Composting: What, Where, When, Why and How

Ok this is going to sound a bit corny but there are people out there who don't know what compost is and is not. First, we are going to discuss what compost and composting are. For those of you who don't know what compost and composting are, let's start there. Compost is broken down organic material that can be used to amend your soil. Composting is the managed breakdown of organic materials to make compost. That being said, it sounds fairly easy, but to do it right, we need to go into a little more detail.

First, you need to understand what you should and should not compost. I'll start with what you should compost. Then, I'll discuss what you should not compost.

What do I need to make a good compost?

1. Greens. By greens I mean food scraps (note: not all food scraps. More on that in a bit) like vegetables and fruits, egg shells, coffee grounds, tea bags and grass cuttings.

2. Browns. This means things like dead leaves, dryer lint, brown paper towels, compostable/brown paper bags, brown cardboard, and napkins. Be sure to break greens and browns into smaller pieces to help break them down.

3. Water. You want it moist but not sopping wet.

4. Air. How you add air depends on your composter.

What should I NOT compost?

Citrus fruit, meat scraps, dairy, and baked goods draw rodents, plus anything with added sugar draws ants. Some people have composted clothing but I would not recommend this as you don't know about chemicals being added to it.

Weeds that have already flowered. The reason being is if it has produced seeds, you do not want to produce more weeds.

Next, you'll have to choose a composter. This will depend on the location and purpose of the composter. For example, you do not NEED a compost bin if it is outdoors. You could build a compost pit. However, if you're composting indoors, you might want to purchase a mini composter with compostable compost bags that eliminate odors, like the one I purchased on Amazon a few months back. We use it as a holding place for our compost until we can move it out to one of our outdoor composters.

If you are outdoors, you have an array of choices. I've seen, as I mentioned earlier, a compost pit. Growing up we had a homemade compost bin made of sheet metal. It had to be stirred manually. Some people have even just made a pile that they turned and watered every few days. Our current composter is a metal garbage can, but as it's 2 or 3 years old, it's starting to rust. That being said, we are transitioning to two new composters. 

We selected these two for several reasons:

1. They're plastic, so they're less likely to rust. We just have to remember not to overload them.

2. There are vents on the sides that allow air flow, and we can tumble it instead of taking a shovel or spade and stirring it up.

3. It's off the ground.

4. It closes, so it's less likely to attract rodents.

5. 43 gallons is a lot, but one of our previous composters was bigger...like 80 something gallons but at this price point we could have one compost bin cooking and start a second, third and fourth bin if needed.

6. We could move one composter closer to the house in the event of bad weather.

But where am I going to put my composter? Well, again it depends. If we are talking about an indoor composter, they can be placed on a kitchen counter, under the sink...you can place them on the floor next to the trash can if you like (this us where we place ours). But if it's an outdoor compost bin, you'll want to choose a place where you can get about 8 hours of sun since you will be cooking it.

That isn't a typo. You'll be cooking it. The ideal temperature for compost is between 90° and 140° F (32° and 60° C). You'll need to invest in a soil thermometer similar to this one:

A good rule of thumb is to check the temperature when you turn it. Just be sure that you don't do it after you water it.

And speaking of turning and watering compost...turn it when the temperature is over 160°F. Anything over that kills beneficial microbes that are breaking down your compost. Otherwise, it's okay to turn it once a week. Also, turn it if it gets too wet. This will help dry it out a bit. And if it appears that everything is breaking down quickly, turn it every 3 or 4 days.

Which leads me to my final points. Water. Water it at least once a week in hot weather. It should feel like a wrung out sponge. Too dry, those microbes breaking down your compost die. Too wet, your system becomes anaerobic and STINKY. And soil...you will need to add it when you start an outdoor bin. The soil has microbes that will help break down the compost. You could also use a compost starter, like this one: 

When it's all said and done, there are 2 ways that I like to incorporate compost into the garden...and we are using both methods to remove the compost from the existing compost bin. I like to use my first method when I am building a garden bed. The bottom layer of the bed is usually a tarp or piece of cardboard. This is to help control grass in the bed. I then place the bed on the tarp or cardboard. I use a shovel or my favorite spade (we have 2, a big one and a little one, and the little one is the favored one) and use it to remove the compost from the bin. Use a rake to spread it out. Repeat until the entire bottom is covered in compost. Then add as much soil as you like, level it out and start planting. This keeps it from stinking, plus the plants get an extra boost from it. The other method is simple. Get it out with a shovel or spade, level it out, then take a tiller and till it into the ground.

Either way, the compost will continue to break down, and with it being covered, it's less likely to attract rodents.

I know it's a lot, but once you get past what you can and can't compost, it gets easier. It does.

Happy gardening!