In this post I’d like to touch on five main topics:
- What compost is
- What the common types of composting are
- What to add and avoid adding to your compost
- How to compost
- Common Compost Q & A or FAQ.
What is Compost?
Compost is a mixture of organic materials, or organic materials and soil, that have been allowed to decompose to a form that is semi-stable and ready for the garden. The result is an amendment that can be used as a mulch, as an addition to native soils, or as a low analysis organic fertilizer.
Hot (thermophilic) compost, compost tumblers, vermicompost, counter-top composters, which is best? The one that you have space for and will actively maintain is best! I’ve had success and failures with each of these, and any failures were always due to my lack of attention. What needs considered when starting to compost in each manner?
For all methods you need:
- Good Aeration
- Adequate Moisture
- Organic inputs
- Time
Common Organic Inputs to Add to Compost
- Shredded Leaves
- Grass Clippings
- Kitchen Scraps
- Wood chips and small branches
What not to Add?
- Dog or cat feces
- Human manure
- Meat scraps (I add these occasionally in a large hot compost pile, the only downside is the attraction of pests/animals)
- Plastics or wrappers
- Weed seeds
- Glossy or coated paper
Hot Compost
To successfully hot compost, you’ll generally need more space than with the other methods that will be described. Depending on your stream of organic inputs, you may not produce enough organic ‘waste’ to have a successful hot compost pile. As a general rule of thumb, you’ll want to have the pile at least 3 ft x 3 ft x 3 ft to produce enough heat to fully finish the compost. I think of this size as making a cube with four standard pallets. Probably my favorite method is the three-bin pallet composter, as shown below, where compost is transferred between bins as it matures or as you turn it.
Once you’ve chosen a location, preferably a shaded or partly sunny area with good drainage, it’s simply time to get started. To be successful, just add your organic additions (ideally 3-4 parts ‘brown’ materials to 1 part ‘green material), keep moist, and turn regularly using a garden fork, shovel, or pitch fork. In low humidity and warmer climates or seasons you’ll likely need to add water occasionally. In high rainfall areas you may want to cover your pile to ensure it doesn’t get too wet and become anaerobic which could lead to bad odors and can hinder decomposition. Ultimately, you want the compost to be moist, but not wet. When you grab a handful of compost and squeeze it, a few drops should come out, but water shouldn’t run out. A compost pile shouldn’t stink or smell anaerobic, if it does, add more dry ‘brown’ material such as leaves or shredded paper. One strategy is to add mesh over the top of your bins to help sieve out lager particles. Below is an example of the available nutrients from some of our finished hot compost.
Compost Tumbler
These barrels sure do make it easy to turn your compost compared to a pitchfork, shovel, or garden fork. To be successful add your material and turn regularly. I typically just turn it multiple times after each addition. When choosing a compost tumbler, be certain that it has drainage holes for excess water and air exchange. If you find your compost getting too wet, simply add some ‘brown’ material such as dried leaves, shredded paper, pine needles, or even sawdust. If you’re high in those materials, add some ‘green’ material such as kitchen scraps or grass clippings. You can target about 3 -4 parts brown materials to one part green materials for optimal breakdown. I always like to add a couple handfuls of finished compost and a couple handfuls of native soil to each batch in the tumbler to act as an inoculant of sorts to jump start the process. Below is an image of a compost tumbler as well as the soil test results showing the available nutrients from one of our recent batches.
Vermicompost
Vermicomposting is the use of worms, primarily red wigglers, to produce compost. I use vermicomposting for the bulk of our kitchen scraps and one bin is enough for a household of four if it is active. When done correctly, there is nearly no odor and no pesky bugs, however, if the vermicompost bin is overloaded, you may see many small insects. So how do you vermicompost? There are many different options, pre-made or DIY, but functionally you add worm bedding (coco coir, shredded paper, shredded cardboard) to a bin, ensuring that there is drainage, add a small amount of finished compost, and then some grit or native soil. I then keep moist and let it begin naturally composting for about two weeks before adding the red wiggler worms. Most distributors of red wigglers can help you determine how many worms you will need for your bin size. The grit and native soil addition is to help the worms grind down the food. Now you just need to add kitchen scraps. Check out this video for more information! DIY Vermicompost Free Homemade Fertilizer
Here's a soil test report showing the available nutrients from one of my vermicompost batches.
Counter Top Composters
If you don’t have the space for one of the above options, you can go with a relatively new-to-market countertop composter. There are several brands, but the one I am most familiar with is the Lomi. To operate these, you simply add your food scraps (and maybe a pod to assist in breakdown) to the bucket, push a button, and wait until the cycle is done. That’s it. This machine will first heat and grind the food waste, then monitor the moisture level and temperature, ensuring optimal conditions for microbes to get to work. You can then add the finished product to your containers, beds, or garden. This is great if you are short on space, such as in apartments, but have a container garden. In my experience, the Lomi is pretty quiet and produces a nutrient-rich finished product; you can see the soil test results below.
Common Compost Questions
Q: How can I make my additions breakdown faster?
A: Assuming you are maintaining the appropriate moisture and aeration already, you can shred, chop, or otherwise make your organic inputs smaller in size. This smaller size will create more surface area for the microorganisms to work on. You could also add more ‘green’ material if you notice a compost that is imbalanced on the ‘brown’ side.
Q: When can I harvest my compost?
A: Compost is ready when it is dark, crumbly, earthy-smelling, and no recognizable food bits remain, usually in 3–6 months with active management, or up to a year if left untended if hot composting. Vermicomposting and tumbler composting accelerate this timeline, and counter top composters finish in less than 24 hours. Ideally, let finished compost mature for a few weeks before use.
Q: How often should I turn my compost pile?
A: Turning every few weeks, or when the internal temperature drops, helps aerate and accelerate the decomposition process. More frequent turning (weekly) can further speed up the process, but isn’t necessarily imperative.
Q: Can I compost weeds or plants with seeds?
A: Compost weeds or plants with seeds only if your pile heats up to a temperature of at 140 F or 60 C. This would be considered a ‘hot pile’ and will kill the weed seeds. If the pile does not get hot enough for long enough, these seeds are likely to germinate when the compost is applied.
Q: Do I need a ‘starter’ or ‘activator’?
A: Activators or starter such as finished compost, manure, or some native soil can help get decomposition started more quickly, but are not considered to be required. Using the correct proportions of ‘greens’ and ‘browns’ while maintaining good moisture and aeration is all that’s needed to get started composting.
Q: Can I add coffee grounds to compost?
A: Yes, coffee grounds, although brown in color, act as a ‘green’ because they are high in nitrogen. Limit coffee grounds to no more than 20% of the total volume. This is especially important if using in a vermicompost system.
Q: Why isn’t my compost pile breaking down?
A: It is most likely too dry, has too few greens (too little nitrogen), or needs more frequent turning or more water.
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