This post contains affiliate links. I may make a small commission if you click a link and make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
Composting at home is a rewarding and sustainable practice that transforms kitchen and yard waste into nutrient-rich soil for your garden. Not only does it reduce waste headed to landfills, but it also enhances your garden’s health and productivity. In this article, we’ll walk you through what we do to compost at home, providing you with everything you need to know to get started and succeed.
First Steps: Learning About Composting with The Rosales Book of Composting
The most useful information about composting that I have ever read came from The Rodale Book of Composting, a comprehensive guide to understanding and implementing effective composting practices. Authored by Grace Gershuny and Deborah L. Martin, the book offers a wealth of information for both beginners and experienced composters. It covers various aspects of composting, including the science behind the process, different composting methods, troubleshooting common issues, and utilizing compost in gardening and soil improvement. I highly recommend it to any person interested in a practical guide to composting!
Here are some of the key points from the book.
1. Balancing Materials
Achieve a balance between “green” nitrogen-rich materials (like kitchen scraps, coffee grounds) and “brown” carbon-rich materials (such as leaves, straw, and paper). This balance is crucial for optimal decomposition.
2. Aeration
Regularly turn or mix your compost pile to introduce oxygen, which speeds up decomposition and helps prevent foul odors.
3. Moisture Control
Maintain adequate moisture levels, similar to a wrung-out sponge. Add water if it’s too dry or dry materials if it’s too wet. Proper moisture ensures a thriving microbial community.
4. Layering
Alternate layers of green and brown materials for efficient composting. This layering helps maintain a healthy carbon-to-nitrogen ratio.
5. Size Matters
Cut or shred larger materials to accelerate breakdown. Smaller pieces provide more surface area for microbes to work on.
6. Temperature
Composting generates heat as microorganisms break down organic matter. A properly functioning pile will heat up, which is a sign of active decomposition.
7. Pest Prevention
Cover kitchen scraps with a layer of browns (leaves, straw) to discourage pests and rodents from being attracted to your compost pile.
8. Things to Avoid
Do not add meat, dairy, oily foods, or pet waste to your compost pile, as they can attract pests and slow down decomposition. Also avoid treated lawn clippings.
9. Patience
Composting takes time. Depending on the conditions and methods, it may take several months to a year to produce finished compost.
10. Use of Compost
Once your compost is dark, crumbly, and earthy-smelling, it’s ready to enrich your garden soil, improve plant health, and reduce the need for synthetic fertilizers.
Our Compost Setup
We use a simple but effective setup to compost our household and yard waste. Inside our kitchen, we use a stainless steel countertop compost bucket to collect scraps as we cook. It sits right next to our kitchen sink and is incredibly easy to clean. We never have issues with bad smells since we empty it into our yard compost bin daily, wash it regularly, and change the lid filters on a regular basis.
Outside, we use two different bins to ensure a good balance of “brown” and “green” materials. One bin is an open-air bin from Geobin that holds our yard waste, including leaves and grass clippings and our rabbit’s leavings.
In the other bin, which has a lid to deter pests like raccoons, we layer our kitchen waste and add yard waste as appropriate to keep the two types of materials balanced. This other bin, made by Redmon has great air flow from side vents and opens at the bottom to retrieve the fully processed compost.
Bottom Line
Composting at home is a satisfying endeavor that merges sustainability, gardening, and science. By following these guidelines and understanding the symbiotic relationship between microorganisms and organic matter, you’ll create nutrient-rich compost that revitalizes your garden and cuts down in your trash production.