
How To Compost: A Guide on Making Your Own, Fresh Soil
Have you ever had leftover vegetable scraps or even tea bags, and wondered if there are better uses for them, than just tossing them? If so, composting could be the solution for you. Composting is a straightforward process where organic everyday materials are mixed together and stored to gradually create soil. In this guide, we will cover each of the steps involved in composting, so you can start making your own, fresh soil today.
Composting inside vs. outside? Where to store your compost?
Before you start, it’s important to decide first where you are going to start your compost project. Depending on the area you live in, there can be advantages and disadvantages between composting inside vs. outside. Composting indoors can be more convenient since you might not have to go very far from your kitchen, each time you add to your indoor bin. On the other hand, composting outside can allow the sun and naturally-occurring moisture to help process your compost. Either way, composting outside vs. inside both follow similar steps.
After you have decided on composting inside or outside, you get to pick where to store the compost. If you want to compost outside, you can use an old waste bin or a store-bought compost bin. Alternatively, you can consider making composting piles, where instead of a bin, you mix composting materials into large piles in your backyard, so the sun and local wildlife can work on them. Composting piles can be more convenient for bigger composting projects, but you need to make sure you have enough space in your yard. Lastly, you can purchase rotating compost barrels, which are designed specifically for mixing large amounts of compost outside.
If you want to compost inside, you may want to consider buying a kitchen compost bin, which are made to fit in tight kitchen spaces. When purchasing a compost bin for indoors, make sure it has a lid for covering the compost. This can help manage any potential issues with pests that are interested in your compost.
What’s a good starting compost mix? What materials work for composting? What materials to avoid adding?
In general, a good starting composting mixture is made of about 50% green’s, 30% brown's, and 20% other starting materials.
For the green’s or green matter, the focus is on adding nitrogen dense materials like tea bags and grass clippings.
Green’s List (50%):
- tea bags
- grass clippings
- coffee grounds
- vegetable scraps
- clippings from pruning plants
- withered flowers
- foliage debris
- herb stems
- vegetable scraps
- & many more
For the brown’s or brown matter, you need to add carbon rich materials. Common brown’s are shredded cardboard, splintered twigs, and fallen leaves. For more project ideas on using leaves and other yard waste, check out this post.
Brown’s List (30%):
- shredded cardboard
- splintered twigs
- fallen leaves
- shredded paper bags
- straw
- wood chips
- sawdust
- shredded newspaper
- & many more
Just mixing green’s and brown’s together can be enough to start composting, but if you want to speed up the process, there are additional steps you can take. For example, many greens, like plant stalks, already contain water, but you may need to add more water until the entire mixture is lightly soaked. Moisture is important for decomposers to survive in the compost, and adding extra water can prevent the compost from drying out. Additionally, you can also add some base soil and a small amount of nitrogen-rich, fertilizer to help start the composting process.
Other Starting Materials (about 20%):
- added water or moisture (5%)
- base soil (10%)
- concentrated fertilizer (5% or less)
There is also a list of ingredients that you need to avoid adding. Following these precautions not only makes a healthier compost, but it also prevents the compost from attracting pests or spreading weeds. Below is a list of common composting materials to leave out.
Common Materials to Avoid:
- animal meat, bones, and grease
- diseased plant parts
- pesticide-treated plants
- flowering weeds
- noxious weeds
Starting your first composting project is a lot like trying a new cooking recipe, and you just need to find the right ingredients to get started. To make a good starting compost mix, try to aim for a balanced mixture of brown’s, green’s, and other starting materials. You can always add more materials to the mixture later, if you change your mind about what to include. It may take some time for the composting process to work, but eventually the materials should break down until you’re left with fresh, earthy soil.