Backyard Composting 101
Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.
Spring is here and the weather was absolutely beautiful. Over the weekend our family spent some time getting the garden planted. For us that means amending the soil in our planter boxes with the organic compost we have been making over the past 12 months. Compost is what you get when yard and garden debris, kitchen scraps and other organic materials have completely broken down into a rich, dark, crumbly material. Composting is a simple way to add nutrients to the soil to fuel plant growth and restores vitality to depleted earth. The best part is it’s free, easy to make and good for the environment. Our family began composting a few years back as a science experiment for the children. We found it to be so rewarding we have continued the process. If you have never composted before, here are some tips and information to help you get started.
Compost Bins
Compost bins come in a variety of shapes and sizes and can be purchased in stores or online or made at home. Choose a bin based on space, functionality and your family’s needs. My personal choice is the compost tumbler for a couple of reasons. Number one, it keeps animals out and secondly it is easier to turn your compost. They also tend to be neat and clean and nearly odor free. However, contrary to the advertising you see from manufacturers of these bins, I do not believe it significantly reduces the time it takes for compost to break down. We built our own tumbler bins using screw-top 55 gallon drums and 6 inch pvc pipe open to the ground to allow earthworms access to the compost.
What To Compost
Paper napkins, paper towels, shredded cardboard, wood ashes, tea bags, shredded newspaper, pine needles, leaves, pet hair, hair clippings, potash, wood chips, dryer lint, hay, popcorn, fish scraps and bones, spices, herbs, vegetables, fruit, coffee filters, coffee grounds, egg shells seaweed, kelp, grass clippings, potato peels, weeds, rabbit, horse, goat, cow or chicken manure, bird cage cleanings and feathers, houseplant trimmings, garden soil, blood meal, moss, soy milk, tree bark, nut shells and more…
What Should Not Be Composted
Cooking oil, diseased plants, heavily coated or printed paper (like magazines or catalogs), human or animal feces, meat products, dairy products, cooked rice (some say this is okay but I have found it leads to unwanted mold), sawdust from any treated wood, stubborn perennial garden weeds, and walnuts.
Composting Instructions
For kitchen wastes, keep a container with a lid under the sink or find an attractive canister with a tight sealing lid for the counter-top. Kitchen compost pails with an air filter, can be purchased online. If you don’t mind occasional smells, use an old ice-cream pail. Chop up any large chunks before you toss them in. When the container is full, take it out to your compost pile.
With yard and garden wastes, different composting materials will decompose at different rates but they will all break down eventually. If you want to speed up the composting process, chop the larger material into smaller pieces. Leaves and grass clippings are should be sprinkled into the bin with other materials, or put on in thin layers to keep them from clumping or matting.
Compost should be kept moist, but not wet. Every few weeks give the pile a quick turn with a pitchfork or shovel. This aerates the pile. Oxygen is required for the process to work, and turning “adds” oxygen. You can skip this step if you have a ready supply of coarse material, like straw. This process is much simpler if you have chosen to use a rotating compost tumbler.
Why Compost?
Compost loosens clay soils and helps sandy soils retain water. Adding compost improves soil fertility and stimulates healthy root development in plants. The organic matter provided in compost provides food for microorganisms, which keeps the soil in a healthy, balanced condition. Nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus will be produced naturally by the feeding of microorganisms, so few if any soil amendments will need to be added. Here’s to your new green thumb!
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