Compost Pile 101

I love Composting! I do. I get great satisfaction out of turning kitchen scraps and yard refuse into rich, dark, “homemade” soil for my garden. It’s easy to compost. Here are a few tips:

Good size and placement of a compost pile:
A good size for a compost pile is one that is at least 3′ x 3′ x 3′. It’s a manageable size to turn, and ideal for retaining heat and allowing for air flow.

For faster composting keep your compost pile or bin in direct sun.

What to compost:
The microbes that break down your compost pile need a balanced diet of nitrogen and carbon. Nitrogen comes from green materials such as food scraps, manure, and grass clippings. Carbon comes from brown materials such as dead leaves, hay and shredded newspaper. A ratio that contains equal portions of both works best.

Greens:
Fruit and vegetable peels and cores
Coffee Grounds (worms love them! Your compost pile loves worms!)
Tea Bags
Egg Shells (rinsed and crushed)
Rice and Pasta
Grass Clippings (a bit at a time)
Freshly pulled weeds (no seeds)
Spent flowers

Browns:
Coffee filters
Nut shells
Shredded newspaper, scrap paper, brown paper bags
Leaves
Straw and hay
Mulched twigs and branches

What not to compost:
Meat, fish and bones
Oils or fats
Dairy products
Diseased or insect-infected plants
Pet waste
Citrus peels and pine needles (the naturally occurring chemicals can actually slow down your compost pile)

How to maintain your compost pile:
Compost piles can either be layered – thin layers of alternating greens and browns, or they can all be thrown in together and mixed well. There is no rhyme or reason to my compost pile.

Compost piles should remain damp but not too wet.

For faster results, use a compost turner every two weeks to aerate your pile.

What to expect from your compost pile:
A sense of satisfaction as you create tons of rich, dark soil with not a trace of what you originally put in the compost pile.