Are you new to composting and need help figuring out where to start? Home composting is the best way to allow nature to turn leftover scraps into a rich fertilizer, and it’s easier to do than you think. Find out how to start a compost pile with the proper materials in a few steps.
Many are intimidated by the composting process and have a variety of questions. For example, where should you put a compost bin? What material do you add to the pile? How does it turn scrap debris into usable compost?
Learn the answers to these common questions and more. As complicated as composting sounds, it’s pretty straightforward. A compost pile is a way to recycle compostable material by speeding up decomposition through moisture and heat.
Composting reduces waste, resulting in healthy compost for gardening and lawn maintenance. Add the compost fertilizer to your potted plants and flower or veggie bed soil, and watch your plants flourish.
Composting Made Easy
Experienced gardeners are well aware of the benefits of composting. Compost piles reduce yard and food waste and enrich the soil with necessary minerals. Fortunately, starting a compost pile is simple, whether creating a compost heap or using a compost tumbler.
The greatest thing about composting is that you do not need special tools or equipment. All that’s required is a little time and effort. Throw the proper compost material into a pile, turn and water it occasionally, and you eventually end up with lawn fertilizer.
Learn about the different composting methods and how to make a compost pile by gathering brown and green materials. Find out how to maintain your compost pile throughout the season, and turn the kitchen scraps, grass clippings, fallen leaves, and other compost ingredients into finished compost.
What to Know About Starting a Compost Pile
You’re probably eager to learn how to make a compost pile. Yet, before you get started, it’s vital to understand the differences between compost types and techniques. Learn various compost methods to determine which one suits your conditions.
Composting Types
The best way to start composting at home is to choose the perfect composter for your requirements. Indoor composters are ideal if you don’t have a yard. These compact units sit on a counter or floor, occupying little space.
On the other hand, a compost bin, tumbler, or pile is suitable if you have a backyard space. All you have to do is position them in a well-draining, semi-shaded lawn area.
There are also different ways to compost; cold, hot, and vermicomposting. Cold composting is the simplest form since little work is necessary. Yet, this type takes longer to produce a finished product. Hot composting speeds up the process with heat, and vermicomposting utilizes worms to break down organic materials.
How to Make a Compost Pile With Proper Materials
Starting a compost pile is relatively easy if you layer the heap with the right green and brown materials. Learn the difference between greens and browns and which items to avoid composting for optimal results.
Brown material consists of carbon-rich materials, providing energy to microorganisms. Browns include dry leaves, pine needles, straw, hay, twigs, branches, pine cones, dryer lint, used paper coffee filters, cardboard, and wood chips.
Greens contain nitrogen, providing amino acids and proteins to bacteria and fungi. Fruit and vegetable peels, coffee grounds, tea bags, eggshells, stale bread, cooked rice, pasta, and other kitchen waste are green materials. Weeds, grass clippings, and other yard waste are also good to put in a compost pile.
Do not put plastic, styrofoam, treated wood, pet or human waste, oil, or chemically treated items in the compost heap. These materials contaminate the compost and are harmful to your lawn and garden. In addition, avoid placing Bermuda grass, quackgrass, crabgrass, oxalis, morning glory, and buttercups into the pile, which spread weed seeds over the lawn.
How to Start a Compost Pile
Once you pick your favorite composter and understand which materials are perfect for the pile or bin, it’s time to start composting. Discover how to make your own compost by layering brown and green material.
To build a compost pile in the yard, clear a space in a part-sun area and expose the soil. Setting up the heap in a sunny or shady area is possible, but full sun hastens the composting process.
Place a few inches of twigs or straw over the dirt and add layers of brown and green organic matter. Make sure to chop the materials into small pieces, and do not leave food waste on the top of the heap, which draws bugs and rodents. Add a handful of nitrogen fertilizer if you want to jump-start the pile.
Toss in a layer of green plant material, food scraps, and kitchen waste, and top that with dried leaves and other brown organic waste. Layer three to four parts brown and one part green in the compost heap for best results.
Keep the compost pile five feet tall and wide to ensure it is manageable. This compost size allows you to maintain the compost without problems while providing enough fertilizer for the garden. Of course, you can always start a second compost pile.
Maintaining a Compost Pile
Composting is pretty basic. However, after you layer your compost pile with greens and browns, there are a few other steps. Unless you’re cold composting, turning and watering your compost is essential to ensure you get healthy finished compost.
Water the pile a little at a time and only when necessary. When you squeeze it in your hands, the compost matter should feel like a damp sponge. Too much water decreases air circulation, and not enough slows the decomposition rate.
For hot composting, turn the heap every three to four days to allow the compost center to heat up. Turning provides aeration, which gives oxygen to the microbes. The compost pile must reach 140°F for one to three hours to kill most weed seeds.
If you have a cold compost pile, less turning is necessary. Use a fork or shovel to turn the material once every couple of weeks. Vermicomposting doesn’t need turning since the worms do the job for you.
Cover your pile with a large tarp if you expect rain. Covering the compost reduces foul smells and keeps vermin and insect pests away from the heap. Cold compost is ready in six months to a year, hot composting takes four to six months, and vermicomposting is completed in about six to eight weeks.
The simplest way to tell if the compost is ready is to grab a handful. It should be crumbly, dark brown, and smell like earth. At this point, the compost is ready for adding to the lawn, garden, or containers.
Nothing is more satisfying than spreading healthy compost over a new bed, and it’s even better when it comes from your composting pile. Composting turns leaves, yard trimmings, and leftover food into material beneficial for healthy plant growth, and it cuts down on waste.
We hope you enjoyed reading how to start a compost pile, and we’d love it if you’d share our composting guide for beginners with your gardening friends on Pinterest and Facebook.