Discovering effective ways to create compost at home is accessible to everyone, regardless of whether you have an expansive estate nestled in lush green surroundings or reside in a cozy condo with a view of the sunset in the vibrant city of Rochester, New York, USA. In this guide, we’ll delve into some of the most popular composting methods and their unique attributes.

Hot and Cold Composting

As the name implies, hot composting relies on elevated temperatures to expedite the decomposition of organic matter. This method requires maintaining high temperatures, typically between 140 to 160°F, within the core of the compost pile. This heat not only accelerates decomposition but also helps eliminate pathogens and weed seeds.

Achieving hot composting success necessitates careful control of the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio, moisture levels, and oxygen supply. The process primarily involves the activity of aerobic bacteria.

Hot composting is an excellent choice if you’re willing to invest time and effort into managing your compost bin and need quality compost quickly. It requires regular turning of the compost piles, vigilant monitoring of moisture levels, and insulation during colder weather. Hot composting can be effectively executed both indoors and outdoors.

On the other hand, cold composting is a less demanding, albeit slower, approach. With cold composting, you can simply build a compost pile and allow it to decompose at its own pace, sometimes over the course of a year. Initially, decomposition is aerobic, with mild heating. Subsequently, oxygen levels diminish, and anaerobic bacteria take over.

If your priority is not speed but you’re content with waiting for compost for your garden, lawn, or flower pots, then cold composting is a viable option. It’s essential to exercise caution regarding what materials you introduce to your compost pile, as cold composting does not effectively eliminate pathogens and weed seeds. Additionally, it may produce a noticeable odor, making it unsuitable for indoor composting.

Vermicomposting

Vermicomposting, also known as bio-composting, stands out as a favored method that employs worms to facilitate the decomposition of organic waste. It offers a rapid and convenient way to recycle kitchen scraps, particularly for those considering an indoor compost bin.

Vermicomposting boasts the advantage of being odorless, and worm bins are typically compact and fit comfortably under sinks, on balconies, or in basements.

Within the vermicomposting process, enzymes found in red worms break down organic materials. These worms consume food waste and excrete nutrient-rich compost, often referred to as vermicompost or worm castings. Additionally, the process generates worm leachate, a liquid that drains from the bin during composting. This leachate can be diluted at a 1:100 ratio with water and used as a fertilizer.

For those interested in starting vermicomposting, you can conveniently purchase Red Wiggler worms online from reputable sources like Uncle Jim’s Worm Farm, Amazon, Arcadia Garden, Home Depot, and other home and garden stores.

Bokashi “Composting”

While popular among apartment dwellers seeking organic fertilizer from food scraps, the Bokashi method differs from traditional composting. Instead of decomposition, it relies on the fermentation of food waste by anaerobic microorganisms. The process is accelerated through the addition of an activating solution known as Bokashi bran.

After a two-week fermentation period, the resulting product can be incorporated into garden soil a few weeks before planting or added to an outdoor compost bin. The Bokashi method excels at composting foods such as eggs, dairy, and meat. During fermentation, it also produces a byproduct called “compost tea” or “Bokashi tea,” which can be diluted with water at a 1:100 ratio and used as a fertilizer.

Bokashi kits are readily available online through platforms like Amazon, Walmart, and various home and garden retailers.

Indoor, Outdoor, and Community Composting

Composting can be tailored to your living situation, whether you have outdoor space for a compost pile, require an indoor composting solution, or wish to participate in a community composting program.

Indoor composting is an excellent method for reducing household waste and producing high-quality fertilizer for potted plants using kitchen scraps. To ensure a pleasant indoor environment, select a method that minimizes unpleasant odors. Popular indoor options include vermicomposting and Bokashi composting. Indoor compost bins are typically compact and suited for food waste, excluding garden trimmings such as tree branches.

Outdoor or backyard composting is the most common approach, especially for those with ample yard space. It can involve closed or open containers, or even directly burying raw materials in the soil. This method employs various bin sizes and types, making it ideal for composting garden waste.

Community-scale composting initiatives, whether privately or municipally managed, offer the convenience of depositing waste at a central location for controlled decomposition. If space constraints prevent you from having a compost bin at home, community composting programs are an excellent way to recycle your waste. You can use a map of community composters across the United States to locate a waste composting program in your vicinity.

Do You Need a Compost Bin, and Which Type Is Best?

Composting can be accomplished without a dedicated bin, but utilizing a container, whether store-bought or DIY, can expedite and simplify the process. Indoor composting is also feasible. If you’re seeking alternatives to conventional composting containers, here are some popular options:

Open Bins

Ideal for composting garden waste, open composting methods offer minimal protection from
environmental factors. This often occurs when compost piles are enclosed using materials like
barbed wire, metal stakes, or wooden pallets.

Advantages of open bins:

• Easy to construct and maintain.
• Cost-effective compared to other options.
• Provides superior ventilation.
• Rarely experiences excess moisture issues.
• Well-suited for composting garden waste, especially larger branches.

Disadvantages of open bins:

• Does not shield compost from extreme dryness or moisture, potentially necessitating more frequent watering in dry regions.
• Exposes compost to extreme temperatures, which can hinder central heating during winter and result in overheating during summer.
• Prone to infestations by various insects.
• Vulnerable to rodents and other pests attracted to food waste.

You can purchase open bins online from retailers like Amazon, Home Depot, and Walmart.

Closed Bins

Best suited for composting food waste, closed compost bins often resemble boxes constructed from plastic or wood. Many are bottomless, allowing organic matter to come into direct contact with the soil, which can aid decomposition and prevent excess moisture buildup. Some models even feature drain holes at the bottom.

Advantages of closed bins:

• Offers superior protection from pests and environmental conditions.
• Facilitates quicker heating of the compost pile.
• Maintains proper moisture levels.
• Easier to insulate during winter.
• Ideal for composting kitchen waste.

Disadvantages of closed bins:

• Typically more expensive to purchase or build.
• May require more frequent aeration and turning.
• Prone to becoming overly wet or compacted.
• Cost-effective composting kitchen waste.

You can create a DIY closed compost bin using materials like plastic storage bins, wine crates, garbage cans, wooden pallets, or old wooden dressers. Alternatively, you can purchase closed compost bins from online stores such as Amazon, Home Depot, and Walmart.

Tumbler Bins

These bins offer the advantages of expedited composting and ease of use. You don’t need to remove compost from the bin and turn it with a rake or garden fork since simply rolling the bin a couple of times a week facilitates proper ventilation and mixing of ingredients. A tumbler bin typically resembles a plastic container equipped with a built-in metal shaft or base, allowing you to rotate it using a handle. Depending on its size, you can install the tumbler bin in your yard, garage, or porch.

Advantages of tumbler bins:

• Simplicity of use.
• Simplified mixing and aeration of compost.
• Maintains a good seal to retain moisture while allowing adequate airflow.
• Speeds up decomposition, typically yielding compost within 3 weeks to 2 months, without aging.

Disadvantages of tumbler bins:

• May require more effort to construct if opting for a DIY approach.
• Often more expensive than open and closed containers of similar capacity.
• Typically offers half the capacity of an open or closed container of the same footprint, limiting its suitability for garden space conservation.

Tumbler bins are widely available online, and you can purchase popular models from stores such as FCMP Outdoor, Home Depot, and Walmart.

Trench Composting

This low-maintenance, bin-free solution entails digging a hole and burying organic waste within the soil. The waste is then covered with a 12 to 18-inch layer of soil to retain moisture and protect it from pests. Over time, the compost disintegrates, enriching the soil in larger gardens by creating trenches between rows of vegetables.

Advantages of trench composting:

• Minimal maintenance and no need for a bin.
• Eliminates the requirement for aeration or turning of organic material.
• Allows for the addition of dairy or animal waste.
• Remains unobtrusive and doesn’t impact your garden’s design.
• Benefits nearby plants by continuously providing small amounts of liquid fertilizer.

Disadvantages of trench composting:

• Once the trench is sealed with soil, no further waste can be added.
• Slow decomposition, taking approximately a year for compost to mature, making it comparable to a natural process.
• Difficult to retrieve and use the compost elsewhere after decomposition, primarily used for soil enrichment at the installation site.

Essential Compost Ingredients

To produce high-quality compost, you require four essential ingredients: carbon, nitrogen, water, and air.

Carbon (Brown Materials)

• Dry leaves
• Plant stems, twigs, and branches
• Unprocessed wood chips
• Sawdust and wood ash (applied thinly to prevent clumping)
• Shredded brown paper bags
• Matte, colorless paper (free from ink)
• Cardboard (without wax, glue, or tape, shredded)
• Straw and hay
• Bark
• Dryer lint composed of natural fibers
• Pine needles
• Pine cones
• Paper napkins
• Browns, known as the dry components of compost, primarily serve to nourish decomposing microorganisms.

Nitrogen (Green Materials)

• Fruit and vegetable scraps
• Crushed eggshells
• Grass clippings (cut into smaller pieces and spread thinly to avoid clumping)
• Yard trimmings
• Used coffee grounds
• Paper coffee filters (non-bleached, if vermicomposting, to avoid toxicity to compost worms)
• Biodegradable paper tea bags (without staples)
• Chicken, pig, or cow manure
• Hair or pet fur
• Seaweeds
• Green vegetables constitute the moist portion of compost, contributing to heating the pile and ensuring efficient decomposition. Nitrogen is crucial for the growth and reproduction of aerobic bacteria.

Oxygen and Aeration

Microorganisms responsible for compost decomposition rely on air to thrive. Adequate ventilation allows them to multiply and work more efficiently. Experts recommend turning the compost at least once a week during summer (ideally every three to four days) and once every three to four weeks in winter. For those aiming to expedite decomposition, methods like the Berkeley or rapid composting technique can be implemented. Frequent turning, every other day, results in readiness in less than three weeks, compared to the traditional three to five months.

Moisture and Hydration

Microorganisms also depend on a moist environment to survive and move effectively. Ideally, compost should maintain moisture levels akin to a wrung-out sponge, with approximately 40-50% moisture content. To assess moisture, squeeze a handful of compost, with the optimal moisture level reached when a drop of water starts to form or fall.

In most cases, kitchen scraps provide sufficient moisture. If the compost feels dry, lightly sprinkle water and turn it to distribute moisture evenly. Conversely, if the compost is overly wet, introduce dry materials like cardboard or dry leaves and turn the pile to address the issue.

Achieving the Ideal Carbon-to-Nitrogen Ratio

The carbon-to-nitrogen ratio, often denoted as the C:N ratio, plays a pivotal role in composting. Studies indicate that a C:N ratio of 25:1 to 30:1 is conducive to the optimal performance of bacteria involved in decomposition. Green and brown materials have distinct C:N ratios, with green materials typically being nitrogen-rich and brown materials carbon-rich. Achieving the desired C:N ratio of 25:1 to 30:1 can be done by mixing brown and green materials in varying proportions.

For practical purposes, many individuals follow general guidelines, such as adding 2 to 4 parts of brown material for every 1 part of green material. While not a precise calculation, this rule of thumb simplifies the composting process.

What Not to Include in Your Compost Bin

To maintain the quality of your compost and safeguard your garden, it’s important to exclude certain materials from your compost bin. Avoid incorporating items contaminated with pesticides, herbicides, synthetic fertilizers, or chemicals. Additionally, steer clear of materials that decompose slowly, emit strong odors during decomposition, or attract rodents and pests.

Materials to exclude from your compost bin include:

• Dairy products
• Eggs
• Meat scraps and bones (including fish bones)
• Fats, oils, grease, and lard
• Pet waste and litter
• Coal or charcoal ash
• Garden trimmings treated with pesticides
• All parts of the black walnut tree
• Diseased plants or those showing signs of pest infestation
• Colored and/or glossy cardboard or paper
• Garlic and onions (due to acidity and pungent odor)
• Citrus waste (acidic, potentially harmful in large quantities)
• Dryer lint containing synthetic fibers
• Inorganic substances (plastics, metals, etc.)

Six Steps to Creating Premium-Quality Compost in Your Backyard

Creating compost at home can appear daunting with the wealth of information available. However, it all boils down to six fundamental steps:

Step 1: Collection of Food Scraps and Yard Waste

Kitchen Waste: Set up containers under the sink, on countertops, near kitchen cabinets, or in the freezer to facilitate easy disposal of food scraps during meal preparation or after consuming fruits and vegetables.

Yard Waste: Designate an outdoor area for collecting yard waste, such as twigs, branches, lawn clippings, and leaves. Remember to cut these materials into smaller pieces and promptly transfer them to your compost bin, as allowing them to accumulate can attract pests.

Step 2: Select a Compost Bin Location

Determine the dimensions of your compost bin or pile and choose an appropriate location. Typical outdoor compost pile sizes range from 3 x 3 feet to 5 x 5 feet, with smaller containers being suitable for maintaining proper temperature during colder weather. Opt for a well-drained area near a water source, avoiding placement beneath wooden structures that could deteriorate due to composting.

You can either buy or build a compost bin that fits your available space. If considering a DIY approach, consult a helpful tutorial for constructing a compost bin.

Step 3: Prepare Compost Ingredients

To expedite the decomposition process, chop ingredients into small pieces, approximately thumb-sized. Getting into the habit of cutting food waste into smaller portions before adding it to the bin ensures smoother decomposition, as larger pieces take longer to break down. When mowing your lawn, utilize a mulching mower to create small pieces of grass and use the same approach for leaves.

Step 4: Assemble the Compost Pile

Initiate the compost pile with a layer of wood chips and twigs, approximately 4 to 6 inches thick. This layer serves the dual purpose of absorbing leachate and providing aeration to the bottom of the pile.

Subsequently, layer green and brown materials, sprinkling water if the mixture appears too dry. Aim for a composition akin to a wrung-out sponge. Conclude the compost assembly with a brown layer, 4 to 8 inches thick, to deter pests and limit rainwater penetration. Cover open bins with cardboard to control water access.

Step 5: Compost Management

To facilitate efficient decomposition, maintain the compost pile at an appropriate moisture level and aerate it as needed. Regular turning, typically once a week during summer and every three to four weeks in winter, helps ensure the compost stays on track. If the compost emits unpleasant odors, it likely indicates excess moisture; rectify this by incorporating more brown materials and turning the pile to disperse them.

Step 6: Maturation of Compost

Compost matures as the decomposition phase nears completion, characterized by a decrease in temperature and fewer discernible scraps, especially challenging-to-decompose woody components. Continue turning the compost for at least a month during this maturation period, resulting in:

• Finer compost texture.
• A rise in compost pH from around 5.5 to near-neutral values (typically 6 to 8), which is optimal for plant utilization.
• A reduction in the populations of decomposing bacteria and fungi. While the compost remains beneficial for enriching the soil, it can no longer compete with plants for nutrients.
• The removal of phytotoxic substances such as ammonia, salts, and organic acids.
• Composted material that is tested and ready for use.

Compost can be employed in various ways, with four common applications being:

Soil Improvement

Gardeners often use compost to enhance topsoil, resulting in more robust crops and healthier plants. This natural alternative to commercial topsoil, which can cost between $10 to $50 per cubic yard, contributes to garden magic.

How to Improve Soil Using Compost:

• Spread compost 2 to 4 inches thick across your garden bed.
• Incorporate it into the soil to a depth of 6 to 9 inches.

Mulch

Compost serves as an excellent mulch for vegetable gardens, flower beds, and new lawns. Its gradual nutrient release with each watering benefits plants, while also regulating soil moisture and temperature.

How to Use Compost as Mulch:

• Remove the top 2 to 3 inches of soil using a rake.
• Apply a 2- to 3-inch thick layer of compost mulch over the soil.

Top Dressing

When planting or reseeding your lawn, a layer of compost as top dressing nourishes your grass seeds and promotes optimal soil contact.

How to Use Compost as Top Dressing:

• Before seeding, spread a 1⁄2 to 1-inch layer of compost.
• Mix compost into the top 1 to 2 inches of the soil.
• Lightly water.

Potting Soil

Combining compost with garden soil results in an excellent potting mix suitable for indoor and outdoor plants demanding well-draining, nutrient-rich, organic soil.

How to Use Compost in Potting Soil:

• Blend 20-30% compost with 70-80% garden soil.
• Store the mixture in a sealed plastic bag in a cool, dry location.
• Utilize it when repotting or adding soil to new pots.

With this knowledge, you can now harness the benefits of natural, cost-effective, homemade compost to enrich your garden and nurture your plants. If you ever require guidance or assistance in building a compost pile, don’t hesitate to reach out to local lawn care professionals specializing in organic soil amendments. They can help you unlock the advantages of homemade compost, ensuring your garden thrives.