Composting At Home

How to Compost at Home

What is compost & composting?

Composting is the natural breakdown of organic materials by soil organisms. Finished compost is a dark, crumbly, earthy smelling material called humus.

What are the benefits of humus?

Compost returns organic material to the soil as humus. It improves the structure of sandy or clay soils by breaking up clay or filling out sandy soil. The result is improved water retention and nutrient delivery to the plants. Over time humus helps reduce ground-borne diseases. Money is saved by not purchasing artifical supplements or pesticides.

Composting kitchen, yard and garden waste reduces the volume of garbage by as much as 30%.

What goes in?

Green Material (Nitrogen)

kitchen waste - vegetable and fruit scraps, egg shells, stale bread, pasta, rice, tea bags and coffee grounds with filters and serviettes
garden and yard waste
grass clippings (We recommend you leave cut grass on the lawn)

Brown Material (Carbon)

leaves
straw/hay
sawdust (not wood chips)
well shredded paper
shredded egg cartons & cardboard boxes

Add just a little of:

pine needles
pine cones
walnut leaves

What does not go in?

pet manure and litter
children's play sand, diapers
diseased plants from the garden or house. The heat of the compost may not kill diseases.
meat/fish or bone
fats/oils
dairy products, eggs, peanut butter - (these materials break down more slowly than plant materials and may attract pests or cause odour)

How to do it?

Collect your kitchen scraps in a bucket/container with a lid. Chop into 1" pieces.
Locate a secluded space in your yard; a shaded area is preferable.
Construct or purchase a compost bin, or several bins, depending on the amount of yard and kitchen waste produced.
At the bottom of the bin put down a layer (10 cm) of brown material such as leaves, straw, hay or sawdust. (Shredded newspaper can be used if these aren't available). Add a handful of soil.
Periodically, take your container of kitchen scraps and empty it onto the layer of material in your bin. Spread evenly.
IMPORTANT: Always cover additions of food waste with 3-6 cm layer of brown material. No more soil is needed.
Repeat this process (steps 5 & 6) until the pile is about one meter high.
At this point mix the accumulated material with a garden fork or turning tool. Water as needed to keep the pile moist.
Continue to mix the pile every 10-14 days. Add new material to the centre of the pile or to a second pile if available.
During the winter months do steps 5 and 6. (Save fall leaves for step 6.) Start mixing again in the spring when the pile has thawed.

No-fuss composting

There are other ways to compost if you want to help the environment but do not need humus or are in no hurry to have humus.

If you want to compost to help the environment, buy a digester, install it and put your kitchen waste in it. Add a thin layer of sawdust after each deposit of waste.
If you want to compost yard waste only, add yard waste to your bin or pile as it becomes available. Allow rain water to moisten the pile. In one year or so the material at the bottom and centre is ready.

How can I use compost?

To improve the soil and nutrient content in: flower and vegetable beds, house plants, plant boxes, and around shrubs and trees.
When compost is screened (made finer), it can be used as part of a seed starter mix.
As lawn top-dressing.
Even if you live in an apartment and have few houseplants, composted kitchen waste makes a great gift for a gardener.

Problems and Solutions

If ... the composter has a bad odour
... it does not have enough air or is too wet. Turn it, mixing outside to inside or add brown materials.

If ... the centre of the pile is dry
... Add water until the pile is as moist as a wrung out sponge.

If ... the compost is damp and warm in the middle but nowhere else
... the pile is too small. Collect more material. Mix old and new materials creating a new pile.

If ... the heap is damp and sweet smelling but will not heat up
... it lacks nitrogen. Mix in a natural nitrogen source like fresh grass clippings, or more kitchen materials.

If ... there are insects hovering around
... this probably isn't a problem, but by covering newly added "wet" materials with brown material, they'll bug off.

If ... the pile is dug and disturbed
... animals may be getting into the pile. If this concerns you, keep a tight-fitting or hinged lid on the pile. Make sure you don't add meat or fat to the pile. Reconstruct the pile, installing wire mesh, cement or slab stones at or below the ground level.

For more information

Thames Regional Ecological Association (TREA) for speakers & information on composting call TREA at 672-5991. TREA meets the first Thursday of each month at Grosvenor Lodge, 1017 Western Road, London.

Become a MasterComposter. Call 672-5991.

The publication of this information was made possible by a grant from the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Energy. The views and ideas expressed herein are those of the Thames Region Ecological Association and do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Ministry of the Environment and Energy.