"There's no right or wrong way of composting, and people get panicked
that they have the wrong recipe. Composting is a natural phenomenon—it's decomposing; you're just helping it along a bit."

Bins

Compost bins aren't a necessity; you can
simply create a compost heap in your backyard. Nevertheless, many people prefer to have their compost confined and in some cases covered. If this is the case with you, there are lots of options on the market to explore. You can even build your own bin with some chicken wire or plastic gardening fencing. Ideally, look at a
3-to-4 foot wide space on grass or soil in a sunny (or partly sunny) spot.

What to Add 

  • Whole or chopped leaves and stalks
  • Vegetable and fruit trimmings
  • Herbicide-free grass clippings
  • Garden weeds
  • Farming straw or hay
  • Shredded paper or cardboard
  • Manure from grazing animals
  • Aquarium water and algae
  • Leaves and pine needles

Compost Materials

Composting materials are divided into
"greens" and "browns"; greens are wet materials rich in nitrogen while browns are generally dry and rich in carbon.
Start your pile with a generous layer of brown on the bottom, and continue to alternate layers of greens and browns. You should use 2 to 3 times as many browns as greens. The smaller the material, the faster it'll break down. Woody or larger materials take longer.

Don't Add

  • Any meats
  • Oily or greasy food and paper
  • Manure from meat eating animals
    (f.e. dogs and cats)
  • Herbicide-treated grass or trimmings
  • Animal bones
  • Plants infected with disease
  • Synthetic materials
  • Plastic/petroleum products

Ask Yourself Four Basic Questions:

1. Is it biodegradable?
2. Will it help make high-quality, nutrient-rich compost?
3. Did it come from a chemical-free lawn?
4. Is it free of disease, toxins, and other contaminants?

Other Things to Consider

Water- The micro-organisms that drive your compost pile need decent amounts of moisture to survive; strive towards a moisture content of about 50%. Check the moisture content of your compost by taking a handful from your pile and squeezing it in your hand. This should leave your hand moist and not drip any more than a few drops. Your "green" materials should be adding moisture, but you can also look at adding water if necessary. Cover your pile with a lid during heavy rain to avoid killing your micro-organisms with excessive moisture.

Air/Oxygen- Aerating your compost is not necessary but may help in speeding up the decomposition process. Not aerating your pile is also likely to cause an unpleasant order. If
you want to compost quickly, stir your compost up every 3 to 5 days. In general, stirring every
two to three weeks will produce mature compost in about 6 months. Thus, aerating not only
helps avoid odors, but also makes a significant difference in how fast your compost matures.
You can aerate by turning the pile with a pitchfork or shovel.

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