prefer to make their own compost tea. There are two main ways to do this. You can use either the non-aerated or aerated method. I’ll walk you through both methods.

Non-Aerated Method

The simplest compost tea recipe doesn’t require much in the way of equipment. A 5-gallon bucket and some finished compost is all you need. Rainwater or well water is best. But if tap water is all that’s available then let it sit out a few hours first to off-gas any chlorine, which can knock back the beneficial microbes your compost tea is trying to cultivate.

Add about 1 cup (240 mL) of compost per gallon (3.8 L) of water. You can throw it in loose or tie it up in a mesh bag. These reusable brew bags from Amazon work well and hold up across multiple batches. Steep your compost tea for 5 to 7 days, stirring daily. It will get funky-smelling and that’s fine. But if your compost tea smells sour that can be a sign something went wrong.

When the water goes dark and the smell settles into something earthy rather than sharp, strain it and use it. It’s good for soil drenching, though the aerated methods are often used to encourage microbial activity out of the same material if that’s the goal.

Aerated Method

Actively aerated compost tea, also known as AACT, requires an aquarium pump and air stones running through the water the whole time during steeping, which is what aerobic bacteria need to really take off. That gets the brew ready in 24 to 48 hours rather than close to a week.

You use the same setup with a bucket and the same compost ratio, but you add a continuously running pump, like this aquarium air pump kit from Amazon. Throw in a tablespoon of molasses to feed the microbes and speed things up. Kelp meal or fish hydrolysate work, too, for a richer result. You can get kelp meal and fish hydrolysate from Amazon.

Once the pump stops, use it within a few hours. Oxygen drops fast, aerobic organisms die back, anaerobic ones move in – which is the wrong direction entirely. Brew it, use it the same day, and clean the bucket well between batches.

How to Use Compost Tea on Plants

Apply compost tea as a soil drench around the root zone or as a foliar spray you mist onto the leaves. In either case, you should consider a few steps to keep your garden safe.

First, limit your use of compost tea to garden plants that are ornamental rather than those you intend to eat. This is the best preventative measure for avoiding pathogen exposure, since there is less chance of pathogen transfer into the food chain.

If you do want to apply compost tea to edible crops, don’t use it as a foliar spray. Instead add it to the soil. If you do this, you should:

• Wait 120 days from application to harvest.
• Time the harvest of those plants so that it falls 90 days away from other edible crops not fertilized with compost tea.
• Keep spray off edible plant parts that are eaten raw. Apply only to the soil.

Drenching large areas takes roughly 5 to 10 gallons per quarter-acre (19-38 L per 0.10 hectare). You can use a full-strength or diluted compost tea or dilute it up to a 10:1 ratio of water to compost tea, depending on how far the batch needs to go.

Wet the soil first because dry ground often sheds the liquid rather than letting it soak in. This garden pump sprayer from Amazon handles both the drench and foliar work cleanly and makes the job faster in larger gardens.

How Often to Apply Compost Tea

The best time to apply fertilizer is in the morning. This lets leaves dry before midday heat and microbes settle in. Ornamentals do well with a spray in late winter to early spring and then again when leaf buds break. For annual beds, a pre-planting application of compost tea gives soil microbes a head start.

Fungal or pest trouble? Apply as soon as you notice the problem and reapply with each regular watering. For all other regular scenarios, apply compost tea every two to four weeks throughout the growing season.

Seedlings can only handle a diluted solution of compost tea – around three parts tea to one part water. Established plants can take a full-strength dose without issue. Houseplants also require a diluted compost tea mixture, too. Dilute it by at least half and work it into your normal watering schedule rather than adding excess moisture.

Back off any synthetic fertilizers and pesticides where possible. Those knock back the microbial populations the tea is working to build. An organic liquid fertilizer from Amazon pairs well as a complement without undoing that microbial work. Regular compost additions and mulching on top of all that is also beneficial.

How to Store Compost Tea

You can store compost tea, but not for very long. If you opt to do so, select an airtight container that doesn’t allow light to penetrate. This can work for storage up to five days. For longer storage, you’ll need to refrigerate it and/or aerate it regularly with an aquarium pump or bubbler stone.

Frequently Asked Questions

When I first decided I wanted to start composting, I honestly had no idea what system would be best for me. My initial thought was to just start a simple compost pile in the corner of the garden, but there was one major problem: you can practically see my entire yard from the street. As much as I wanted to create my own nutrient-rich soil, I definitely didn't want a messy, sprawling pile of food scraps and yard debris sitting around and ruining my home's curb appeal.

I didn't want a messy compost pile, so I started hunting for better options. What I found completely changed my approach to backyard composting: you can actually DIY a surprisingly tidy system for next to nothing, or you can pick up several incredibly sleek, budget-friendly composters that require absolutely zero effort. Whether you want a simple cinder block setup or a clever tumbler, here is how to start composting on a budget.

How to DIY Your Compost Bin

If you want a traditional open compost pile but want it to look contained and intentional, you don't need to spend your weekend measuring and cutting wood. The ultimate "lazy gardener" DIY is simply using cinder blocks. You can pick these up for dirt cheap at Home Depot.

To create your compost area, clear a flat spot in your yard and stack the cinder blocks to create either a three-sided "U" shape or a fully enclosed "well" shape. It requires absolutely no power tools, drills, or screws, and it gives you a perfectly functional, heavy-duty compost bay in under ten minutes. The gaps in the blocks even provide excellent airflow, which helps your scraps break down faster!

Maintaining Your DIY System

If you opt for an open compost system, you're going to have to maintain it. To get that gorgeous, nutrient-rich soil, your compost needs to be aerated (mixed up) every week or two to keep the oxygen flowing. Be sure to invest in a sturdy, long-handled pitchfork or a heavy-duty compost aerator tool, both available on Amazon, so you can mix your pile while standing completely upright.

If you're impatient (like I am) and want to turn your scraps into nutrient-rich soil as fast as possible, this compost starter from Amazon is a brilliant budget add-on. You just sprinkle a little bit of this organic mix over your pile to introduce beneficial microbes that dramatically speed up the decomposition process.

Budget-Friendly Composters

Don't want to DIY a bin? Check out these budget-friendly compost bins.

Don’t bag those leaves up in fall and ditch them to the curb. Try composting them instead. Leaf compost or leaf mold can enrich your garden. Those crunchy leaves, packed with potential, become nutrient-rich treasure with some time and effort. That earthy scent feels like a garden win.

Ever raked leaves into a heap of potential? Leaf compost and leaf mold turn that crisp leaf crunch into something special – rich soil boosters for your beds. A bit of composting makes it happen. Choose leaf compost for a nutrient kick or leaf mold for better dirt texture, and sustainable gardening becomes a breeze.

Leaves dropping fast? Leaf compost and leaf mold start with fallen leaves but deliver different garden wins. Compost feeds plants quick; leaf mold builds better soil over time.

What Is Fall Leaf Composting?

You’ll want to turn those fall leaves into a crumbly mix for your beds. Toss in some green scraps – say, veggie bits or fresh grass – for a balanced heap. Leaves bring carbon, and greens add nitrogen. Shred them with a mower to speed things up. Keep it moist, like a wrung-out sponge, and flip it monthly for air. A quick turn brings rich compost to your garden.

What Is Leaf Mold?

What is leaf mold? It’s decomposed leaves turned into a crumbly, fungal-rich soil amendment. Unlike compost’s beneficial bacterial buzz, leaf mold, also called leaf mold compost, counts on fungi for a slow, easygoing process. Stack leaves high, wet them, and let them sit. No greens, just time. A shady yard corner or a mesh bin does just fine. Letting time work crafts soil that holds water tight.

Comparing the Benefits

Nutrient Content

If you need a nutrient boost, leaf compost packs soil with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. It fuels veggie rows or flower patches like a full meal. It certainly lifts fertility for hungry crops. Digging in that rich mix fuels plant growth fast.

Leaf mold skips the nutrient rush but shines for soil texture. It trickles nutrients slowly through fungal mycelea. Perfect for loosening dirt, it’s less about feeding plants. Mixing it in makes soil loose and workable.

Soil Improvement

Compost breaks up clay soils and holds water in sandy soils. It boosts drainage and brings microbes in for strong roots. Spread some compost on beds, and plants leap to life. A thin layer revives tired garden patches.

Leaf mold soaks up water – up to 500% its weight. It lightens heavy soils and firms up loose soil. Ideal for mulching or seed mixes, it keeps roots cozy. Spreading it creates fluffier, water-hugging dirt.

Ease of Production

Composting takes work – shredding leaves, mixing greens and browns, turning piles. Keep it moist and aerate often for a 6-12 month payoff. A compost tumbler, like this one from Amazon, cuts the effort. Regular turning churns out nutrient-packed soil.

Leaf mold should stay simple. Stack leaves, dampen them, and wait – 1-3 years. No mixing or flipping needed. A yard corner or basic bin, like this from Amazon, works fine. Letting time pass yields a fluffy soil booster.

Best Applications

Compost powers up tomatoes, roses, or lawns. It blends into planting holes or spreads as topdressing. Digging it in sparks quick plant growth.

Leaf mold shines as mulch for shrubs, perennials, or thirsty beds. It crafts gentle seed-starting mixes for new sprouts. Spreading that flaky mix keeps roots hydrated.

When to Use Compost vs. Leaf Mold

Got veggie rows or lawns? You’ll want to spread leaf compost for a nutrient lift. It suits heavy feeders like squash or marigolds. Lay down 2-3 inches (5-7.5 cm) on beds or blend with soil for pots. Mixing it in drives a thriving garden.

Are your leaves chopped fine? Make sure to use leaf mold for mulching shrubs, perennials, or roses. It improves clay or sandy soils, holding water for roots. Stir it into seed-starting mixes for tender sprouts. Spread 2-4 inches (5-10 cm) as mulch or mix with soil. A layer locks in moisture for healthy beds.

Leaf compost and leaf mold transform that raked pile’s crisp scent into soil that makes beds thrive – pick one and start raking.

As good stewards of the land, we seek ways to give back to the soil and avoid waste. Composting checks all the boxes. It makes use of something that would go into a landfill and produces beautiful material to enrich the land.

There are many ways to compost: a tumbler, a three-bin system, vermicomposting, or just an attended pile. The process isn’t difficult but you do need to adhere to a few precise steps, and avoid common composting mistakes, to ensure that “black gold” at the end.

Decomposition may take two weeks to two years in unmanaged piles. There are ways to speed up the composting process with an activator, proper management, and other steps.

1. Think Small

Each piece of yard waste or kitchen scrap that goes into the compost situation has to break down. The smaller the surface area, the faster the item will decompose.

One of the most important composting steps for faster breakdown is to simply cut everything up small. Ideally, no piece should be larger than 1 inch (2.5cm) in diameter.

This is fairly easy to do in the kitchen since you are already chopping. Cut that broccoli stem into small pieces, crush your egg shells, and mince those carrot ends.

In the garden, this takes a bit more work. Use pruners to cut stems and branches into smaller pieces before adding them to the pile.

2. Use The Proper Ratio

The breakdown of organic waste relies on a mixture of carbon and nitrogen – or browns and greens. The key is to have much more brown material than green, with a good mix being about 4:1 browns to greens.

Greens include kitchen scraps, grass clippings, coffee grounds, manure, and freshly pulled weeds.

Carbon sources may be shredded (non-glossy) paper, dried leaves, or sawdust. The garden waste pile will benefit from the addition of woody, brown items. Hay or straw are good and inexpensive carbon additives.

If your compost production is slow, and the pile is not heating up, add more green material. However, if it starts to smell bad, add more brown material.

3. Mix In Compost Or Garden Soil

Layering the pile or bin with compost or garden soil will introduce the much-needed microorganisms and bacteria that are the backbone of composting.

Think of it as an inoculation for the compost heap. You are essentially infecting the almost sterile pile with beneficial organisms that begin the microscopic part of decomposition. This will also add mycelium, which are fungal bodies that also help decompose organic matter.

4. Just Add Water

A dry compost pile will not break down well. This is because all living things need moisture and that includes the tiny organisms that contribute to composting.

Some gardeners struggle with a pile that is too moist. That indicates too little carbon. But if the pile is dry to the touch, the little critters that are there to help break down the material aren’t active.

Your pile should have the consistency of a damp sponge when you grab a handful and squeeze.

5. Introduce Worms

This might be something fun for the kids or grandkids to do. Have them dig up worms and add them to the pile. This works especially well in the kitchen compost. Worms eat food debris and excrete castings, nutrient-rich soil conditioners.

You may also order red wigglers to come directly to your door. This variety of worm is a powerful addition to the compost heap. These worms ingest up to ¾ their weight in food scraps per day.

6. Turn The Pile

As with moisture, the organisms busily breaking down the organic matter also need oxygen. Turning compost will ensure the interior is moist but will also aerate the material.

In small spaces, this may be done by using a tumbler. In larger situations, grab a garden fork and turn the pile every few days. This will keep all the organisms happy and busy at their job.

Without enough oxygen, the anaerobic organisms are at the forefront and they don’t break up material as quickly as aerobic organisms. Without airflow, the pile will smell bad and decomposition slows.

7. Give It A Blanket

Heating up compost is essential to speed up development. The pile should be at around 155 degrees Fahrenheit (68°C) to ensure any weed seeds or pathogens die.

While you could drape an actual blanket over the pile to trap heat, a layer of straw is just as effective. This is especially important in winter when the pile tends to cool. An old carpet, bubble wrap, or other items can also be used.

The key is to keep the pile warm so the organisms stay active and useful. Covering the compost situation can raise the temperature up to 30 degrees.

There are also hi-tech solutions like insulated compost bins and regulating technology to keep the perfect temperature, ratio, and moisture.

8. Use A Compost Accelerator

If all else fails, try a compost activator or accelerator. These compost starters can easily be found in garden centers or online.

They stimulate bacterial growth and increase the temperature in the middle of your pile. High nitrogen formulas can be useful in carbon-heavy piles, such as wooden brush, branches, or stumps, and will enhance decomposition by helping to balance the ratio of the pile.

Biochar – organic material carbonized under high temperatures – can also be added to compost to speed up development by about 20 percent. It can also help to rejuvenate spent compost.

Urban composting enriches the soil and supports healthy plant growth, even in the middle of a big city. Composting is the managed decomposition of organic waste into nutrient-rich material used for soil amendment. We think of a compost pile being relatively easy to manage with a lot of garden space or out in the country, but what if you’re a city gardener? Composting in urban areas can be done on a smaller scale.

Benefits of Urban Composting

Composting in the city has many benefits, as it does in any area. If you produce waste and grow plants, there are several reasons to compost:

• Give your waste new life instead of sending it to a landfill or incinerator. Compost is made from kitchen and yard waste.
• Good compost supports healthy plant growth by providing needed nutrients and refreshing spent soil or amending poor soil.
• In addition to adding nutrients to the soil, compost lightens compacted soils to improve aeration and root growth.
• By using compost to soil, you reduce the need to use chemical fertilizers. You’ll also save water, as compost improves water retention.

How to Compost in Urban Areas for Beginners

Composting isn’t difficult, but it also isn’t as easy as simply piling up all your food scraps. Composting in a big backyard in the country is different from composting in the city. Urban composting presents some unique challenges, but it can still be done. Here’s what you need to know to get started with urban composting.

What You Will Need

All you really need to get started is a container and waste material. The most important consideration is the container. Living in the city, you need an appropriately sized container that fits but still produces usable amounts of compost. You also need a container with a good lid that will contain odors and prevent pests, like rodents, from getting inside.

Where to Put Your Compost Container

With at least a small outdoor space, you have the option to use a medium or large compost bin outdoors. Ideally, place it away from the house. If it needs to be nearby, you can always try porch or balcony composting.

Another option is making compost indoors. Urban worm composting might sound creepy- crawly, but it’s actually ideal for indoors. All it takes is a large, sealable plastic storage bin with holes drilled in the top and some earthworms. They’ll quickly turn your organic waste into rich compost with no mess.

What You Can (and Can’t) Compost

Once you have a container and a location, it’s time to add the waste. You need a mix of green (nitrogen-rich) and brown (carbon-rich) waste. An ideal mix of browns and greens has a ratio of one part green to two or three parts brown.

Green waste includes most of your kitchen scraps, like vegetables, fruits, clean eggshells, coffee grounds, and tea. It also includes grass clippings and weeds. For brown material, add dry yard waste material, like leaves, twigs, pine needles, or dried grass and vegetative clippings. Other brown waste is sawdust, paper, brown cardboard, and natural fabrics.

Here are examples of what not to put in your compost pile:

• Fish, meat, oil, grease, or bones
• Dairy and eggs
• Weeds that have set seed
• Diseased plants
• Coated paper or cardboard

Urban Compost Maintenance

First, leave your compost pile alone for a week or two. This allows microorganisms in the center to do their work and increase the temperature of the compost. Then, turn the pile with a pitchfork or spade. The goal is to bring the inside material to the outside of the pile. Leave the pile alone to reheat, and then turn again. You should be turning it every week or two.

Composting in an urban setting is doable, but many municipalities now offer city-wide composting services. If you’re not ready to start your own compost pile, check with your city to find out if collects organic waste to make and distribute compost.

By now most of us know the benefits of composting our yard detritus, but what about composting food waste? In the year 2015 it was estimated about 95% of food waste was dumped into a landfill, which isn’t ideal. Why is food waste a problem? Well it’s literally a waste when composting can turn food scraps into nutrient rich soil, but there are other benefits to compost vs. landfill not as widely known. Read on to learn why you should be composting your food waste.

Food Waste Facts

An overwhelming majority of Americans do not compost their food scraps. Instead, we dump them in the garbage contributing to the amount added to landfills. Landfills, by the way, are finite. They do fill up and when that happens they close. Just as landfills are finite, so is the space on the planet for more landfills.

The other big issue with dumping food scraps into a landfill is that they increase the amount of methane gas produced by the pile. When food is dumped in a landfill it begins to decompose under tons of other garbage without the benefit of oxygen which, in turn, releases methane. Why is methane a big deal?

Food Waste and Climate Change

Methane is a greenhouse gas that is 28 to 34 times more potent than carbon dioxide. It is responsible for 25% of today’s global warming; the long term warming of earth’s temperature due to the actions of humans.

More than 72% of material entering a landfill can be composted. Composting food waste not only frees up landfill space and slows methane production but reduces water pollution and benefits the environment as a whole.

Food waste dumped in the landfill creates a pungent odor made up of ammonia and leachate. Leachate is the liquid produced when water filters through waste, in this case food waste. It is highly toxic, as it leaches chemicals and other constituents and flushes them into groundwater, soil, and waterways.

Compost vs. Landfill Benefits

Some of the benefits of composting food scraps vs. dumping them in the garbage have already been mentioned but there are many more. Composting food waste protects groundwater and minimizes odors in agricultural regions. Food waste combined with bulking agents also speeds up decomposition and reduces the production of methane and leachate.

Composting food waste binds heavy metals to prevent them from spilling into water sources or being absorbed by plants or humans.

Composting also has huge advantages with relation to the agricultural industry. Compost adds organic matter to poor soils and stabilizes the pH level, retards some plant diseases and weeds, increases the yield and overall vigor of crops, increases water retention in the soil thus reducing irrigation needs, and restores soil that has been denuded of microorganisms and worm populations due to chemical controls.

Purchasing compost is expensive, so the production of the it gives an opportunity for extra income. Not only can a grower add to their income by producing quality compost, but the use of organic compost elicits a higher price for the resulting organic produce.

Whether you compost on your property or contribute to a municipal compost, be assured that you are doing your part on a number of levels to combat global warming in a sustainable manner.

Most gardeners compost in some manner, using the resulting mixture as a rich soil amendment. This is often done in a bin system, turned pile, or tumbler. You may wonder, "Can I compost directly in my garden?" In situ composting is possible and reduces the need to turn the compost. There are several ways to compost in place, removing the need to move the material and maintain it.

Trenching, layering, and cold composting are all reliable ways to break down organic matter. There is no need to move yard waste to a different location in the landscape with any of these. The material simply stays where it is and decomposes naturally. These methods are slower than a maintained "hot" compost system, but the job will still get done. Depending on the method, the material may be ready in a year, but the ease and lack of maintenance may be worth selecting one of these ways to compost.

Composting in Garden Trenches

Trenching is as simple as digging a good sized hole. With this type of composting, you can bury vegetative materials, but also meat and grains. The latter two items are normally discouraged in compost because they attract scavengers. If the material is buried under at least 12 inches (31 cm.) of soil, animals like rats cannot access it.

Trenching is a great method for any time of the year. The natural microbes and other organisms in soil will make quick work of the debris. When done as an underground side dress around vegetable crops, it will enhance the nutrient value of the soil and help retain moisture. It is important not to add too much waste to the trench, and make the trench wide enough and long enough to accept the material. A layer of 6 inches (15 cm.) of waste is the proper amount. Any more and the material will take too long to break down and unwanted pathogens could form.

In Situ Composting

This is really what it sounds like, leaving the organic material in place. It may just be left there, but a more effective method is to add organic matter like leaf mulch, wood chips, twigs, and other woody material onto the top. In Hugelkultur, the area is first lined with logs and small woody matter. Then the organic material is laid over these and finally topped with straw or grass clippings. If the pile is to be planted immediately, mix in some manure to help the composting process and top with a good soil mixture. If the site is not to be used for planting immediately, cover it with black plastic to enhance heat, retain moisture, and speed up the breakdown process.

How to Bury Compost in Garden Layers

Sheet or lasagna gardening is a very effective method of breaking down organic waste. The site starts with layers of wet newspaper or cardboard. Make sure to not use the glossy type of ad paper and remove tape from cardboard. Next, layer in green materials like kitchen scraps, grass clippings, or manure. On top of these a carbon layer is added. This could be dried leaves, straw, or paper shreds. Then add another green layer and another brown layer. The bed can be layered several times but must end with a carbon or brown layer.

If the lasagna garden is completed in fall, it will be ready for planting in spring. This is a suitable method for any time of the year and a great way to compost items like sod.

If you plan to nourish a lawn, golf course, or field with compost, there are several different compost spreaders to make the job easier. Whether you have a large farm or plan to use a manual compost spreader in your own backyard, choose the right tool for the size of your job. 

How To Use Different Types of Compost Spreaders

Compost spreaders come in varying sizes as well as manual and motorized. You also can buy a tow-behind compost spreader if you own a garden tractor or ATV. Large volume spreaders are ideal for field use, while smaller spreaders benefit orchards, vineyards and small-scale vegetable farming. 

Before you go out and purchase equipment, make sure it is the best equipment for the job, and it fits within your budget. Here are several equipment options for spreading compost:

• Push/Pull and Self-Propelled models are designed for small farms and gardens. A towing vehicle is not needed. A compost roller spreader can be manually pushed or pulled by the long handle. Mesh openings are 1 inch by ½ inch (2.5 by 1.27 cm.) in a 24-inch-wide (61 cm.) drum. Walk-behind motorized spreaders generally range from 22 inch to 30 inch (56 to 76 cm.) spreading width. 
• Ground Drive spreaders are heavy duty and require a lawn tractor, ATV, or gator utility vehicle to pull them. They can quickly spread 13 to 80 cubic feet (368 to 2265 L) of material. Larger-capacity models need a gator to pull them. 
• Rear Discharge spreaders with vertical or horizontal beaters can quickly discharge up to several hundred cubic feet of material. 
• Side Discharge models are ideal for adding compost to row crops, orchards, and berries. Some models fit narrow rows. 

Tips for Spreading Compost

• Before topdressing with compost, be sure to get a soil sample to know exactly what the field or lawn needs. 
• Calibrate the spreader before applying compost. 
• If seeding a new lawn, the compost can be incorporated into the soil. Till in a 1-to-2-inch (2.5 to 5 cm.) layer. 
• Apply compost to established lawns in the spring or fall when the lawn is actively growing, but conditions are cool and moist. Do not apply more than once per year. 
• For established lawns, aerate the lawn first with a hollow-tine aerator. Then broadcast a ¼ to ½ inch (0.6 to 1 cm.) layer of compost with a lawn compost spreader.
• For small areas, broadcast compost by hand and work it in with a rake.

Compost is a great garden soil amendment and an effective way to avoid wasting food and other plant material. If you’re new to composting and have yet to pull any out of the bin, here’s everything you need to know about harvesting compost. 

How Long Does Compost Take? 

This depends on the size of the scraps you put in and the purpose of the compost. Larger scraps naturally take more time to break down. For a top dressing or to mulch a bed, you don’t need uniform compost. For a container or raised bed, it should be uniform and thoroughly composted. 

With these varying factors in mind, it can take between a month and a year before your compost pile is ready for harvesting. 

What Does Finished Compost Look Like? 

The best way to determine when your compost is ready is by observing it and looking for visual and other clues: 

• Fully prepared compost is dark and crumbly.
• It smells earthy.
• The pile has reduced in size by about half.
• It’s no longer generating warmth.
• You can no longer see recognizable pieces of food and plant scraps. 

How to Empty a Compost Tumbler

Knowing how to empty a compost bin or tumbler is necessary for getting the best material and for your safety. Microorganisms in rotting food can be harmful to your health, so wear a mask when harvesting and wash your hands before doing anything else. 

No matter which style of compost container you have, the good stuff is at the bottom. A tumbler is designed to create a complete batch of compost. The catch is that you have to stop adding new material for a few weeks or a month. You can then harvest all the contents of the tumbler and start over. 

If you have a standard bin, you’ll need to remove the top layer, take out the bottom material, and put the rest back. The same is true for an open compost pile. 

To make harvesting easier, consider getting a specially-designed compost bin with bottom-opening panels. You can open at the bottom, pull out the finished compost and keep adding fresh materials to the top. 

Harvesting Worm Compost

Vermicompost is compost made with the assistance of earthworms. Keep them in a warm, moist, and dark bin with bedding, a little soil, and kitchen scraps and you’ll have rich compost in no time. 

Worm compost is ready within two to three months. To harvest it, you need to separate it from the worms. Push everything to one side of the bin and put fresh bedding and scraps on the other side. The worms will move to it to feed and leave a pile of worm-free compost.

Fall is the best time to harvest and spread compost just in case it isn’t fully ready yet. This gives it time to mature before spring planting. However, you can harvest, and use, finished compost any time.

Soil health is one of the most important factors for our plants. Over time, soil may compact, lose nutrients, or even change pH. These differences can be altered by amending soil with compost. Knowing when to put compost in garden beds may take a little investigating. Learn how to add compost to garden soil to improve plant health, drainage, and water retention. 

Adding compost to existing plants will slowly feed them as the compost continues to break down. It also prevents some weeds, keeps soil moist, helps regulate the temperature of the dirt, and has many more benefits. How to amend soil around existing plants with compost depends upon the age of the plant, the use for the compost, and even the time of year. 

When to Put Compost in Garden Beds

There are several reasons to add compost to your soil. Compost increases the tilth or structure of the soil. It helps increase percolation while simultaneously capturing moisture. Adding compost to garden soil increases the micro-biome of the soil. The enhanced bacteria and tiny critters break down the compost making it even more readily available to plant roots. Good compost can also minimize some pests and diseases. 

If the goal is improving soil structure, mix compost in the soil in fall. For blooming plants, apply as a mulch, or mix into the soil prior to planting. In the vegetable garden, add compost to soil in spring, or mix into the soil in fall. Lawns can benefit too. In spring, aerate the lawn and spread a thin layer over the grass blades. 

How to Add Compost to Existing Plants

In ground plants like perennials may not need extra compost annually. Giving established plants too much fertilizer can cause them to get leggy and floppy. But plants such as annuals and vegetables can greatly appreciate the addition. When adding compost for such plants, mix it into the soil prior to planting. Ensure the compost is well rotted to prevent hot soil. Over time, the compost will further degrade slowly, releasing nutrients to plant roots. Alternately, compost may be applied as a side dressing, especially in vegetable plots. 

What and How Much

You may decide to purchase compost or make your own. Compost is well rotted organic material and may include kitchen scraps, grass clippings, leaf litter, or manure. Make sure the compost is well rotted and not too hot, or it may burn plant leaves and roots. 

The amount depends upon the situation. In heavily cropped sites, more compost needs to be added to return soil health. As a rule, mix in 1-3 inches ( 2.54- 7.62 cm.) to vegetable garden soil prior to planting. Around trees and shrubs the same amount may be used as a top dressing. Around flowers, layer the compost around plant stems. In all cases of top dressing, keep the compost from touching stems and trunks to prevent rot issues.

Is it possible to make compost in a bucket? Perhaps you've heard the minimum size for a backyard compost pile is a square yard (.8 sq. m.) and you've held off making this organic soil amendment due to space limitations. While this is true, there are two methods for decomposing kitchen scraps in a space as small as a five gallon bucket. 

How to Make a Compost Bucket

The first method uses vermiculture, which is commonly referred to as worm farming. This term can be a bit misleading as it implies the purpose of vermiculture is to produce more worms. While that does happen, the main benefit of worm farming is to make vermicompost.

Vermicompost is worm castings or the bodily waste which worms produce when they consume kitchen scraps. A balance of brown and green components is needed to make vermicompost. Red wrigglers (Eisenia fetida) are the worms of choice for composting in a bucket and they are readily available from online retailers.

Gardeners can easily make their own vermiculture bucket composter with two 5 gallon buckets, a tight-fitting lid, and a drill. Start by drilling 10 to 15 holes in the bottom of one of the buckets. This facilitates drainage and keeps the composting materials from becoming too soggy.

Next, drill an additional 15 to 20 holes in the side of the same bucket in which you drilled the bottom holes. Then, drill 10 to 15 holes in the lid. Nest the drilled bucket inside the undrilled bucket to catch the drainage. This liquid can be poured out every few days and used to fertilize plants in the garden.

If desired, a piece of mesh fabric, window screen, or a coir disk can be placed in the bottom of the drilled bucket to prevent the drainage holes from clogging. Bedding materials (brown components) are placed on top of this screen and then layered with kitchen scraps. It's best to avoid garlic and onions as these have anti-bacterial properties. 

Finally, add the worms and replace the lid. Gently turn or agitate the bucket every few days to add oxygen. You may wish to start a second system as it can take several months to make garden-ready compost. 

Anaerobic 5-Gallon Bucket Compost

The second method is Bokashi composting. Developed in Japan by Dr. Teuro Higa, this method uses anaerobic decomposition to ferment kitchen scraps in a sealed bucket. This is the fastest method of composting, but it does produce a yeast or vinegar type odor.

In addition to vegetable and fruit scraps, this method can be used to decompose meat, bones, and dairy products. Maintaining a balanced carbon-nitrogen (greens and browns) ratio is not necessary, but specific microbes are needed for Bokashi composting. These are available on the internet.

Bokashi bucket composting requires an airtight system, so holes are only drilled in the bottom of the bucket. The drilled bucket is nested inside the undrilled bucket and the lid must fit tightly. A plate or circle of plastic can be placed on top of the organic material to prevent oxygen from permeating the fermentation zone.

A scoop of microbes are sprinkled on the mix each time kitchen scraps are added. Once the bucket is full, it should not be disturbed as this introduces oxygen. It takes about a week to complete the fermentation process. The fermented organic matter is then mixed with soil to finish the composting process. 

Let's say you want the benefits of adding homemade compost to your garden beds, but you're not too keen on an unsightly compost pile dominating your backyard. The same goes for compost tumblers. It's just too difficult to camouflage a plastic barrel in the garden setting. Making compost in the ground is an alternative method.

What is Subterranean Composting?

Like it sounds, subterranean composting is a method of decomposing organic materials by burying them in the ground. Not only do these methods allow gardeners to keep their compost out of sight, but there are additional advantages to composting in the ground:

• Less work – No need to make compost in one place, then transport it to where you'll need it. With an in-ground compost system, the decomposed organic materials are right where you want them.
• Nitrogen retention – Composting in the ground is a slower process which helps retain nitrogen levels. Additionally, above ground piles can lose nitrogen in run-off from heavy rains.
• Wider variety of materials – With subterranean composting, meat and other food scraps which attract rodents or pet waste can be safely broken down underground. It's not advisable to plant food crops over these areas, but ornamentals will benefit from this type of soil amendment.

How to Compost in the Ground

Compost can be made underground in either a trench or a hole. Either way, this compost pit should be 18 to 24 inches (46 to 61 cm.) deep to prevent animals from finding the kitchen scraps. It's not necessary to move the soil that is dug from the pit as it will be used to cover up the organic material. 

Next, fill the bottom 6 inches (15 cm.) of the trench with organic materials. The materials will decompose faster if they are moist, so don't be afraid to soak them with the hose before backfilling the pit. 

Finally, use the soil that was removed from the pit to completely cover the materials. To prevent rodents from unearthing kitchen scraps, be sure there are at least 18 inches (46 cm.) of soil covering the materials.

Amending Soil with Compost

In-ground composting is an excellent method for improving vegetable garden soil. Compost pits started in late fall are usually ready for spring planting. Be sure to mark where the organic material was buried. Then, plant heavy feeders, like tomatoes or corn, over the top of the buried compost.

If desired, garden compost trenches can be planted with a cover crop after backfilling in the fall. A cover crop can prevent soil erosion and weeds. The area is then turned under before planting food crops the next spring.

Subterranean composting can also be used to provide additional nutrients to fruit trees. Try composting in a hole in the ground by digging a series of pits in a circle just outside the drip edge of fruit trees. These can be filled with organic materials any time of year, and can be done one at a time as kitchen scraps are generated.

If you don’t have space (or the desire) to manage a regular compost bin or pile, you can still reap the benefits of rich, earthy compost, even if it’s just for indoor plants or containers on your deck or balcony. 

Although you can find reusable composting sacks made from sturdy material, you can save a few bucks by making a bag of compost in a sturdy garbage bag. Read on for a basic compost bag DIY.

Compost Bag DIY: Can I Make Compost In A Bag?

Compost made using a couple of large, sturdy, black plastic garbage bags is great for a small amount of material. But keep in mind, making compost in a bag probably isn’t the best idea if you’re planning on making a lot of compost.

To make a bag of compost, layer one part “brown” material, one part “green” material, and one part soil in the bag, along with a little finished compost to get things started. Add enough water to moisten the mixture. 

Tie the top of the garbage bag securely, then put it in the second garbage bag, and tie it. (Double-bagging will help to prevent the bag from splitting). Put the compost garbage bag in a sunny spot and give it a good shake every couple of weeks. 

Open the bag after a couple of months. If the compost is crumbly and dark with a fresh, earthy odor, it’s ready to use. If it isn’t finished, leave it a few more weeks. Compost can take up to a year, depending on the weather. If your compost isn’t finished by winter, put the bag in a frost-free shed or garage.

Compost Bag Materials For Your Compost In A Bag

What materials should go into your compost garbage bag? Here are a few suggestions:

Browns: You can compost dry leaves, sawdust, dryer lint, coffee filters, or paper. You can also use twigs, bark, pine needles, or straw, but be careful about materials that may poke a hole in the compost garbage bag.

Greens: Materials such as tea bags, coffee grounds, eggshells, trimmings from houseplants, and fruit or vegetable scraps are all great for compost in a bag. 

Soil: Weed-free garden soil, preferably rich in organic material, will help the material break down faster. A scoop of finished compost will jump-start the composting process. 

Don’t compost: Never compost cat or dog waste, meat, grease, fat, oil, diseased plant debris, weeds, or sawdust from pressure-treated wood. 

A Note About Biodegradable Compost Bags

Be careful about biodegradable compost bags, which are intended for temporary use. Because they’re biodegradable -- made of materials like starches, vegetable oils, plant fibers, or biodegradable polymers -- they won’t hold up long enough to make finished compost.

This doesn’t mean, however, that biodegradable bags don’t have a purpose. The bags are great for lining a countertop compost bin or under-the-sink compost pail. Toss the bags in your regular outdoor compost pile or bin every few days, where they will decompose along with the contents of the bag. 

Compost experts have a lot of rules for the process. They warn that failing to do each step properly will result in a smelly, moldy pile of waste. This is not necessarily true. If you lack a compost heap, tumbler, or 3 bin system, don't despair. You can use cold composting for an easy solution. This type of add as you go compost pile won't break down as quickly as a hot compost heap, but you can still reap the rewards in time. 

What is Passive Composting? 

What is passive composting? It is add as you go composting, and the process is as it sounds. A passive compost pile will break down slower in cooler temperatures but the little bacteria and microbes will still do their work. The result takes longer than traditional methods but is a good way to reuse yard and kitchen scraps in the winter or cooler seasons. 

A passive compost pile allows you to use up yard and kitchen scraps as they occur. Because you are continuously adding to the pile, the composting material doesn't heat up like a traditional system. An add as you go compost pile still needs the right proportion of greens and browns ( nitrogen and carbon) to work but it doesn't require you to layer evenly. Just make sure you have plenty of browns to offset the wet greens and keep the pile from being too moist. As with any compost pile, avoid animal fats, waste, and bones. The process can take 3 to 6 months, which is quite a bit longer than a hot compost system. 

How to Make an Add As You Go Compost Pile

Cold composting is beautiful in its simplicity. The passive compost pile can be in the form of trenches in the garden, tumblers, bins, or just heaps on the ground. The unit you use will dictate if you are adding kitchen scraps. Open systems will attract rodents and birds, so it might be best to stick with garden waste. Because they don't heat up much, avoid weed seeds which will not compost adequately. Build the pile as material is available, taking care to balance the nitrogen and carbon properly. 

Maintaining Add As You Go Composting

There are few hard and fast rules on keeping up a cold compost system. In order to speed things up and avoid dry and wet spots, turn the compost frequently. As with any compost pile, keep it moderately moist but not soggy. The items that are added will decompose more quickly if chopped small. However, if there are whole items, such as an apple, don't fret. It will compost but will take longer than apple pieces. Keep a layer of brown material on the top of the pile to prevent flies from laying eggs. That's all there is to it. This is an easy and convenient way to get rid of yard and kitchen waste.

More than a quarter of municipal solid waste is composed of kitchen scraps. Composting this material not only lessens the amount of waste dumped into our landfills each year, but kitchen scraps are also a potential source of greenhouse gases. What if you live in an apartment or high-rise building though? Can you compost on a balcony? The answer is yes and here's how.

Composting on Balconies

The same principles of composting apply whether you have acres of land or a concrete balcony. Kitchen scraps are considered the green component of compost and are layered with browns. Suitable greens for a balcony compost bin include vegetable peels, discarded produce, eggshells, and coffee grounds.

Landowners usually have access to leaves, pine needles, and shredded wood which typically make up the brown layers. These materials may be in short supply for balcony composting projects. More readily available materials, like shredded paper and dryer lint, can be used for the brown component.

Balcony composting also requires a bit more attention during freezing temperatures. Normally, a backyard compost pile, measuring a minimum of 3 feet by 3 feet (1 m. x 1 m.), will generate sufficient heat during the winter to prevent the contents from freezing. This keeps the compost pile actively working throughout the cold season.

The average balcony compost bin isn't large enough to generate its own heat, so steps need to be taken if year-round composting is desired. Moving the bin into a garage or exterior utility room may provide sufficient protection from winter temperatures. If that's not an option, try wrapping the bin in bubble wrap. Relocating it near a southern-facing brick wall or a heat source such as a dryer vent or furnace exhaust pipe may also help.

How to Make a Balcony Compost Bin

Begin your balcony composting project by either purchasing a ready-made bin or making your own balcony compost bin from an old plastic trash can or tote with a lid:

• To make your own bin, drill or cut multiple small holes in the bottom and sides of the container. The holes in the bottom allow excess moisture to drain. The side holes provide the necessary oxygen for the composting process.
• Next, elevate the bin using several bricks or wood blocks. A slimy consistency or a rotten egg smell indicates the compost is too moist and more drainage holes are needed.
• To protect the balcony from stains, use a drip tray to collect the moisture which drips out of the bin. A boot tray, old saucer-style sled, or water heater drip pan are a few items which can be repurposed.

When your compost bin is set up and ready to use, begin by layering your greens and browns. Each time you add more material, tightly secure the container lid to keep out rain, birds, and other critters. Periodically stirring or turning the compost will increase oxygenation and ensure the material composts evenly.

Once the material in the bin has transitioned to a dark, crumbly texture with no trace of the original organic materials, it's completed the composting process. Successfully composted material will have an earthy, pleasant smell. Simply remove your balcony compost and store it for the next time you want to re-pot a flower or grow hanging lettuce.

More and more people are composting, but if you’re one of those, the time it takes for waste products to turn into gorgeous, usable compost may seem like an eternity. That’s where drunken composting comes into play. What is drunken composting? Yes, it has to do with beer – composting with beer, soda and ammonia to be exact. Read on to learn how to make your own drunken compost accelerator.

What is Drunken Composting?

Getting a compost pile hot and combining it with the correct ingredients can be a time-consuming task. Using a homemade compost accelerator speeds up the process, but does fast composting work? Drunken compost has nothing to do with becoming intoxicated but refers to accelerating the decaying process by introducing beer, soda (or sugar) and ammonia.

Fast composting with beer, soda and ammonia actually does work. Compost will be ready in a scant few weeks as opposed to months.

How to Make Drunken Compost

Start with a clean bucket. In the bucket, pour one tall can of any variety of beer. Add to that 8 ounces (250 ml.) of ammonia and either 12 ounces (355 ml.) of regular soda (not diet) or 3 tablespoons of sugar (38 grams) that has been combined with 12 ounces (355 ml.) of water.

Pour the contents into a sprayer attached to a hose and then spray onto the compost pile, or add 2 gallons (8 liters) of warm water to the homemade compost accelerator and then pour onto the pile. Mix the compost accelerator into the pile with a garden fork or shovel.

Provided that you begin with a good ratio of 1:3 of greens to browns (nitrogen to carbon), adding a homemade compost accelerator will render the compost usable in about 12-14 days.

If you are composting hot or high nitrogen matter, such as chicken manure, the pile will take a bit longer to break down due to the rich nitrogen content, but it will still speed up the process. Also, if you are composting chicken manure, skip the ammonia in the ingredients for your homemade compost accelerator.

Compost heaps tend to be situated out of the way in the landscape. As a result, they often get forgotten and neglected, leading to dry, moldy and just plain old material. Can you revitalize old compost? Much like a yeast dough, compost is alive with organisms, and old compost has lost much of that life. However, you can add certain components to help "juice" it back up for use in the garden.

Can Compost Get Old?

Composting is easy, but it does require a certain adherence to a 60/40 formula of green and brown material. Neglected compost can fail to break down, lose nutrients and even get moldy. Reviving old compost takes a bit of effort but can result in fairly good material for use in the garden.

As the cold days of winter come to a close, you may wonder, "is my compost dead." Compost can certainly get old. You can recognize old compost by its appearance. It will be dry, grayish and devoid of organisms that you can see, like earthworms and pillbugs.

Can You Revitalize Old Compost?

There are ways of reviving old compost, but it may still not be rich enough for seed starting or propagation due to the possible presence of insect pests or pathogens. But with careful management, it can still be an excellent additive to garden beds. Even if the compost has become inert, it is still an organic entity that will help aerate and add texture to heavy soils.

If your compost has been sitting without attention for several months, it can still be brought back to life. Here are a few tips on revitalizing compost and capturing that vital resource for your plants:

Mix in nitrogen sources, such as grass clippings, to jump start the cycle along with a slightly smaller amount of carbon rich organics, like dried leaf litter. Turn the pile 2 to 3 times per week and keep it moderately moist but not soggy.

In a very short time, you should start seeing the visible organisms that help break down the material. In a sunny location, such a "recharged" pile will again be teeming with life and materials will be breaking down. For even faster composting, dig in your garden and harvest worms. Adding plenty of worms to the pile will cause the materials to break down even faster.

Using "Dead" Compost

If you don't want to go to a lot of trouble and still want to use neglected compost, you can still do so provided it isn't moldy. If it is moldy, spread it out in the sun for a week to kill mold spores and let it dry.

Compost that is not moldy can be energized by the addition of some fertilizer. Use a time release formula and mix in gritty material if it is heavy and clumpy. You may have to manually break down any larger chunks.

Alternatively, if you have the space, dig trenches in the garden soil and bury the compost. Over time, earthworms and other organisms in soil will break down the spent compost. It may not add a lot of nutrients, but it will certainly help with soil composition and make itself useful in that manner.

It is common knowledge that using compost in gardens is good for plants. However, the quantity to use is another matter. How much compost is enough? Can you have too much compost in your garden? The appropriate amount of compost for plants depends on a number of factors. Read on for tips on how to determine an appropriate amount for your garden.

Using Compost in Gardens

If you want to build healthy soil to develop permanent fertility in the garden, using compost is a good idea. Mixing in compost improves the soil structure, which allows the soil to hold more moisture. It also adds nutrients to the soil. Unlike fertilizer, compost improves the soil nutrients at a slow, steady pace. It fosters microbial activity in the soil as well, which improves nutrient uptake.

How Much Compost Do I Need?

While compost is good for your garden soil, you’ll want to use it in moderation. As a general rule, adding 1 to 3 inches (2.5-8 cm.) of compost to vegetable gardens or flower beds is sufficient. This should be blended into the underlying soil. That isn’t always the case though.

You may ask yourself, “How much compost is enough?” The proper amount of compost for plants in your backyard depends on several factors such as what you want the compost to accomplish.

If you are adding compost to improve the level of nutrients in the soil, you should get a soil test to determine which nutrients, if any, it needs. You might also run a nutrient check of the compost since different types of composted detritus will contain different levels of nitrogen and other nutrients. For example, lawn clippings will have less nitrogen than fruit peels and eggshells.

Can You Have Too Much Compost?

If you are considering adding compost to your soil in order to improve the soil structure, first touch your current soil to help you determine its texture. If it is very sandy, adding compost is great. Compost will improve the texture and helps sandy soil retain moisture and build up the nutrient supply.

Can you have too much compost if the present soil is clay? Yes, you can. Clay soils usually have poor drainage and are poorly drained. Using compost in gardens with this soil type makes the drainage issue worse for the same reason it helps soils stay moist.

Compost is an important ingredient/additive to our garden soil; in fact, it’s likely the most important amendment we can use. Compost adds organic matter and improves soil texture. Aiding soil quality and improving drainage is reason enough to add compost to our garden beds.

But what if you don’t have a yard and barely have the space for a few garden containers? Compost is just as important when growing a garden in those containers too. The solution: explore the different ways to practice small space composting.

Compact Compost Solutions

There are different containers we can use indoors to collect and mix composting materials. Small compost bins can fit under your sink, in a corner of the pantry, or under a cabinet, wherever you might have the space.

• Five-gallon buckets
• Wooden boxes
• Worm bins
• Rubbermaid containers
• Tumbler composter

All these need lids if there is not one attached or included. Vegetable peelings and some kitchen scraps are perfect for composting. These make up the green (nitrogen) part of the compost. Don’t add dairy or meat into any compost. Composting materials should not smell bad or attract bugs in any case, but most especially if you compost indoors.

The addition of yard waste, like grass clippings and leaves, makes up the brown portion of your compost. Shredded newspaper and shredded regular paper can go in the mix, but don’t use glossy paper, such as magazine covers, as it won’t break down as quickly.

Containers that don’t have solid sides and bottoms may be lined with a plastic bag. Turn the compost regularly, as often as possible. The more times it is turned, the more quickly it will become brown, earthy dirt. Turning the brown and green mixture leads to anaerobic decomposition that creates compost.

Tumbler composters are great options for composting with limited room in the landscape. These will spin and build up a heat core more quickly, thus giving you usable compost much faster. Although compact, tumblers need more room than most other options but they’re still a good choice if you have space on a deck or in a garage, and have a use for larger amounts of compost.

If you live in an apartment or condo and your town doesn't offer a yard composting program, what can you do to reduce kitchen waste? Composting in an apartment or other small space comes with some challenges, but it can be done. Taking some simple steps can greatly reduce your waste profile and help the health of our planet.

Making Compost in a Small Space

Apartment and condo dwellers may want to try composting indoors but worry about the smell. There are actually new methods that do not create an odor and result in wonderful houseplant soil. Urban composting is often supported by municipal waste collection or private companies, but you can set up your own system at home and create a little black gold for your own use as well.

In areas without compost services, you can still turn your kitchen scraps into compost. One of the simplest methods is to make a worm bin. This is just a plastic container with drainage and air holes punched into the top and bottom. Then place a generous layer of shredded newspaper, red wiggler worms, and kitchen scraps. Overtime, the worms release castings which are nutritious plant food.

You can also buy vermicomposting systems. If you don't want to mess with worms, try composting indoors with bokashi. This is a method where you can compost any organic item, even meat and bones. Just throw all your food garbage into a bin and add a microbe rich activator. This ferments the food and will break it down in about a month.

Can You Compost on a Balcony?

Urban composting just needs a small space. You need a container, kitchen scraps, and a water mister to keep things lightly moist. Set the container outside and add your organic waste. A compost starter is helpful but not necessary, as is some garden dirt that has the basic aerobic life needed to start the break down process.

Most important is to turn the budding new compost and keep it lightly moist. Using a two bin or container system will allow you to have one finished product while the other container is in operation.

Other Ways of Composting in an Apartment

If you want to make compost in a small space, you might try an electric composter. All you need is a little counter space and these new gadgets will turn your food waste into dark, rich soil. They may also be sold as food recyclers or electric compost bins. They can break down food in just five hours by drying and heating, then grinding the food and finally cooling it for use.

All associated odors are caught in carbon filters. If you can't afford this method and don't have time for the others, consider taking your kitchen scraps to a community garden or find someone with chickens. That way some use will come out of your garbage, and you can still be an environmental hero.

If you are a passionate gardener, you may have had your soil pH levels checked, but have you ever thought about checking the compost pH range? There are a couple of reasons to check the pH of compost.

When learning how to compost, there are numerous issues that can prevent the compost from being in optimum condition – pH levels are one of those factors. First off, testing compost will let you know what the current pH is and if you need to tweak the pile; that is what to do if the compost pH is too high or how to lower the compost pH. Read on to learn how to test compost pH and amend if necessary.

Compost pH Range

When compost is done and ready for use, it has a pH of between 6 and 8. As it decays, the compost pH changes, meaning that at any point in the process the range will vary. The majority of plants thrive in a neutral pH of around 7, but some like it more acidic or alkaline.

This is where checking the compost pH comes in handy. You have the opportunity to fine tune the compost and make it more alkaline or acidic.

How to Test Compost pH

During composting, you may have noticed that the temperature varies. Just as temps fluctuate, the pH will waver and not just at certain times, but in different areas of the compost pile. This means that when you take a pH of compost you should take it from several different areas of the pile.

The pH of compost can be measured with a soil test kit following the manufacturer’s instructions or, if your compost is moist but not muddy, you can simply use a pH indicator strip. You can also use an electronic soil meter to read the compost pH range.

How to Lower Compost pH

The compost pH will tell you how alkaline or acidic it is, but what if you want it to be more of one or the other to amend soil? Here’s the thing with compost: it has the ability to balance pH values. This means that finished compost will naturally raise the pH level in soil that is acidic and lower it in soil that is too alkaline.

That said, sometimes you want to lower the pH of the compost before it is ready for use. The best way to do this is by adding more acidic materials, such as pine needles or oak leaves, to the compost as it breaks down. This type of compost is called ericaceous compost, loosely translated it means suitable for acid loving plants. You may also lower the pH of the compost after it is ready to use. When you add it into the soil, also add an amendment such as aluminum sulfate.

You can create a very acidic compost by promoting anaerobic bacteria. Composting is usually aerobic, which means that the bacteria that breaks down the materials need oxygen; this is why compost is turned. If oxygen is deprived, anaerobic bacteria take over. Trench, bag, or garbage can composting can result in an anaerobic process. Be aware that the end product is highly acidic. Anaerobic compost pH is too high for most plants and should be exposed to air for a month or so to neutralize the pH.

How to Raise Compost pH

Turning or aerating your compost to improve air circulation and foster aerobic bacteria is the best way to reduce acidity. Also, be sure that there is plenty of “brown” material in the compost. Some folks say adding wood ash to compost will aid in neutralizing it. Add several layers of ash every 18 inches (46 cm.).

Lastly, lime can be added to improve the alkalinity, but not until after the compost is finished! If you add it directly to the processing compost, it will release ammonium nitrogen gas. Instead, add lime to the soil after the compost has been added.

In any case, amending the pH of compost is not generally necessary since compost already has the quality of balancing pH values within the soil as needed.

Cleaning out compost bins is a dreaded chore for many, but it’s necessary. Creating compost is a great way to reuse garden and kitchen scraps and to enrich your soil in a natural way. If you have curbside compost bins, you can send your scraps off to be reused. In either case, the bins you use to collect and make compost must be cleaned to avoid odors and keep producing good, rich compost.

Why Keeping Compost Bins Clean is Important

If you have curbside pickup of compost, you have a bin dedicated to stinky, rotting vegetables and other food and garden waste. Unlike garbage bins that usually contain bagged trash, for these bins, you simply throw the food in.

This strategy is simple, but it also makes for a stinking mess, especially during the summer. You’ll need to clean it regularly to prevent pests, like flies, and an unbearable odor. Leave it too long and you’ll need a gas mask to clean it out.

For your garden compost bin, it’s important to clean it regularly so you can keep moving out finished compost and continually provide new material for microbes and insects to get to work making more.

How to Clean a Compost Bin

If you have a small bin indoors that you use to collect kitchen waste, keep it in the freezer to maintain sanitary conditions and reduce odors. Even so, you should wash it regularly, just as you would wash dishes.

For washing a compost bin for curbside pickup, you’ll need to get out the hose and some natural cleaners. Instead of soap, which can damage your local ecosystem, use vinegar, lemon, and baking soda to sanitize and de-stink the bin.

Some preventative measures will help keep your curbside compost bin cleaner longer. You can line it with newspaper and sprinkle that with baking soda to absorb moisture and odors. Also, look for compostable bags to hold scraps. Make sure your waste pickup service accepts the bags first.

If you make your own compost, a full cleaning is not necessary very often. What you need to focus on instead is cleaning out the finished compost. About once a year, you should pull out the surface scraps that aren’t finished yet, remove the complete compost, and put the scraps back in. Use finished compost right away, or store it in a separate container for future use.

Many more people are composting today than a decade ago, either cold composting, worm composting, or hot composting. The benefits to our gardens and to the earth are undeniable, but what if you could double the benefits of composting? What if you could use compost as a heat source?

Can you warm a greenhouse with compost, for instance? Yes, heating a greenhouse with compost is, indeed, a possibility. In fact, the idea of using compost in greenhouses as a heat source has been around since the ‘80s. Read on to learn about compost greenhouse heat. 

About Compost Greenhouse Heat

The New Alchemy Institute (NAI) in Massachusetts had the idea to use compost in greenhouses to generate heat. They began with a 700 square foot (65 sq. m.) prototype in 1983 and carefully recorded their results. Four detailed articles on compost as a heat source in greenhouses were written between 1983 and 1989. The results were varied and heating a greenhouse with compost somewhat problematic at first, but by 1989 many of the glitches were ironed out.

The NAI declared that using compost in greenhouses as a heat source was risky since composting is both an art and science. The amount of carbon dioxide and nitrogen produced was a problem, while the amount of heating provided by compost greenhouse heat insufficient to warrant such an output, not to mention the cost of specialized composting equipment. Also, nitrate levels were too high for safe production of cool season greens.

By 1989, however, the NAI had revamped their system and resolved many of the more challenging issues with using compost as a heat source in greenhouses. The whole idea of utilizing compost greenhouse heat is to channel the heat from the composting process. Raising the soil temperature by ten degrees can increase plant height, but heating a greenhouse can be expensive, so harnessing the heat from composting saves money.

How to Use Compost as a Heat Source in Greenhouses

Fast forward to today and we’ve come a long way. The systems of heating a greenhouse with compost studied by the NAI used sophisticated equipment, such as water pipes, to move heat around large greenhouses. They were studying using compost in greenhouses on a massive scale.

For the home gardener, however, heating a greenhouse with compost can be a relatively simple process. The gardener can use existing compost bins to warm specific areas or implement trench composting, which allows the gardener to stagger row plantings while keeping the heat up through the winter.

You could also build a simple compost bin using two empty barrels, wire, and a wood box:

• Upend two barrels so they are several feet apart inside the greenhouse. The barrel top should be closed. Lay a metal wire bench top across the two barrels so they support it at both ends.
• The space between the barrels is for the compost. Place the wood box between the two barrels and fill it with compost materials – two parts brown to one part green and water.
• Plants go on top of the wire bench. As the compost breaks down, it releases heat. Keep a thermometer atop the bench top to monitor the heat.

That is the basics for using compost as a heat source in a greenhouse. It is a simple concept, albeit temperature swings will occur as the compost breaks down and should be accounted for.

Creating compost out of kitchen and yard waste is a great way to be more environmentally sustainable. But if you’re wondering “where do I put compost,” you may need some guidance on what to do next. This is especially true if you don’t actually garden or have a very big yard. There are many useful things you can do with that kitchen compost.

Compost Uses in the Garden

Compost is called "black gold" for a reason. It adds nutrients and richness to soil to help plants grow better, healthier, more fully, and more productively. Here are a few of the basic methods for applying compost and making use of this natural material:

• Mulch. You can use compost as a layer of mulch around plants in your garden beds. Like any mulch type, it will help hold moisture in the soil and keep the soil warmer. Compost mulch also gives plants extra nutrients. Use a layer a few inches thick and layer it around the base of plants out to about a foot (30 cm.).
• Amend soil. Mix compost into soil in beds before you add plants or seeds. This will lighten up and aerate the soil and add nutrients.
• Fertilize the lawn. Add a layer of an inch or two (2.5 to 5 cm.) of compost to your grass as a natural fertilizer. Rake the compost in, and let it work its way into the soil and down to the roots.
• Compost tea. For a liquid fertilizer you can use as needed, make compost tea. It’s just like it sounds. Simply soak compost in water for a few days. Strain out the solids and you have a liquid that can be sprayed or watered around plants.

How to Use Compost if You Don’t Garden

If you don’t garden, don’t have a lawn, or have only potted plants, you may struggle with what to do with compost. It’s still worthwhile making compost out of kitchen waste. Here’s what you can do with it:

• Make potting soil by mixing compost with basic, bagged soil.
• Amend the soil of your potted plants for better growth.
• Make compost tea to use as a fertilizer for container plants.
• Share compost with neighbors who do garden.
• Share it with community or school gardens.
• Check for curbside compost collection in your neighborhood.
• Some farmers markets collect compost.

Composting is one way many gardeners recycle garden and kitchen waste. Shrub and plant trimmings, grass clippings, and food scraps can all be returned to the soil in the form of compost. However, the process takes time, and there is an art to knowing what finished compost looks like.

While seasoned composters know from experience when their compost is ready for use, if you're just learning how to compost at home, then you may need some direction. Discover how to know when compost is ready with these key signs.

How Long Does Compost Take to Mature?

There are many variables that contribute to the timing of finished compost. It depends upon the particle size of materials in the pile, how often it is turned to supply oxygen, the moisture level and temperature of the pile, and the carbon to nitrogen ratio.

It can take from one month to a year to achieve a mature product, factoring in the above variables, plus the intended usage. For example, using compost as a top dressing takes the least amount of time. Finished compost, or humus, is needed when using compost as a growing medium for plants.

Unfinished compost can be detrimental to plants if it is incorporated into the soil before it reaches the humus stage.

What Does Finished Compost Look Like?

Finished compost looks dark and crumbly and has an earthy smell. The volume of the pile is reduced by about half, and the organic items added to the compost pile are no longer visible. If the hot composting method is used, the pile should not be producing much heat any longer.

Compost Maturity Test

There are scientific methods of testing the compost for maturity, but they can take some time. The quickest method is to use the radish test for compost. Place some compost into two containers and sprinkle them with radish seeds. If 75 percent of the seeds germinate and grow into radishes, your compost is ready to use. Radishes are recommended because they germinate and develop quickly.

More complicated methods of calculating germination rates include a “control” group and can be found on university extension websites. The phytotoxins in unfinished compost can prevent seeds from germinating or kill the sprouts soon thereafter. So, if an acceptable germination rate is attained, the compost is considered safe to use in any application.

Nobody likes slugs, those gross, slimy pests that eat their way through our prized vegetable gardens and wreak havoc in our carefully tended flower beds. It may seem odd, but slugs are actually valuable in certain ways, especially when it comes to composting. In fact, slugs in compost should be welcomed, not shunned. Below, we explore the idea of compost and slugs and provide helpful tips for managing compost slugs.

About Compost and Slugs

Are slugs good for compost? Slugs usually feed on living plant matter, but they also like plant debris and fresh garbage. For slugs, the compost bin is a perfect environment.

What could be good about slugs in compost? Slugs are experts at breaking down organic matter, thus contributing to the process of decomposition. In fact, some gardeners don’t kill slugs at all. Instead, they actually pick the critters off plants and toss them in the compost bin.

Don’t worry too much that slugs in compost may end up in your flower beds. It’s possible that a few may survive, but many will die of old age before the compost leaves the bin. Also, slugs tend to hang out in fresh material that hasn’t yet decomposed.

Similarly, slug eggs usually aren’t a problem because they’re eaten by beetles and other organisms in the bin, or they simply get squished and decompose. If you’re still not happy about the idea of slugs in compost, there are ways of managing compost slugs.

Tips on Managing Compost Slugs

Never use slug bait or pellets in your compost bin. The pellets kill not only slugs but other beneficial organisms that help process waste into compost.

Encourage natural predators that feed on slugs, such as ground beetles, toads, frogs, hedgehogs, and some types of birds (including chickens).

Increase the amount of carbon-rich ingredients in your compost bin, as large numbers of slugs in compost may be a sign that your compost is too soggy. Add shredded newspaper, straw, or dry leaves.

Slugs usually prefer the top of the compost, where they can get at fresh organic material. If you’re able to reach into your compost bin, pick the slugs out at night and drop them into a bucket of soapy water.

Good news for those who hate raking leaves in autumn and carting them to the curb for disposal. Instead of making the long haul from the backyard, you can keep them there and make leaf mold. What is leaf mold? You may ask this same question as I did, although I’ve apparently been making it for years and just didn’t realize it had a name.

Leaf mold compost is a simple process that allows you to break down your fallen leaves for future use in gardens and flower beds. Keep reading for more info on using leaf mold for soil.

About Leaf Mold Compost

Using leaf mold as a soil amendment is a common and productive practice. Use it as mulch or incorporate it into the soil, or both. Spread a three-inch (7.5 cm.) layer around shrubs, trees, in flower beds and gardens, or any spot that will benefit from a biodegradable covering or amendment.

Leaf mulch absorbs water, so you can use it to assist with erosion control in some areas. It is effective as a soil conditioner, creating an environment that attracts earthworms and good bacteria. It does not provide nutrients, though, so continue to fertilize as you normally would.

How to Make Leaf Mold

Learning how to make leaf mold is simple. It is a cold composting process, as opposed to a regular compost pile that breaks materials down through heat. As such, it takes longer for leaves to decompose to the appropriate point of use.

You may pile the raked leaves in a corner of your yard or bag them tightly in large garbage bags. Poke holes in the bags to allow some air circulation and store them out of the sun and other weather. These will decompose in approximately a year. However, the leaves may be ready in spring if you shred them before storage.

You can shred with the lawnmower or an outdoor shredder. The shredded leaves will compost quicker and become an earthy scented, soft and crumbly leaf mold for soil substance perfect for mixing into garden beds.

Keep the leaves moist, mix in grass clippings or green leaves, and turn if you have the leaves in a pile. Rake them out into strips for faster decomposition. Not all leaves decompose at the same rate. Smaller leaves are ready more quickly than larger ones.

Now that you’ve learned the benefits of using leaf mold in your outdoor beds, stop throwing them away. Begin cold composting and use them in your gardens while saving yourself a few trips to the curb.

Are you tired of the backbreaking work of turning, mixing, watering, and monitoring a smelly compost pile, and waiting months for it to be suitable to add to the garden? Are you frustrated by trying to reduce your carbon footprint by composting, only to realize that most of your waste still needs to go in the trash bin? Or perhaps you’ve always wanted to try composting but simply do not have the space. If you’ve answered yes to any of these, then bokashi composting may be for you. Continue reading to learn more about bokashi fermenting methods.

What is Bokashi Composting?

Bokashi is a Japanese word that means “fermented organic matter.” Bokashi composting is a method of fermenting organic waste to create a quick, nutrient rich compost for use in the garden. This practice has been used for centuries in Japan; however, it was Japanese Agronomist, Dr. Teruo Higa who perfected the process in 1968 by recognizing the best combination of microorganisms to quickly complete the fermented compost. Today, EM Bokashi or Bokashi Bran mixes are widely available online or in garden centers, containing Dr. Higa’s preferred mixture of microorganisms, wheat bran, and molasses.

How to Make Fermented Compost

In bokashi composting, kitchen and household waste are placed in an airtight container, such as a 5-gallon (18 L.) bucket or large trash can with a lid. A layer of waste is added, then the bokashi mix, then another layer of waste and more bokashi mix and so on until the container is filled. Bokashi mixes will have instructions on the exact ratio of mix on their product labels. The microorganisms, selected by Dr. Higa, are the catalyst which begins the fermenting process to break down organic waste. When materials are not being added, the lid must be tightly closed so this fermenting process can take place. Yes, that’s right, unlike traditional composting which involves decomposition of organic materials, bokashi compost is instead fermented compost. It is because of this, the bokashi composting method is a low to no odor (described usually as just a light scent of pickles or molasses), space saving, quick method of composting. Bokashi fermenting methods also allow you to compost items that are usually frowned upon in the traditional compost heap, such as meat scraps, dairy products, bones, and nutshells. Household trash like pet fur, rope, paper, coffee filters, tea bags, cardboard, cloth, match sticks, and many other things can also be added to bokashi compost. It is recommended that you not use any food waste with mold or waxy/glossy paper products, however. When the airtight bin is filled, you simply give it two weeks to complete the fermenting process, then bury the fermented compost directly in the garden or flower bed, where it begins its second step of quickly decomposing in the soil with the aid of soil microbes. The end result is rich organic garden soil, which retains more moisture than other composted, saving you time and money on watering. The bokashi fermenting method requires little space, no added water, no turning, no temperature monitoring, and can be done year-round. It also reduces waste in public landfills and emits no greenhouse gases.

I like myth debunking as much as I like gardening. Myths are kind of like plants in a way, they keep growing if you feed them. One myth that we need to stop feeding or circulating is the one where we declare that compost is humus. No. Just no. Stop. The terms ‘compost’ and ‘humus’ cannot be used interchangeably. So “what is the difference between humus and compost?” and “how is humus used in gardens?” you ask? Read on to get the dirt about compost vs. humus. And, just in case you are wondering why we are comparing compost to the delicacy in your kitchen right now, I also want to take a moment to clarify that humus is not the same as hummus. Trust me. Humus just isn’t as tasty.

Difference between Humus and Compost

Compost is the black dirt, or “black gold” as we like to call it, created from the decomposition of the organic matter that we contribute, whether that be leftover food or yard waste. Compost is considered “finished” when we are left with the semblance of a rich, organic soil where our individual contributions are no longer distinguishable. And, nice catch, I put “finished” in quotes for a reason. If we want to be technical, it really isn’t finished, as it’s not completely decomposed. A lot of microscopic action will still be taking place as the bugs, bacteria, fungi, and microbes that we really don’t like to acknowledge are there still have a lot of material in that “black gold” to feast upon and break down. So basically, the finished compost we put in our gardens really only contains a very small percentage of humus. Compost literally takes years to fully decompose into a humus state. When the compost is fully decomposed it will then be 100% humus.

What is Humus Made of?

As the little critters continue their dinner party, they break things down on a molecular level, slowly releasing nutrients into the soil for plant uptake. Humus is what’s leftover at the conclusion of the dinner feast, which is when all the usable chemicals in the organic matter have been extracted by the microorganisms. Humus is essentially a dark, organic, mostly carbon-based spongy substance in the soil that has a shelf life of hundreds of years or more. So to recap the whole compost vs. humus debacle, while humus can be created through the composting process (albeit very, very slowly), compost is not humus until it is decomposed down to dark, organic material that can no longer be broken down.

Why is Humus Important?

How is humus used in gardens and why is humus important? As I mentioned earlier, humus is spongy in nature. This is significant because this attribute enables humus to hold up to 90% of its weight in water, meaning soil laden in humus will be able to retain moisture better and be more drought resistant. The humus sponge also latches onto and safeguards nutrients that plants require, such as calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus. Plants can siphon these much-needed nutrients from the humus through their roots. Humus gives the soil a much desired crumbly texture and improves soil structure by making the soil looser, allowing for easier flow of air and water. These are just a few great reasons why humus is important to your garden.

I think we all know that reducing our contribution to our landfills is imperative. To that end, many people compost in one way or another. What if you don’t have room for a compost pile or your municipality doesn’t have a composting program? Can you dig holes in the garden for food scraps? If so, how do you compost in a hole in the ground?

Can You Dig Holes in Garden for Food Scraps?

Yes, and this is actually one of the simplest and most effective methods of composting kitchen scraps. Variously referred to as trench or pit composting in gardens, there are a few different trench composting methods, but it all comes down to composting food scraps in a hole.

How to Compost in a Hole in the Ground

Composting food scraps in a hole is definitely not a new technique; it’s probably how your grandparents and great grandparents got rid of kitchen waste. Basically, when pit composting in gardens, you dig a hole 12 to 16 inches (31-41 cm.) deep – deep enough that you pass the topsoil layer and get down to where the earthworms live, feed, and reproduce. Cover the hole with a board or the like so no person or critter falls in.

Earthworms have amazing digestive tracts. Many of the microorganisms found in their digestive systems are beneficial to plant growth in many ways. The earthworms ingest and excrete organic matter directly into the soil where it will be available for plant life. Also, while the worms are tunneling in and out of the pit, they are creating channels that allow water and air to penetrate the soil, another boon to plants root systems.

There is no turning involved when pit composting in this manner and you can continuously add to the pit as you get more kitchen scraps. Once the pit is filled up, cover it with soil and dig another pit.

Trench Composting Methods

To trench compost, dig a trench to a foot or more deep (31 cm.) and any length you want, then fill it with around 4 inches (10 cm.) of food scraps and cover the trench with soil. You can choose an area of the garden and let it lie fallow for a year while everything composts, or some gardeners dig a trench around the drip lines of their trees. This last method is great for the trees, as they have a constant supply of nutrients available to their roots from the composting material.

The entire process will depend on what material you are composting and the temperature; it may take a month to compost or as long as a year. The beauty of trench composting is there is no maintenance. Just bury the scraps, cover, and wait for nature to take its course.

A variation on this method of composting is called the English System and it requires significantly more garden space, as it involves three trenches plus a path area and a planting area. Basically, this method maintains a three-season rotation of soil incorporation and growing. This is also sometimes referred to as vertical composting. First, divide the garden area into 3 foot wide (1 m.) rows.

• In the first year, make a foot (31 cm.) wide trench with a path between the trench and the planting area. Fill the trench with compostable materials and cover it with soil when almost full. Plant your crops in the planting area to the right of the path.
• In the second year, the trench becomes the path, the planting area is last year’s path and a new trench to be filled with compost will be last year’s planting area.
• In the third year, the first composting trench is ready to be planted and last year’s compost trench becomes the path. A new compost trench is dug and filled where last year’s plants were grown.

Give this system a few years and your soil will be well structured, nutrient rich, and with excellent aeration and water penetration. At that time, the entire area can be planted.

Should you cut up compost scraps? Shredding scraps for composting is a common practice, but you may have wondered if this practice is necessary or even effective. To find the answer, let’s look at the biology of compost.

Composting Fruit and Vegetable Waste

You add plant material, such as food scraps, garden waste, and lawn clippings, to the compost pile. Small invertebrate animals like earthworms, millipedes, sow bugs, and beetle grubs feed on the plant material, breaking it down into smaller pieces and increasing its surface area. The greater surface area allows microbes, including bacteria and fungi, to access more of the organic material in the scraps and eventually break them down into finished compost. Meanwhile, predatory invertebrates like centipedes and spiders feed on the first group of invertebrates and contribute to the rich biology of the compost. Will composting fruit and vegetable waste into smaller portions beforehand make any difference to this naturally occurring process though?

Does Cutting Scraps Help Compost?

The answer to this question is yes, but it’s not required. Cutting up scraps will help your compost break down faster by increasing the surface area of the compostable material. It will also help break up resistant materials like peels and shells. This allows microbes to access the decomposable material in the scraps and get to work faster. However, even if you don’t shred scraps, the worms, millipedes, snails, and other plant material-feeding invertebrates in your compost pile will shred them for you by consuming them and breaking them down into smaller pieces. The pile will compost with time anyway. On the other hand, it is important to break up large, hard-to-compost materials like sticks and wood mulch into smaller pieces to help them break down faster. Wood can take years to break down on its own, making it unlikely that large pieces will compost and be ready to use at the same time as the rest of the compost pile. When composting fruit and vegetable waste, shredding or grinding is less important, and it’s certainly not essential. It can help your compost pile break down faster, providing you with finished compost that will be ready to use in your garden sooner. It can also lead to a finer-textured finished product that may be easier to incorporate into your garden. If you do cut up scraps before adding them to the compost pile, be sure to turn the pile often. A compost pile consisting of smaller pieces will be more compact, so there will be less airflow within the pile, and it will benefit from the extra aeration when you turn it over.

Composting has become an important part of good stewardship and conservation. Many municipalities have a composting program, but some of us choose to make our own bins or piles and harvest the resulting nutrient-rich gold for our gardens. Making kitchen scraps and yard waste into compost faster can be done with a few tips and some good practices. Let’s learn how to make compost faster and have a good cycle of consistent plant material.

Fast Composting Tips

Simply leaving a pile of yard debris and kitchen scraps will result in compost after a while. However, the process can be sped up to just a few months if a few simple guidelines are followed. Fast ways to compost occur when the compost bin or pile is correctly managed. Getting compost to break down quickly starts with size and ends with management. The main items a compost pile needs are the proper carbon to nitrogen ratio, small surface area, aeration, moisture, and temperature. If you want to know how to make compost faster, the key is to manage these five factors carefully. Neglected compost piles tend to dry out, lose oxygen, which kills aerobic bacteria, and lose temperature. Keeping a careful balance of carbon and nitrogen is one of the most important fast composting tips. The two macro-nutrients essentially feed off of each other and provide the right environment for all the little bugs and organisms, which will help decay and consume the organic material. The right balance encourages the microbes that will be performing the decomposition task. The correct ratio is 30:1.

Getting Compost to Break Down Quickly

Faster breakdown occurs when pieces are smaller, and bacteria are encouraged with proper aeration and heat. The key is to keep pieces with a smaller surface area that bacteria and micro-organisms can attach onto and begin breaking down. Shred as much yard debris as possible and keep kitchen scraps no larger than an inch (2.5 cm.) in diameter. Speaking of size, in a compost pile situation, the material will decompose much faster in a large pile of at least 3 square feet (approximately .3 sq. m.). The way you layer the bin is one of the easiest fast ways to compost. Ideally, the pile will be directly in contact with soil, the next layer is organic, then soil, and so forth. Near the top, put a layer of manure and then more soil. The high nitrogen content of the manure and the direct contact with microbe-bearing soil organisms are crucial to speedy decomposition. The simplest fast compost method is nothing more than good management. If the pile is dry, cool, or has the wrong ratio of nutrients, it cannot do its work efficiently. Aeration is also crucial. Keep the pile moderately moist and turn it with a garden fork at least once per week.

Building a Fast Compost Station

If you are new to composting, the fastest method is the 3-bin system. This is where the compost is turned frequently and added all at once per unit. This allows one pile to break down before you add more organic material. Each pile is started individually, keeping newly added items from essentially starting the pile over again. You can also use a compost tumbler to the same effect. Add all material at once, then turn it at least once a week or once per day if it is handy. Mixing up the material and aerating it keeps it moist, warm, and the microbes active. If the material added is small enough, this method can achieve compost.

The optimum temperature for compost to process is 160 degrees F. (71 C.). In sunny, hot climates where the pile hasn't been turned recently, even higher temperatures can occur. Can compost get too hot? Read on to learn more.

Can Compost Get Too Hot?

If compost is too hot, it can kill beneficial microbes. Overheated compost piles pose no fire danger if they are properly moist but some of the organic properties will be compromised.

Excessive temperatures in compost can cause spontaneous combustion, but this is very rare even among overheated compost piles. Properly aerated and moist compost piles, no matter how hot, are not dangerous. Even hot compost bins that are fairly enclosed will not catch fire if they are tumbled and kept moist.

However, the problem is what excessive heat does to the living creatures that break down that organic waste. Overheated compost piles will likely kill many of these beneficial creatures.

High temperatures are necessary to destroy pathogens and weed seeds in compost piles. Heat is released in the aerobic process that takes place as organic matter rots. However, excessively high temperatures remove some of the nitrogen in the compost.

The high temperatures will persist as long as the pile is turned, and oxygen is introduced. Anaerobic conditions occur when the pile is not turned. These drop the temperature and slow the decomposition process. Can compost get too hot? Of course, it can but in rare instances. Temperatures that exceed 200 degrees F. (93 C.) are likely damaging to the organisms that live and work in the compost.

What Causes Overheated Compost Piles to Catch Fire?

A rare combination of events can cause a compost pile to catch fire. These all must be met before the occasion arises.

• The first is dry, unattended material with pockets of debris mixed throughout that aren't uniform.
• Next, the pile must be large and insulated with limited airflow.
• Finally, improper moisture distribution throughout the pile.

Only the largest piles, like those in commercial composting operations, are really in any danger if they are mismanaged. The key to preventing any issues is proper maintenance of your organic matter to prevent hot compost bins or piles.

How to Tell if Your Compost is Too Hot

It doesn't matter if you have a bin, tumbler, or just a pile on the ground; compost needs to be in sun and heat. It also releases heat. The key to managing the heat level is to make sure there is an introduction of oxygen and moisture to all parts of the compost.

You also need the right balance of carbon and nitrogen materials. Compost is too hot often with too much nitrogen. The proper mix is 25 to 30 parts carbon to one part nitrogen. With these practices in place, your compost bin will likely keep at just the right temperature to create some organic goodness for your garden.

Holding units for compost can be complex and expensive, homemade and simple, or somewhere in between. Turning units for compost are usually a bit more complex because they require a way to mix the organic material. These may be barrel units or simple three-bin units. Composting structures such as these can be built by a novice as long as looks aren't important. Turning units for compost allow you to mix up the compost, providing oxygen to all the little microbes and bacteria that are breaking it down. They also allow you to easily spread moisture throughout the bin, so you don't have dry areas. It also increases the temperature, thereby enhancing organic breakdown. They can be difficult for some people to turn if they are heavily loaded but some barrel varieties are designed to be fairly easy to use.

How to Build a Compost Turning Unit from a Barrel

With just a little lumber or a plastic barrel, you can build a compost turning unit. Barrels are typically mounted on a frame with a handle attached to allow turning. You can mount the barrel horizontally or vertically. Attach barrel compost turning units with steel pipe mounted on cinder blocks and use a metal pipe flange for the crank arm. Drill holes and install a door with a latch on the side for easy access. You can get as fancy as you want but the important part is that there is oxygen, access, and a simple way to mix the contents of the barrel.

Wood Bin Composting Structures

Wooden bins should each be 3 by 3 by 3 feet (1 x 1 x 1 m.) in diameter with an open end. Build three bins to allow for consistent composting with each bin containing material at different stages of decomposition. The last bin will have the most complete compost and be harvested for use first. Use 2 by 4 (5 x 10 cm.) lumber for most of the sides and 2 by 6 (5 x 15 cm.) for the bottom rains. Set the boards in like slats using screws to tie them into horizontal pieces. Build three sides with an open or partially open front for ease of access. Save material for the bins in bulk so that all the material will be at the same composting rate.

Other Composting Structures

Compost turning units aren't the only way to recycle organic waste. Kitchen scraps can become worm food in vermicomposting. Yard waste will break down just fine in a compost pile, especially if you keep it lightly moist, turn it with a pitchfork, and cover it with black plastic. Compost bins are traditional tried and true methods to decompose organics and may be as simple as a garbage can with some holes punched in the sides. Composting isn't difficult and the benefits outweigh, and work involved, so get out and build a composting structure of some sort for your organic waste.

The term “Ericaceous” refers to a family of plants in the Ericaceae family - heathers and other plants that grow primarily in infertile or acidic growing conditions. But what is ericaceous compost? Read on to learn more.

Ericaceous Compost Info

What is ericaceous compost? In simple terms, it is compost suitable for growing acid-loving plants. Plants for acidic compost (ericaceous plants) include:

• Rhododendron
• Camellia
• Cranberry
• Blueberry
• Azalea
• Gardenia
• Pieris
• Hydrangea
• Viburnum
• Magnolia
• Bleeding heart
• Holly
• Lupine
• Juniper
• Pachysandra
• Fern
• Aster
• Japanese maple

How to Make Compost Acidic

While there's no ‘one size fits all' ericaceous compost recipe, as it depends on the current pH of each individual pile, making compost for acid-loving plants is much like making regular compost. However, no lime is added. (Lime serves the opposite purpose; it improves soil alkalinity—not acidity). Begin your compost pile with a 6 to 8 inch (15-20 cm.) layer of organic matter. To boost the acid content of your compost, use high-acid organic matter such as oak leaves, pine needles, or coffee grounds. Although compost eventually reverts to a neutral pH, pine needles help acidify the soil until they decompose. Measure the surface area of the compost pile, then sprinkle dry garden fertilizer over the pile at a rate of about 1 cup (237 ml.) per square foot (929 cm.). Use a fertilizer formulated for acid-loving plants. Spread a 1 to 2 inch (2.5-5 cm.) layer of garden soil over the compost pile so the microorganisms in the soil can boost the decomposition process. If you don't have enough available garden soil, you can use finished compost. Continue to alternate layers, watering after each layer, until your compost pile reaches a height of about 5 feet (1.5 m.).

Making Ericaceous Potting Mix

To make a simple potting mix for ericaceous plants, begin with a base of half peat moss. Mix in 20 percent perlite, 10 percent compost, 10 percent garden soil, and 10 percent sand. If you are concerned about the environmental impacts of using peat moss in your garden, you can use a peat substitute such as coir. Unfortunately, when it comes to substances with a high acid content, there is no suitable substitute for peat.

Composting converts organic material, such as yard waste and kitchen scraps, into nutrient-rich material that improves the soil and fertilizes plants. Although you can use an expensive, high-tech composting system, a simple pit or trench is highly effective.

What is Trench Composting?

Trench composting is nothing new. In fact, the Pilgrims learned how to put the theory into action in a very practical way when Native Americans taught them to bury fish heads and scraps in the soil before planting corn. To this day, trench composting methods may be slightly more sophisticated, but the basic idea remains unchanged. Creating a compost pit at home not only benefits the garden; it also reduces the amount of material that usually goes to waste in municipal landfills, thus reducing the expense involved in waste collecting, handling, and transportation.

How to Compost in a Pit or Trench

Creating a compost pit at home requires burying kitchen or soft yard waste, such as chopped leaves or grass clippings, in a simple pit or trench. After a few weeks earthworms and microorganisms in the soil convert the organic matter into usable compost. Some gardeners use an organized trench composting system in which the trench and the planting area are alternated every other year, providing a full year for the material to break down. Others implement an even more involved, three-part system that includes a trench, walking path, and a planting area with bark mulch spread on the path to prevent muddiness. The three year cycle allows even more time for decomposition of organic matter. Although organized systems are effective, you can simply use a shovel or post hole digger to dig a hole with a depth of at least 8 to 12 inches (20-31 cm.). Place the pits strategically according to your garden plan or create small compost pockets in random areas of your yard or garden. Fill the hole about half full with kitchen scraps and yard waste. To speed the process of decomposition, sprinkle a handful of blood meal over the top of the waste before filling the hole with soil, then water deeply. Wait at least six weeks for the scraps to decompose, then plant an ornamental plant or a vegetable plant, such as a tomato, directly above the compost. For a large trench, till the compost evenly into the soil or dig it in with a shovel or pitchfork.

Additional Trench Composting Information

An Internet search produces a wealth of information about trench composting methods. Your local university Extension Service can also provide information about creating a compost pit at home.

Compost is an inexpensive and renewable soil amendment. It is easy to make in the home landscape from leftover kitchen scraps and plant material. However, keeping an odorless compost bin takes a little effort. Managing compost odors means balancing the nitrogen and carbon in the material and keeping the pile moderately moist and aerated. What causes stinky compost piles? Organic waste breaks down with the help of bacteria, microbes and small animals, such as snails and worms. All of this life needs oxygen to survive and decompose the material. Additionally, a careful balance of nitrogen and carbon is necessary for an odorless compost bin. Moisture is another factor and certain food items, such as meat, should be avoided, as they take longer to compost and can leave bad bacteria in the resulting material.

Managing Compost Odors

Anything that was once alive is compostable. Meat and bones take longer and shouldn't go in unless you really know what you are doing. The four important factors in composting are the material, water, oxygen and heat. Without a careful balance of these four parts, the result may be stinky compost piles. The material in the pile should be about one-quarter nitrogen-rich items and three-quarters carbon-rich items. Nitrogen-rich items are usually green and carbon materials are generally brown, so make sure your compost heap is evenly balanced with greens and browns. Nitrogen sources are:

• Grass clippings
• Kitchen scraps

Carbon sources would be:

• Shredded newspaper
• Straw
• Leaf litter

The pile should be kept moderately moist but never soggy. Turning the pile frequently exposes it to oxygen for the bacteria and animals that are doing all the work. Compost needs to get up to 100 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit (37-60 C.) for best decomposition. You can enhance the temperature by using a black bin or covering a pile with dark plastic. Odor management in compost is the result of this careful balance of organic material and conditions. If one aspect is not stable, the whole cycle is thrown off and odors may result. For instance, if the compost is not warm enough, the heat loving microbes (which are responsible for the initial break down of the material) will not be present. That means the materials will simply sit there and rot, which brings about odors. The microbes and other organisms that break down the material give off carbon dioxide and heat during the aerobic respiration process. This enhances solar heat and encourages more bacteria and microbes for quicker composting. Smaller pieces compost more quickly, reducing any odors. Woody material should only be ¼-inch (.6 cm.) in diameter and food scraps should be cut into small pieces.

How to Fix Stinky Compost Piles

Odors such as ammonia or sulfur are indicative of an unbalanced pile or incorrect conditions. Check to see if the pile is too soggy and add dry soil to correct this.

• Turn the pile at least weekly to add oxygen for the little organisms that are breaking down the waste.
• Increase the carbon if you smell ammonia, which indicates excess nitrogen.
• Make sure your pile or bin is located in full sun so it stays warm enough.

Odor management in compost is easy with a carefully maintained equilibrium of the four composting factors.

Using compost in conjunction with water to create an extract has been used by farmers and gardeners for hundreds of years to add additional nutrients to crops. Today, most people make a brewed compost tea rather than an extract. Teas, when properly prepared, do not have the dangerous bacteria that compost extracts do. But what happens if your compost tea smells bad?

Help, My Compost Tea Stinks!

If you have smelly compost tea, the question is whether it is safe to use and, more importantly, just what may have gone wrong in the process. First of all, compost tea should not have an unpleasant odor; it should smell earthy and yeasty. So, if your compost tea smells bad, there is a problem. There are many different “recipes” for compost teas but all of them have three basic elements: clean compost, inert water, and aeration.

• Quality compost made up of yard and grass trimmings, dry leaves, fruit and veggie leftovers, paper products, and untreated sawdust and wood chips are suitable as clean compost. Worm castings are also ideal.
• Pure water that does not contain heavy metals, nitrates, pesticides, chlorine, salt, or pathogens should be used. Keep in mind, if you are using tap water, there is likely a high concentration of chlorine. Let it sit overnight, just as you would when preparing a fish tank.
• Aeration is important for maintaining oxygen levels, thereby increasing microbial growth -- the good stuff. You may also decide to add a number of other additives such as molasses, fish-based products, yeast, kelp, or green plant tissues.

All of the above are crucial elements in brewing compost teas, but you should pay attention to several other issues as well in order to avoid a bad compost tea odor.

• You want only soluble components to enter the water, so the size of the tea bag, whether an old nylon stocking, burlap or finely woven cotton, or silk bags is important. Be sure to use untreated material for your bag.
• You want to have the proper ratio of compost to water. Too much water and the tea is diluted and will not be as viable. Likewise, too much compost and the excess of nutrients will foster bacteria, leading to oxygen depletions, anaerobic conditions, and smelly compost tea.
• The temperature of the mix is also crucial. Cold temps will slow the microbial growth while temperatures that are too high may cause evaporation, inhibiting the microorganisms.
• Lastly, the length of time your compost tea is brewed is paramount. Most teas should be of good quality and should be used in 24 hours. Well-aerated teas require shorter brew times while those created under more base conditions may need to steep for a few days to a few weeks.

Can You Use Smelly Compost Tea?

If your compost has a nasty odor, don't use it. It may actually harm the plants. Chances are good that you need better aeration. Insufficient aeration is allowing harmful bacteria to grow and these guys stink! Also, use most teas within 24 hours. The longer it sits, the more likely dangerous bacteria will start to grow. The proper ratio of pure water (5 gallons (19 L.)) to clean compost (one pound (0.5 kg.)) will create a concentrated concoction that can be diluted prior to application. All in all, making compost tea has many benefits from disease prevention to boosting the nutrient absorption of plants and is well worth the effort, even if you have to experiment a little along the way.

Seeds sprouting up in compost? I admit it. I am lazy. As a result, I often get some errant veggies or other plants popping up in my compost. While this is of no particular concern to me (I just pull them up), some folks are a bit more disquieted by this phenomenon and wonder how to prevent seeds from sprouting in their compost.

Why Are Vegetables Popping Up in Compost?

The simple answer to “why are vegetables popping up in compost” is because you are composting seeds, or rather not composting them. You either belong to the lazy group of people, such as myself, and just toss everything into your compost, or your compost is not superheating to a high enough temperature that will deter the seeds from sprouting.

How to Prevent Veggie Sprouts in Compost

Keep in mind the mechanics of the compost pile. In order to keep seeds from sprouting in the compost pile, it must maintain a temperature between 130-170 degrees F. (54-76 C.) and must continually be turned if temps drop below 100 degrees F. (37 C.). A properly heated compost pile will kill off the seeds but does require some serious vigilance and effort. Along with moisture and turning the compost pile, the proper levels of carbon and nitrogen need to be present for the pile to heat up. Carbon is produced from browns, such as dead leaves, while nitrogen is produced from green waste like grass clippings. The basic rule of thumb for a compost pile is 2-4 parts carbon to one part nitrogen to allow the pile to properly heat up. Chop up any large chunks and keep turning the pile, adding moisture as needed. Additionally, the pile should have enough space for successful composting to take place. A compost bin will work or a pile 3 feet (1 m.) square (27 cubic feet (8 m.)) should allow enough space for composting seeds and killing them off. Build the compost pile all at one time and wait until the pile drops before adding new material. Turn the pile once a week with a garden fork or a compost crank. Once the pile has composted in its entirety- the material looks like deep brown soil with no identifiable organics- allow it to sit for 2 weeks without turning before using it in the garden. If you are practicing “cool composting” (AKA “lazy composting”), which is simply piling up the detritus and letting it rot, the temperature of the pile will never get hot enough to kill seeds. Your options then are to pull the unwanted plants “ala moi” or avoid adding any seeds into the mixture. I must say that I do avoid adding certain mature weeds because I do not want those to be spread all over the yard. We also do not put any “sticker” plants into the compost pile, such as blackberries.

Can You Use Seedlings from Compost?

Well, sure. Some “volunteers” from the compost bin yield perfectly edible veggies like cukes, tomatoes, and even pumpkins. If the stray plants don't bother you, don't pull them out. Just let them grow through the season and, who knows, you may be harvesting bonus fruits or vegetables.

Most of us have heard that gardening with compost is a good thing, but what specifically are the benefits of composting, and how does compost help? In what way is garden compost beneficial?

Is Garden Compost Beneficial?

There are a slew of ways in which gardening with compost is valuable. Simply put, the advantages of using compost are to improve soil quality, enabling it to better retain air, nutrients, and moisture and resulting in healthier, thriving plants. Additionally, when you make and use compost, you are recycling instead of contributing to solid waste landfills. So how does compost help nourish, aerate, and hydrate soil medium? Composting helps in the following ways:

How Compost Helps Soil Structure

The structure of the soil is in reference to how the inorganic elements such as sand, silt, and clay coalesce with organics like compost and humus. Together, they create aggregates or groups of loosely composed particles bound by compost and earthworms. This creates a “crumbly” textured soil ideal for drainage and water retention and is easier to work. This lightened soil also allows tender young roots to penetrate the surface more easily. The addition of compost, specifically to soils that are heavily clayed or overly sandy, will result in a healthier overall substructure that will also allow air to circulate. Another advantage of using compost is its prevention of erosion. Compost loosens tightly bound particles in clay or silt, allowing roots to easily spread and thereby impeding erosion. Hand in hand with the prevention of erosion, compost also increases soil's ability to retain water and decreases runoff by encouraging healthy root systems. A five percent increase in organic material will quadruple the water holding capacity of the soil. Decreasing water runoff helps to protect our waters by thwarting pollution from fertilizer, pesticides, and general soil runoff.

How Compost Aids in Nutrient Retention

The addition of compost adds nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium as well as micro-nutrients such as manganese, copper, iron, and zinc. While these micronutrients are only needed in small amounts, they are important contributors to a plant's overall health. Commercial fertilizers are often lacking in micro-nutrients, so compost is an added boon to the health of your plants. As compost rots, some materials break down more rapidly than others, in effect becoming a sort of slow-release fertilizer. The greater variety of ingredients in the compost, the greater variety of nutrients will be released. Amending the soil with compost will also neutralize both acidic and alkaline soils, bringing the pH levels to an ideal range for nutrient absorption by plants. A compost-amended garden also attracts earthworms, centipedes, sow bugs, redworms, and others. Their presence proves that there is still organic material breaking down as it passes through their digestive systems and represents a balanced ecology. The existence of these little guys burrowing through the earth also aerates the soil.

Other Advantages of Using Compost

Compost-amended gardens also tend to have fewer pest problems without the use of pesticides and are more resistant to disease as well. Compost that is predominantly leaf-based has been shown to be effective against nematodes, and compost application to grass suppresses a multitude of fungal diseases. Lastly, composting is cost-effective, decreasing the amount of cash outlay for garbage pickup, pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, and the like. Basically, using compost in the garden is a win-win situation all the way around.

Compost is often called black gold because it is rich in nutrients and beneficial microbes. When added to garden soil it has transformative powers, improving structure and texture, increasing airflow and water retention, and supporting earthworms – all contributing to healthy, abundant plant growth. Learning how to compost at home is an affordable way to get all these benefits.

Composting is also a vital component of sustainable gardening, as a natural, organic solution that enables you to reduce waste, minimize chemicals, and grow plants and vegetables in the healthiest possible way.

It's easy to start composting, but you do need to understand how the process works and the required equipment and steps. Use this information, which includes advice for beginners and advanced techniques, to create organic homemade compost that will enrich any soil type.

What Is Compost and How Does It Work?

Compost is a soil-like substance made up of decomposed organic materials. It is usually worked into the soil by hand or tilling to improve its structure and serve as a natural fertilizer for plants, but it can also be layered over the soil as mulch or top dressing for lawns.

To understand the composting process, it helps to look at the recycling process found in nature. A leaf that drops in the forest will eventually break down into humus, a rich organic material, thanks to the activity of microbes and earthworms. This humus contributes to fertile soil that will promote the growth of healthy new plants.

Composting is the management of this natural decomposition process. To make compost, you gather material, like yard waste and kitchen scraps, in a container or pile. Microbes within the pile break down the materials, creating a product that is similar to humus, with a dark color, crumbly texture, and earthy smell.

Several factors affect the quality of compost and how long it takes to make (anywhere from 1 to 12 months), including the materials used, the ratio of carbon to nitrogen in the materials, the size of the pieces of waste, moisture content, the size of the pile, and aeration in the pile. You can use compost starter for faster decomposition, too.

What Are the Different Types of Composting?

There are numerous types of composting to consider – choose a method compatible with your space and lifestyle.

In its simplest form, composting can involve making a pile of material to decompose in the garden, but starting a compost bin or enclosure keeps it neater and easier to manage.

The best compost bin should have a secure lid, a good-sized access hatch, and be made of a durable material to ensure longevity and maintain a suitable compost temperature. Choose the largest size you can accommodate. Even a basic compost trash can will start you off on your composting journey. It's also easy to learn how to make a compost bin.

Compost bins vary in size, ranging between 5 to 7 feet (1.5 to 2m) wide and 3 to 4 feet high (0.9-1.2m). However, a more manageable size, especially for smaller gardens, is around 3 by 3 feet (0.9 by 0.9m).

Should You Choose Cold Composting or Hot Composting?

When maintaining a compost bin or pile, you have some control over how quickly the compost is ready – and it's all related to how hot the pile gets.

• Cold composting is an add-as-you-go method that's perfect for low-maintenance gardeners who aren't in a rush. It's ideal for composting over winter – simply add items as and when they are disposed of.
• Hot composting involves maintaining a bin at a higher temperature through a carefully balanced materials mix. This produces compost in a much shorter time and kills off disease pathogens and weed seeds.

What's the Best Composting Solution for Small Spaces?

If you have limited outdoor space, consider a sophisticated indoor composting solution, such as an electric composter, which will quickly break down kitchen scraps. Be careful about which model you choose, however, as many electric models simply dehydrate food scraps, rather than producing microbe-loaded compost that has benefits in the garden. The best electric composters add beneficial bacteria to the process to produce more nutrient-rich pre-compost.

More basic small-space composting solutions include making 5-gallon bucket compost or compost in a bag.

Which Alternative Composting Method Is Best for You?

To take your pile to the next level, consider one of these alternative composting methods designed to make even richer compost, or to speed up the process:

• Vermicomposting uses compost worms to support the microbes in breaking down materials. The method includes harvesting worm castings, a nutrient-rich waste material that is highly beneficial to plants and can be used to make worm tea.

• Bokashi composting is a process of fermenting food scraps which are sealed in an airtight bucket and fed a special bran mix. In just two weeks the method produces fermented compost which is then added to soil to finish decomposing.
• In-ground composting cuts out the need for a separate bin. Kitchen scraps and yard waste are added to a compost pit or smaller compost holes in the ground, and allowed to decompose in situ. Use the lasagna composting method to layer up different types of material and to help speed up decomposition.
• Compost tea is a process of soaking compost and other ingredients in water for several weeks, before straining the liquid. It creates a nutritious tonic that can be used to fertilize plants.
• Drunken compost uses beer, soda or sugar, and ammonia to speed things up. This simple but fast method yields compost in just a few weeks.

What Can Be Composted?

Learning what can be composted is one of the most important steps. The materials mix has a major impact on the quality of the final product and will encourage the right balance of compost bacteria. Getting the balance wrong is one of the worst composting mistakes you can make, potentially leading to an unusable pile.

Good compost comes from a mix of compost browns and greens – which are carbon-rich and nitrogen-rich materials. If the mix is off, the pile will not heat up enough and microbes will not activate and begin breaking down the material. Aim for a ratio of 3 or 4 brown to 1 green, but don’t worry about being too precise.

What Is the Best Mix of Browns and Greens for Compost?

• Brown materials include dry leaves, wood chips and twigs, newspaper, cardboard, and other compostable paper, such as plates and napkins.
• Green materials can be provided by composting food waste and yard waste. Add grass clippings, fresh plant trimmings, fruit and vegetable scraps, eggshells, and coffee grounds. Remove any non-organic material from kitchen waste, such as fruit stickers or staples in tea bags.
• Composting liquids is fine in moderation – adding beer or wine can even be beneficial. However, you may need to include more brown materials to absorb the moisture.
• As well as being added to the compost pile, leaves can also be used to make leaf mold, which is an invaluable soil conditioner.
• Manure can enrich compost, as it is a good source of nitrogen and other nutrients. However, it can contain harmful pathogens and produce unpleasant odors, so add it in moderation and only use the manure of certain farm animals, including cows, chickens, and horses. Never use dog poop or cat poop.

When building a compost pile, a layering structure is best. This means adding green and brown materials in alternating layers, like a lasagna. Start with a bottom layer of sticks to allow for airflow, then layer the other materials on top.

What Should You Not Put in Compost?

• Do not compost meat, dairy, or oily foods – small amounts of vegetable oil are ok. Also avoid diseased plants, weeds (make weed compost tea instead), and any plants treated with pesticides or herbicides.
• Composting human waste is a controversial topic, as it contains harmful pathogens that must be treated at a high temperature over a long time, which is not possible to achieve in a home composting pile. In some states, a composting toilet may be used to produce compost that can be added to ornamental gardens.

How Hot Should Compost Get?

Compost must get hot to decompose properly, otherwise you'll be left with a smelly rotting pile that takes a long time to break down. You don't have to manually heat it to achieve the correct compost temperature, rather it is a natural reaction created with the right mix of decomposing greens and browns.

When you have layered up your compost bin, leave it in place for a few days to allow the compost to heat up. The center of the pile should reach temperatures between 140 and 150°F (60-65°C). It’s a good idea to use a thermometer to check the temperature because you should not turn the pile until it’s hot enough.

If your compost is not heating up, then the most likely reason is a lack of green nitrogen-rich material. However, a lack of moisture is also a common problem. Squeeze it to check – it should feel like a damp sponge rather than being dripping wet.

Another way to help the pile heat up is to mix in a shovelful of soil from the garden. This will add the necessary bacteria, which can multiply throughout the compost.

How Often Should You Turn Compost?

Turning compost will help aerate the pile and prevent it from becoming compacted. It is also one of the best ways to speed up composting.

Once the pile is hot enough, simply use a shovel or garden fork to turn and mix the pile. If that sounds like a lot of effort, then use a compost turner to get the job done more easily. Simply fill it up, and turn it once or twice a week.

The best compost tumblers will take just a minute or two to turn your pile and can produce compost that is ready to use in just three months. The downside to these units is that you can't add as you go.

Ideally, turn your compost pile every few weeks until it is ready to use. If the compost is smelly or slow to decompose, then turn it more frequently.

How Do You Know When Compost Is Ready to Use?

Using compost before it is ready can have a damaging effect on plants, so make sure it is ready before using.

A well-tended compost bin or pile takes around 3-4 months before it is ready, but it can take anything up to a year.

Finished compost looks and smells like soil, and has a crumbly texture. It will have reduced in volume by about a half, and the original items added to the pile will no longer be evident. The temperature will also be reduced as the bacteria has done its work.

When harvesting compost, you need to take it from the bottom – unless using a tumbler, when it will all be ready at once. Most purpose-built composting bins have a hatch at the bottom to remove the finished compost. But if you have a standard bin or pile, then you'll need to remove the top layer, shovel out the bottom layer of compost, and then put the newer compost back.

What pH Should Compost Be?

A typical compost pH level is between 6 and 8, which is suitable for most plants. When the compost is mixed into acidic soil or alkaline soil, it will alter the acidity of the soil, and make it more neutral. However, its pH can be adjusted if necessary.

If you are growing acid-loving plants, you will need to use ericaceous compost. This can be created by adding acidic materials to the compost as it breaks down, such as pine needles or oak leaves. Alternatively, you can lower the pH at the time of planting by mixing in aluminum sulfate.

To increase the alkalinity of compost, it's important to include plenty of brown material. Layering in wood ash can help to reduce acidity. If the compost pH is still too low, you can mix in some lime at the time of planting.

How Should You Store Compost?

If you're making lots of compost in advance of the growing season, then you will need somewhere to keep it. Knowing how to store compost correctly will ensure it doesn't dry out and will keep the microbes alive and active.

If you have the space, then an additional compost bin is ideal. Alternatively, an easy and effective option is to store compost in a pile on the ground, covered with plastic sheeting or a tarp. This will keep it protected while allowing access to worms. However, a covered pile is not very attractive and will take up a lot of room.

You can also store compost in garbage cans or plastic bags. Check it regularly to ensure it isn't drying out – stirring in a little water if it does.

How Do You Use Compost in the Garden?

There are numerous ways to use compost in the garden and it can be added to improve the health of almost any soil type. Here are the best ideas for using your homemade stash:

• To mulch with compost, add a 2 to 4 inch (5-10cm) layer over the soil around your perennial plants and trees. This will gradually be absorbed into the soil, imparting nutrients, but in the meantime will help to keep down weeds, retain moisture, and insulate plant roots from the cold.
• To amend soil with compost mix it in using your hands or a spade. This will fertilize and aerate the soil before planting, creating the ideal growing medium.
• You can fertilize the lawn by adding an inch or two (2.5-5cm) of compost over the grass and raking it in. It's best to use a compost-spreading tool for this. When it rains and the grass grows, the compost will dissipate into the soil and nourish the roots of the grass.
• Use a small amount of compost for seeds to provide a healthy growing medium. When starting seeds, it's best to first sieve your compost to produce a finer texture.
• Fill a raised garden bed with homemade compost to create the perfect environment for growing your own organic vegetables.
• Donate leftover compost to neighbors, community or school gardens, or farmers markets.

If you're wondering how much compost to add to soil, aim for a layer of 1-3 inches (2.5-7.5cm), which you can then work into the soil if required.

What Are the Most Common Composting Problems?

Compost problems often arise when there is an inadequate mix of browns and greens, or poor aeration in the pile. Pests may also be attracted to decaying material and become an unwelcome presence. Meanwhile, there are some beneficial visitors to the compost bin that may at first seem problematic, so it pays to know the difference.

Look out for these common composting problems:

• A bad compost smell is usually caused by the pile not breaking down. This may be due to an imbalance of browns and greens. Odors may also be due to a lack of turning, too much moisture, or simply because manure has been added. Knowing how to clean a compost bin properly will also minimize smells.
• Bugs in compost are attracted to decaying matter. Turn your compost more frequently and introduce more brown material.
• Flies in compost are particularly unwelcome residents – especially when the pile is teeming with maggots. Minimize their presence by burying kitchen scraps or other wet ingredients underneath browns and topping them off with a layer of soil. Turn the pile regularly to ensure it heats up.
• Compost slugs may seem an unwelcome presence, but contribute to breaking down organic material in the compost pile. Where slug numbers are too high, however, it may be a sign of too little brown material in the compost.
• Black soldier fly larvae in compost is also a benefit rather than a problem. The little wigglers help break down the material in a short period, making it easier for worms to do their job.
• Pot worms are small white thread-like worms. They won't harm your compost but when present in large numbers suggest a pH imbalance.
• Compost fungus can be a problem, or it can be completely normal – it depends on the type. If you spot the spidery filaments of actinomycetes, be reassured that this is a necessary part of the decomposition process. Meanwhile, clumps of gray to white fuzz can suggest a bacterial imbalance in the compost.
• Vegetables growing in compost piles result from seeds being added to the compost pile. Heating up the compost should kill the seeds: turn the pile regularly, add moisture as necessary, and chop up any large chunks.

When I was a child, I dreamed of having a magic wand and turning unwanted stuff into treasures. Now, as a mature gardener, I’ve found that magic wand, and it’s called my compost bin.

Laugh if you will, but learning how to start a compost bin lets you turn kitchen scraps and garden detritus into organic compost. That may not achieve “treasure” status but then again… have you checked the price at a garden store lately?

If you’ve been thinking of starting a compost pile and scrolling the internet to learn how to compost at home, you’ve found what you are looking for. Read on for all the details you need on starting a compost bin or pile.

Benefits of Starting a Compost Bin

Most things have benefits and detriments. For example, having a car allows you to travel distances (benefit) but isn’t good for the environment (detriment.) But with composting, it’s all in the benefit column.

To start, aside a space in the garden for a compost pile or to place a compost bin, and add organic materials. You will need to learn what can be composted to maintain a healthy pile. Composting food waste – like fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, corn cobs, and eggshells – is a great starting point, but composting yard waste like dry leaves and grass clippings is also important.

You turn the pile, you water it, you leave it in the sun, and it transforms into a product that makes your garden grow like… well, like magic.

How does it work? The composting process heats up the pile of detritus and hastens the natural decay process. Compost bacteria break down all the materials into the end product – finished compost looks like dark, healthy soil. This can happen in a few months with the right compost mix, sun exposure, and water.

You need to know how to use compost in the garden to get the best out of it. Blending this compost into your soil changes its consistency so that it holds moisture better, lets more air through, drains better, and provides more nutrients to plant roots, decreasing the need for fertilizer. You can also mulch with compost, laying it on top of the soil to hold in moisture, protect plant roots from heat and cold, hold the topsoil in place, and stop weeds from taking over.

The downside to starting a compost in the backyard? Well, the garden store won’t earn quite the level of profits from you that they might have been hoping for.

How to Start a Compost Bin or Pile

Ready to start a compost bin or pile? Let’s start!

Select Your Composting Style

This may be the only difficult decision you have to make when you are getting into home compost: deciding on your compost style. Compost areas can range from free compost piles, requiring only a cleared space in a sunny corner of the garden, or a basic compost trash can, to a fancy bin that you can rotate costing hundreds. When choosing the best compost bin, most of us draw the line somewhere between.

I personally built a wooden compost “pen” without a bottom or top in my San Francisco backyard. This is a step up from simply using a pile. In France, I have a large, plastic bin. It looks like a huge garbage can but has drain holes in the bottom. My neighbor has a fancy bin elevated on hinges so that it will rotate to blend the compost effortlessly.

Your compost style is up to you, the energy you want to expend, and your wallet. The compost you get at the end will be the same.

Choose a Location

The best place for a backyard compost area is somewhere you are going to use it, but slightly out of the main area since the compost can smell a bit. A garden location is useful since most of us use compost for our veggie or flower planting. Since you’ll need to add water in dry, hot periods, make sure the location is within reach of the hose, but don’t pick a spot with standing water.

I like to put compost in an area with dappled sun, but a shaded area is okay as well. If you have trees in your landscape, you may regret placing a compost pile too close, since tree roots will be attracted to the organic material, grow into the area, and make the compost pile unusable. You’ll want enough flat space for a compost pile to be at least 3 feet by 3 feet (1m by 1m) in order to function efficiently. You don't need much space – you can even have a balcony compost bin!

Build Your Compost

There are two primary categories of material you use to build your compost, known as compost greens and browns. While the colors are useful for describing the material, note that not all green material is green, nor is all brown material brown.

Green materials are those that are rich in nitrogen, while brown materials are those that are rich in carbon. This includes kitchen scraps from plants – veggies, fruits – eggshells, grass clippings, and fresh yard clippings. You can't compost meat or animal products, which includes dairy. Brown materials can be fallen leaves and twigs, coffee grounds, sawdust, and paper.

Layer your materials in the style of lasagna composting: a layer of brown, moistened with water, then a layer of green, followed by a sprinkle of water. The brown-to-green ratio should be about 2:1, but precision is overrated here. Some people add some garden soil between green and brown layers too.

Maintain Your Compost

Your compost pile never sleeps – it is busy decomposing the material all day and all night. You need to help it get its work done. While most of the water needed will come from rain, count on watering down the pile or bin once a week.

Over time the pile will heat up as decomposition takes place – the correct compost temperature must be achieved to break down the material.

Turning compost is necessary to move the materials from the bottom of the pile up to the top and bring air into the mix. Schedule this every month.

Learn how to clean a compost bin in between cycles to minimize disease, pests, and odors.

Frequently Asked Questions

Your compost bin is filled with kitchen scraps, manure, and other spoiled vegetable matter, so a logical question would be, “Should I have a lot of flies in my compost?” The answer is yes and no.

Flies in Compost Bin

If you don't build your compost pile in the right way, you may have a lot of flies around the bin constantly. On the other hand, good compost pile management is not only a great way to create more of that black gold for your gardens, it's the best way to keep houseflies in compost to a minimum. Houseflies are known to spread a number of human diseases, so their appearance near your compost is not only annoying, but bad for your health and that of your family. Take good care of your compost pile to help prevent the spread of flies.

Reasons and Fixes for Houseflies in Compost

Most pests and houseflies appear in compost piles because they are filled with their natural food. Once they eat, they lay eggs in the same area, trying to guarantee a food supply for their young. These eggs hatch into larva, or maggots, in a few days, compounding the “ick factor” connected to flies. Leave your compost heap alone long enough and you could have a scene out of CSI in the back of your yard. Compost pile management is the fix for this problem. Compost flies will only live when the temperature is right, and if they have a ready supply of food. Beginning with the food, always bury your green, or wet, ingredients with brown ingredients topped with a layer of soil. If the manure and rotting vegetables aren't on top of the soil, the flies can't get to them easily. Turning the pile on a regular basis will increase the oxygen in the middle of the heap, encouraging the organisms that decay the pile, and heating up the interior in the process. Keep the pile level instead of letting it pile up in the middle, to prevent cooler edges and a warmer center. If you have a problem with flies in compost bin, begin by turning and then raking the pile every day. Continue this until the larva die and the flies move on. When the problem is fixed, or the air cools down considerably, reduce the turning and raking to twice a week. You'll still create enough heat to keep the flies away, but won't have to do as much physical work.

In a sustainable garden, compost and mulch are important ingredients that should be used constantly to keep your plants in top condition. If they're both so important, what's the difference between compost and mulch? Mulch is any material put on top of the soil around plants to help keep in moisture and shade out weeds. You can make mulch from dead leaves, wood chips, and even shredded tires. On the other hand, compost is a mixture of decomposed organic ingredients. Once the ingredients in the compost mix break down, it becomes a universally prized substance gardeners know as “black gold.” If you have a large compost pile and have more than enough for your soil amendment, finding out how to use compost for mulch is the logical next step in your landscaping design.

Compost Mulch Benefits

There are a number of compost mulch benefits besides simply using up all the excess compost in your pile. Frugal gardeners prize using compost as mulch because it's free. Compost is made up of discarded yard and kitchen waste, in other words, rotten trash. Instead of having to buy bags of wood chips, you can pour shovelfuls of mulch around your plants for free. Using compost as garden mulch gives all the benefits of regular, non-organic mulches and adds the bonus of nutrients being constantly leached into the soil below. As the rain runs through the compost, micro amounts of nitrogen and carbon are washed downward, constantly improving the soil.

How to Use Compost for Mulch in Gardens

Like most mulch, a thick layer is better than a thinner one to help shade out sunlight from emerging weeds. Add a 2 to 4 inch (5-10 cm.) layer of compost over the soil around all your perennials, extending the layer outward about 12 inches (31 cm.) from the plants. This layer will slowly work its way into the soil during the growing season, so add additional layers of compost mulch every month or so during the summer and fall. Can compost be used as mulch year-round? It won't hurt the plants to have their roots covered with mulch through the winter months; in fact, it may help to insulate younger plants from the worst of the ice and snow. Once spring arrives, remove the compost from around the plants to allow the sunlight to warm and thaw the soil.

Most composting happens in the great outdoors, but what if you don't have the yard space (or the desire) to trek through rain, sleet, and wind just to toss your kitchen scraps? Indoor composting is the perfect way to recycle food waste regardless of the weather. An indoor composter, electric or otherwise, also enables those with smaller spaces to transform food waste into nutrient rich soil.

Whether you are looking for an indoor composting machine or a simple DIY bucket, these organic indoor composting ideas for beginners can help you. They allow even growers in apartments, condos, or small houses to transform everyday waste into black gold. Not only does this keep up to 30% of your waste out of landfills, but it also creates a nutrient-rich amendment to pamper your houseplants and patio containers.

Here’s how to perfect the art of home-based composting.

Why Should You Compost Indoors?

In today’s world, space is at a premium. More and more of us are squeezing into smaller homes, apartments and condos, living in urban environments where a traditional backyard compost pile isn't an option. With this comes a loss of outdoor space, which means folks need to be innovative in how they use their limited space. Hence, the idea of a composting unit or compost bin for indoors.

Organic matter is garden gold, improving soil structure and water retention. By composting indoors, you are taking a powerful step toward a more sustainable lifestyle. Common concerns like "what about the smell?" can hold people back. Fortunately, modern methods (from microbial fermentation to high-speed dehydration) have made indoor composting cleaner and more efficient than ever.

4 Indoor Composting Options to Try

There are several composing options for inside the home that can be accomplished either anaerobically or aerobically. Anaerobic means composting without oxygen, while aerobic means composting with oxygen. Anaerobic composters may be placed on the kitchen counter or under the sink, while aerobic composters use vermiculture, or a worm bin. Here are a few of the most straightforward options for indoor use.

1. Kitchen Countertop Collection Bins

The most basic “indoor bin” is actually a collection vessel. It is designed to hold scraps until you’re ready to take them to an outdoor pile or a municipal green bin. Basically, this is a small vessel that has a lid and sometimes a filter that you place food scraps in. The bin is generally small enough to place on a kitchen counter so it is easy to access.

To prevent fruit flies, try wrapping food scraps in a layer of newspaper before placing them in the bin to provide a carbon cap. Furthermore, to keep things fresh, make sure your bin has an activated charcoal filter in the lid to trap odors. You can buy Simply Carbon Extra Thick Filters from Amazon which have a universal size to fit all compost bins and vessels.

Some countertop options do come with filters added. Good brands include Bamboozle and Epica, both highly rated for keeping your composting odor-free. You can buy Epica Countertop Compost Bins and Bamboozle Countertop Compost Bins from Amazon.

2. Electric Composting Machines

Electric composting machines, often called food recyclers, are relatively recent high-tech newcomers on the market. They claim to compost kitchen scraps in an accelerated time frame, compared to the slow process of decomposition. An indoor composting machine may also be referred to as a food recycler or processor. Food is placed in a small bucket, the unit is turned on, and it grinds and dries the food.

Units like the Qeetex Electric Composter from Lowe’s or the Reencle Prime Electric Composter from Amazon use heat and grinding to reduce food volume by up to 90% in just a few hours. While these machines produce a dry, soil-like “pre-compost” it isn't always biologically stable. For the best results, you need to mix this output with existing potting soil rather than using it as a standalone medium.

Plus, these units can be a little on the pricey side. What they do however, is remove water and break up food waste so that it takes up less space in a landfill. But it probably isn’t advisable to repot your monstera in the resulting food grounds.

3. Indoor Vermicomposting (Worm Bins)

Next up, we have composting using an indoor worm compost bin. This is an excellent way to get compost out of your kitchen scraps. Worms work their magic as they eat through the scraps and excrete black gold. This is a no-smell option that can be tucked away in a small area. You will need a bin with a lid; they can be purchased or made. You can buy space-efficient Worm Factory 360 and VermiHut Composter, both from Amazon.

Vermicomposting uses specialized worms, like Red Wigglers, to eat through your scraps. This is an aerobic process that is virtually odorless when done correctly. Place the bin in a dark, dry area with a temperature between 55-80°F (13-27°C). Then fill it half full with damp bedding material made up of shredded newspaper or other non-glossy paper, cardboard, sawdust, dry leaves or a combination of any or all and a handful or two of soil. Fluff it up and add your worms.

Be sure to feed your worms once a week with chopped up veggies and fruit (except citrus peels), coffee grounds and filters, moist bread, shredded napkins and crushed egg shells. Bury the food beneath the bedding to ensure the worms find it quickly and to prevent any surface odors.

4. DIY Indoor Composting Bin

Finally, you can make your own DIY indoor compost bin. You can create a budget-friendly aerobic system using a plastic tote or styrofoam cooler. The key is to balance greens (nitrogen-rich scraps) with browns (carbon-rich paper or dry leaves) in a 2:1 or 3:1 ratio.

You will need a styrofoam cooler with a lid, active compost, coffee grounds, kitchen scraps or shredded paper, and a thermometer. The goal is to initiate decomposition which requires oxygen, water and a food source. The Vivosun Compost Thermometer from Amazon is a good choice for beginner composters and can help you check if your DIY bin is on track.

Place equal parts of coffee grounds and compost into the cooler until it’s two-thirds full. Mix water in until the mixture is just moist, not sodden. Place your thermometer into the soil to take a starting temperature. If you use a probe thermometer, you can just leave it in the mixture. Adding a compost starter can help speed up the decomposition process.

Drill small air holes, add a base of damp shredded cardboard, and stir weekly, keeping track of the temperature. If you use a probe thermometer and the temperature rises, you know the microbes are hard at work. You can buy composting aids like Ferry-Morse Compost Starter Bags from Lowe’s. The temperature should rise or hold steady until the decomposition process ceases. Stir the mixture to stimulate decomposition. At some point the process is finished and you will be left with compost.

Problems with Indoor Composting

Even with the best intentions, indoor systems can run into trouble. Here are some of the key problems budding home composters will run into, and how to troubleshoot your way to stress-free sustainable soil supplements:

• Foul Odors: This usually happens if the bin is too wet or lacks oxygen (becoming anaerobic). The solution is to stir in more browns like shredded paper or dry peat moss to soak up moisture. Ensure your air vents aren't blocked.
• Pest Issues: Fruit flies and gnats are attracted to exposed rotting fruit. Never leave food on the surface. Always trench your scraps: dig a small hole in the bedding, drop the food in, and cover it back up. A layer of damp newspaper on top of the pile also acts as a physical barrier.
• Slow Decomposition: If your bin isn't cooking, it might be too dry or low on nitrogen. Give it a light spritz of water (it should feel like a wrung-out sponge) or add green scraps like coffee grounds to kickstart the heat.

Frequently Asked Questions

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If you've been disturbed by grayish brown larva found in compost piles, you've probably come across the relatively harmless soldier fly larva. These grubs thrive in compost piles with an abundance of green materials and lots of extra moisture. While they may be ugly to the average gardener, soldier flies in compost actually benefit the area. Rather than trying to get rid of them as with other compost pests, you might be better off learning about soldier flies and all the good they can do.

What are Soldier Flies?

What are soldier flies? These relatively large insects resemble black wasps, and yet they're perfectly harmless to human beings and other mammals. They don't have mouths or stingers, so they can't bite or otherwise hurt you. The fly portion of this insect's life is spent flying around and mating, then laying eggs and dying within two days. They don't like to go in houses, they help to keep away the common housefly, and they prefer spots that humans shun such as manure piles and outhouses.

Soldier Fly Larva Found in Compost Piles

Once the soldier fly larva hatch from the eggs, they begin to really show their usefulness. They're champions at breaking down green materials and household garbage, turning it into a form that's easier for common worms to digest. They can break down manure in a matter of days, reducing the smell and chance of carried disease in areas where animal waste is stored. Once they have reduced manure piles to component parts, the worms drop away, making them easy to gather to use for chicken feed. Birds love this larva, and they are a good source of protein. What to do for soldier fly larva? Once you recognize the usefulness of these little wigglers, you'll want to encourage them in your compost pile. Keep the amount of green material, such as kitchen waste, near the top of the heap instead of burying it underneath dry leaves. Water the pile a little more than usual to help keep the moisture levels up. If soldier fly larva seem to be taking over and crowding out the regular earthworms in compost, however, begin burying kitchen waste underneath at least 4 inches (10 cm.) of leaves, paper, and other brown materials and cut back on the moisture available to the pile.

If you've added materials that change the pH balance in your compost pile or if rain showers have made it much wetter than usual, you might notice a large collection of white, small, thread-like worms working their way through the heap. These are not baby red wigglers as you might think, but rather a different breed of worm known as the pot worm. Let's learn more about pot worms in compost.

What are Pot Worms?

If you're wondering what pot worms are, they're simply another organism that eats waste and gives aeration to the soil or compost around it. White worms in compost aren't directly a danger to anything in your bin, but they do thrive on conditions that the red wigglers don't like. 

If your compost pile is completely infested with pot worms and you want to lower their population, you'll have to change the conditions of the compost itself. Finding pot worms in compost means the other beneficial worms aren't doing as well as they should, so changing the conditions of the compost itself can change the worm population.

Where Do Pot Worms Come From?

All healthy garden soil has worms, but most gardeners are only familiar with the common red wiggler worm. So where do pot worms come from? They were there all along, but only a tiny fraction of what you see during an infestation. 

Once the conditions for pot worms gets hospitable, they multiply in alarming amounts. They won't directly harm any other worms in the compost, but what is comfortable for a pot worm is not as good for common wiggler worms. Dry out the compost heap by turning the pile frequently, skipping watering for a week or so and covering it with a tarp when rain threatens. 

Even the moistest compost will begin to dry out after a few days of this treatment. Change the pH balance of the compost by adding some lime or phosphorus to the pile. 

Sprinkle wood ashes in among the compost materials, add some powdered lime (like that made for lining baseball fields) or crush up eggshells into a fine powder and sprinkle them all through the compost. The pot worm population should decline immediately.

If you're looking for a temporary fix until the other conditions are met, soak a piece of stale bread in some milk and lay it on the compost pile. The worms will pile onto the bread, which can then be removed and discarded.

A healthy compost pile needs to be kept up all year long, even in the cold, dark days of winter. The decomposition process does slow some when composting during winter as the temperature drops, but bacteria, molds, and mites all survive and need energy to do their jobs. Winter composting requires a little preparation but is a manageable activity for most gardeners. Keep reading to learn more about compost in winter.

Preparation Tips for Composting During Winter

It is best to empty compost bins of all usable compost prior to the onset of winter. Use the compost around your garden, in your raised beds, or transfer to a dry container with a lid for use in the spring. Harvesting the compost before starting your winter compost heap will free up space for the new compost. Keeping the bin warm is important if you live in an area that has harsh winter temperatures and strong winds. Pile straw or hay bales around your bin or packed leaf bags. This will ensure that all of the beneficial critters in the compost will stay toasty all winter long.

Managing Compost Over Winter

The same concept for managing your winter compost heap applies like any other time, with layers of browns and greens. The best compost piles layer green kitchen scraps, fresh garden waste, etc. with browns that include straw, newspaper, and dead leaves. The only difference with winter composting is that you do not have to turn the pile as much. Frequent turning of the winter compost heap may result in heat escape, so it is best to keep turning to a minimum. Since the cold weather slows down decomposition, reducing the size of your compost pieces helps. Chop up food scraps before placing them in the winter compost bin and shred up leaves with a mower before adding them to the pile. Keep the pile moist but not soggy. When spring arrives, the pile may be very wet, especially if it has frozen over the winter. A good way to combat excess moisture is to add in some more browns to absorb the water. Winter Composting Tip - So that you don't have to make as many trips to the compost pile in the cold, keep a compost bucket with a tight-fitting lid in your kitchen or outside your back door. With proper layering, there should be very little odor and scraps will be partially decomposed by the time they reach the main compost pile.

Bacteria are found in every living habitat on earth and play an essential role with regards to composting. In fact, without compost bacteria, there would be no compost, or life on planet earth for that matter.

Beneficial bacteria found in garden compost are the garbage collectors of the earth, cleaning up trash and creating a useful product. Bacteria are able to survive extreme conditions where other life forms crumble. In nature, compost exists in areas such as the forest, where compost-enhancing bacteria decompose organic matter like tree and animal droppings.

When learning how to compost, you need to know that putting beneficial bacteria to work in the home garden is an environmentally friendly practice that is well worth the effort.

The Job of Compost Bacteria

Beneficial bacteria found in garden compost are busy breaking down matter and creating carbon dioxide and heat. The temperature of compost can get up to 140 degrees F. (60 C.) due to these heat-loving microorganisms. Compost-enhancing bacteria work around the clock and in all sorts of conditions to break down organic material. Once decomposed, this rich, organic dirt is used in the garden to enhance existing soil conditions and improve the overall health of plants that are grown there.

What Type of Bacteria is in Compost?

When it comes to the topic of compost bacteria, you may ask yourself, “What type of bacteria is in compost?” Well, there are many different kinds of bacteria in compost piles (far too many to name), each needing specific conditions and the right type of organic matter to do their job. Some of the more common compost bacteria include:

• There are cold-hardy bacteria, known as psychrophiles, which keep working even when temperatures dip below freezing.
• Mesophiles thrive at warmer temperatures between 70 degrees F. and 90 degrees F. (21-32 C.). These bacteria are known as the aerobic powerhouses and do the majority of the work in decomposition.
• When temperatures in the compost piles soar over 10 degrees F. (37 C.), thermophiles take over. Thermophilic bacteria raise the temperature in the pile high enough to kill weed seeds that may be present.

Helping Bacteria in Compost Piles

We can help bacteria in compost piles by adding the right ingredients to our compost heaps and by regularly turning our pile to increase oxygen, which supports decomposition. While compost-enhancing bacteria do most of the work for us in our compost pile, we must be diligent about how we create and maintain our pile to produce the best conditions possible for them to do their jobs. A good mixture of browns and greens and proper aeration will make bacteria found in garden compost very happy and speed up the composting process.